MEREWETHER BEACH, Newcastle, NSW, Australia (Monday, June 2, 2025) – Competition has kicked off at the Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy, Stop No. 1 of the 2025 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series (CS). Day 1 saw the completion of the men’s Round of 80 and the women’s Round of 48 as Merewether turned on super clean, fun surf in the two-to-three foot range. There were plenty of solid performances on the opening day, with the draw decided for the event’s top seeds to hit the water when competition resumes.
Former CT stars shine on Day 1 at Merewether Beach
Julian Wilson (AUS) has continued his amazing run of form in 2025, claiming a solid heat win in the Round of 80 at Merewether. The former CT star has been awarded the Wildcard Spot into the Challenger Series this season with hopes of finding his way back onto the Championship Tour (CT) in 2026, and today he got his campaign underway in the right way, winning his heat with a two-wave total of 13.50 (out of a possible 20). Wilson’s frontside rail game looked sharp as he looks to earn another win at Newcastle SURFEST, this time at the CS level.
“You’re only as good as your last heat,” Wilson said. “Obviously, I’ve had a good run lately, but once you’re out there, the nerves creep in and it doesn’t really matter what you did last week or a few weeks ago. The conditions are different; it’s four-man heats, so it’s a different look and feel. The waves are fun today, and the quality is there, but with four surfers in the water, it gets scrappy. With a good-looking forecast for the second half of the week, everyone is talking about that, and you just want to get through these heats to make sure you’re there. I’m enjoying the intensity and combat of the Challenger Series. Everyone wants it, and you can really feel it, and I’m here for it.”
A contemporary of Wilson, Kolohe Andino (USA), is another former CT competitor with hopes of returning to the elite level. Andino hadn’t qualified for this year’s Challenger Series after some less-than-ideal results on the regional Qualifying Series, but with some spots opening up in the draw, he was able to book a spot at Newcastle to compete in his first SURFEST. The super fast Californian found the pick of the waves, even threading a long, deep tube-ride to claim the heat win and progress into the next round at Merewether.
“I haven’t spent much time in Newcastle apart from just stopping by between Snapper and Narrabeen last year,” Andino said. “I have a good friend who lives here, and he’s always told me how good it is, so it’s been cool to spend a few days here and have some fun. I wasn’t originally in this event, and then I guess they went down the rankings, and I got in, so I’m stoked. I’d love to compete in a few more as I’d love to get back on the CT. Priorities have changed, and it’s most important to be at home with my family, but I do miss the tour a lot. The waves have been pumping on the tour, and the performances are amazing, so I’d love to be back there.”
Peterson Crisanto (BRA) put on one of the better performances of Day 1, posting an excellent 8.00 point ride (out of a possible 10) for a massive frontside full-rotation air-reverse. Crisanto then backed it up for a two-wave total of 13.50 to overcome Olympic Gold Medalist Kauli Vaast (FRA), who progressed in second spot.
Portuguese standout Frederico Morais (POR), along with Josh Kerr (AUS), were other former CT competitors to book spots in the Round of 64. Both surfers progressed through their heats in the second round in second place, but looked solid in the rippable right-hand walls. Unfortunately for Kerr, his daughter and CS standout Sierra was eliminated in her opening heat and will now shift her focus to the next event in South Africa later this month.
Aguirre and Reginato Top Score Opening Day of Competition
Peruvian competitor Sol Aguirre (PER) put on the strongest performance of the women’s Round of 48, posting a 13.90 two-wave total to move into the Round of 32. The super smooth natural footer showed plenty of power and variation on her frontside, combining laybacks and carves to overcome Minami Nonaka (JPN), who also progressed with an impressive total of 13.23.
“I was very nervous before that heat,” Aguirre said. “I’m not a very patient person, and I was pushing myself to calm down and wait for the good waves, and I’m glad I did because I got those two, which were definitely the best of our heat. I’m really happy and motivated to compete here again, and I feel like I belong with all of these athletes and want to give it my all and my best to try and win.”
Sunshine Coaster Alister Reginato (AUS) posted the highest two-wave total of the opening day, putting up a pair of sevens for a 14.10 combination. Reginato’s super fast, powerful rail game was a great match for the Merewether ‘Rock Break’ as he moves into the Round of 64 with hopes of a big result here in Newcastle.
“It’s good to be here in Newy, I’ve got a lot of great memories here and I love this place,” Reginato said. “I spoke to Julian (Wilson) and Morgan (Cibilic) before my heat, and they both gave me similar advice on where to sit, so it was pretty similar, so I put a bit of their advice together, and it seemed to pay off. It’s a bit slow, but it is really fun when they come, and I think the local knowledge really helped.”
