Surfing Australia Launches Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle
- Written by Tim Brimblecombe, Surfing Australia
Sydney 7 August 2014. Surfing Australia today announced the Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle, the country’s biggest grassroots, boardriders event series with $120,000 in prize money.
It will involve more than 100 of Australia’s best boardriders clubs in eight State qualifying rounds starting in October and culminate in a two-day, National Final for 20 clubs on the Australia Day Long Weekend on 24-25 January, 2015 at Cronulla in Sydney.
The Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle is proudly supported by naming rights partner Original Source and major support partners in Toyota, Nikon, Oakley, Boost Mobile, the Association of Surfing Professionals, Sutherland Shire Council, Milwaukee, FCS, Surfing Life, Fuel TV and Destination NSW.
The series is officially sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), which allows Australian ASP World Championship Tour surfers (men and women) the opportunity to represent their local boardriders club at respective State qualifying events and the National Final.
In total $120,000 is up for grabs across the entire National Series including the National Final. There is $33,000 available across the eight State qualifying events, while $87,000 will be on offer at the National Final. The winning boardriders club will receive $20,000, while $42,000 will be split between the clubs finishing second to 20th.
Additional National Final prize money includes $12,000 across 12 Skins heats; $5,000 across 5 Women’s heats; $5,000 for the Fuel TV Patriot Club Award; $1,000 each to the Wayne Bartholomew and Layne Beachley Medal Winners; and $1,000 for the Milwaukee Heavy Duty Hack.
The National Final to be held at Cronulla Beach on the Australia Day Long Weekend will again offer a World Tour surfing event-like experience for the clubs and the fans. Live broadcast to big screens on the beach and major infrastructure along with great sponsor activations will ensure a fantastic celebration of club surfing culture is brought to life. The event will also be broadcast live on FUEL TV nationally over the weekend.
Original Source Managing Director Rory Gration said: “As naming rights sponsor, Original Source is proud to be associated with a surfing event that supports at the grassroots level, helping to develop champion athletes in our local communities.
“Original Source is an invigorating shower gel range that’s packed with the intense power of nature and authentic fragrances from their natural source, which aligns perfectly to the essence of the Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle.”
Each club team will include one junior (Under 18) surfer, four Open age surfers, and one over 35 surfer. Each team must include one female surfer.
An exciting event format will see club teams battle it out in a Women’s division, five-person Teams’ division and a Skins competition. The National Final will include a lucrative, winner-take-all Skins format across 12 heats with a $1000 jackpot in each heat.
“This is such an amazing event and experience for everyone,” said 2012 World Champion and Snapper Rocks Surfriders member Joel Parkinson. “It’s great that boardriders clubs get this sort of exposure at event as big as this.”
Five-time World Champion Stephanie Gilmore said boardriders clubs have played such a significant role in the development of Australian surfing.
“I am a huge fan of the boardrider clubs in Australia,” Gilmore said. “I wouldn't have been able to hone my skills or develop my game so young without being a part of the Snapper Rocks Surfriders club, and to this day I am still a proud member. The Australian Boardriders Battle was such a fun event last year and I hope to be back again in 2015.”
Snapper Rocks Surfriders are the defending champions and coach and 1978 World Champion Wayne Bartholomew said the event was fast achieving iconic status.
“The inaugural event brought the best of the best to the National Final at Cronulla earlier this year and I have no doubt all the great clubs throughout this land are setting their sights on unseating Snapper Rocks as the nation’s premier club,” Bartholomew said.
“The regional play-offs are super hard fought in their own right, and for those fortunate enough to battle it out over the Australia Day long weekend at Cronulla it is a nail biting, rollercoaster ride, as every option, every judgement, every hack, counts towards the big prize. Even coaching one of these matches is not for the faint hearted.”
Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark said the organisation was proud to be offering the national event to the club network for a second year.
“The boardriders clubs in Australia are an incredibly important part of the sport development pathway and the Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle is the legitimate Australian Title for clubs,” Stark said. “The program offers extremely important profile building of the club network and also helps to build capacity in clubs.
“This national program would only be possible through the fantastic support of valued sponsors including naming rights partner Original Source and major support partners in Toyota, Nikon, Oakley, Boost Mobile, Sutherland Shire Council, Milwaukee, FCS, Surfing Life, Fuel TV and Destination NSW.
“A special thanks to the Association of Surfing Professionals for sanctioning the club program to allow the very best Australian WCT athletes to line up against the local unknown heroes of beaches from around the country. The stories from the first year’s event and match-ups of iconic legends and unknown club members were remarkable and life changing moments for many of the participants.”
The Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle also includes a $60,000 Monster Raffle giveaway with one lucky ticket holder to drive away in a new Toyota RAV4 valued at $55,000. Other prize packs will be provided by Milwaukee, Original Source, Nikon, Oakley, Boost and FCS. The Monster Raffle is open to all Surfing Australia affiliated boardriders clubs with proceeds returning to the boardriders club community.
Member for Cronulla Mark Speakman said: “Boasting Sydney’s best beaches it is fantastic that we can once again host the national final here in Cronulla, over the 2015 Australia Day weekend.
“Last year’s inaugural event was well received, not only within the Cronulla community and across Sydney and NSW, but from over 400 interstate visitors who made the trip to the national final, driving tourism to the area and providing a great boost for local businesses.”
For more information on the series, visit www.
The Original Source Australian Boardriders Battle Schedule:
EVENT 1
Scamander, TAS - October 4, 2014
EVENT 2
Fleurieu Peninsula, SA - October 25, 2014
EVENT 3
Gold Coast, QLD - November 1 - 2, 2014
EVENT 4
NSW Central - North Narrabeen, NSW - November 8, 2014
EVENT 5
NSW Nth - Yamba, NSW - November 15, 2014
EVENT 6
Yallingup, WA - November 22, 2014
EVENT 7
Phillip Island, VIC - December 13, 2014
EVENT 8
NSW Sth - Kiama, NSW - January 10, 2015
NATIONAL FINAL
Cronulla, NSW - January 24 - 25, 2015