SURFEST Trials Winners Continue to Build Momentum
Yesterday, Dane Henry (AUS) and local surfer Natalie Fensom (AUS) won the Trials event to gain a spot in the main draw of the Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy. Today, the pair continued to build momentum, each winning their first heats ever at the Challenger Series level. Fensom’s win came when she took off on a wave needing a score with just one second left, and smashed three massive turns to earn the score and move from third to first.
“This is wild,” Fensom said. “I’m so happy to get through that one last minute, that was so scary. This is my first Challenger Series event, and I was just telling myself not to be nervous and to treat it like a freesurf. It’s just been so good to be competing here at my local with all of the support of my friends and family.”
Dane Henry (AUS) continued to impress with his combination of super-fast rail surfing and ability to spin above the lip as he moved through to the Round of 64 at Merewether Beach.
Another local who earned an impressive heat win was wildcard Philippa Anderson (AUS), who looked in good rhythm with her home break on Day 1 of competition. Anderson fell short of Challenger Series qualification this year but seemed to enjoy competing with less pressure on her way to the Round of 32. It was a bittersweet result for Newcastle as South African-born Newcastle resident Sarah Baum (RSA) was eliminated from competition.
“I didn’t actually qualify for the Challenger this year, and thanks to WSL, I got a wildcard spot into this event, and I think it’s the least nervous I’ve ever been in a heat. That felt really good to compete with no pressure. I was obviously devastated not to get on the Challenger this year to represent my region, but it’s amazing to still get this opportunity to compete at home. Maybe I could do a Julian Wilson and come in as a wildcard and go all the way to the Final.”
Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy Men’s Round of 80 Results:
HEAT 1: Ryan Huckabee (USA) 9.86 DEF. Joh Azuchi (JPN) 7.50, Shohei Kato (JPN) 7.34, Josh Burke (BRB) 6.03
HEAT 2: Dylan Moffat (AUS) 12.00 DEF. Josh Kerr (AUS) 10.60, Jose Francisco (BRA) 8.17, Rafael Teixeira (BRA) 7.80
HEAT 3: Kolohe Andino (USA) 13.43 DEF. Afonso Antunes (POR) 10.27, Tully Wylie (AUS) 10.16, Luke Tema (HAW) 7.30
HEAT 4: Dane Henry (AUS) 11.27 DEF. Adur Amatriain (EUK) 10.04, Oliver Zietz (NLD) 9.70, Billy Stairmand (NZL) 8.54
HEAT 5: Julian Wilson (AUS) 13.50 DEF. Tenshi Iwami (JPN) 11.27, Connor Slijpen (RSA) 10.50, Wesley Leite (BRA) 9.36
HEAT 6: Luke Slijpen (RSA) 9.77 DEF. Frederico Morais (POR) 9.47, Lucas Cassity (MEX) 9.06, Justin Becret (FRA) 5.50
HEAT 7: Peterson Crisanto (BRA) 13.50 DEF. Kauli Vaast (FRA) 11.30, Thomas Lindhorst (RSA) 8.43, Igor Moraes (BRA) 6.66
HEAT 8: Alister Reginato (AUS) 14.10 DEF. Yago Dominguez (EUK) 11.60, Daiki Tanaka (JPN) 10.24, Luke Swanson (HAW) 9.66
Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy Women’s Round of 48 Results:
HEAT 1: Natalie Fensom (AUS) 12.07 DEF. Vaihitimahana Inso (HAW) 11.70, Zoe Benedetto (USA) 9.97, Mirai Ikeda (JPN) 7.10
HEAT 2: Sol Aguirre (PER) 13.90 DEF. Minami Nonaka (JPN) 13.23, Janire Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) 7.83, Louise Lepront (RSA) 5.87
HEAT 3: Noah Klapp (DEU) 12.87 DEF. Jahly Stokes (AUS) 11.67, Sierra Kerr (AUS) 11.30, Kiara Goold (PYF) 8.63
HEAT 4: Eweleiula Wong (HAW) 12.76 DEF. Sumomo Sato (JPN) 12.44, Annette Gonzalez Etxabarri (EUK) 8.73, Jessie Van Niekerk (RSA) 7.26
HEAT 5: Philippa Anderson (AUS) 12.06 DEF. Arena Rodriguez (PER) 11.90, Sarah Baum (RSA) 9.83, Oceanna Rogers (AUS) 8.36
HEAT 6: Nanaho Tsuzuki (JPN) 13.30 DEF. Eden Walla (USA) 12.53, Kana Nakashio (JPN) 11.57, Reid Van Wagoner (USA) 9.73
HEAT 7: Daniella Rosas (PER) 10.17 DEF. Willow Hardy (AUS) 8.30, Charli Hately (AUS) 7.76, Anon Matsuoka (JPN) 4.10
HEAT 8: Leilani McGonagle (CRC) 12.04 DEF. Tya Zebrowski (FRA) 11.20, Talia Swindal (USA) 10.80, Anat Lelior (ISR) 6.23
Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy Men’s Round of 64 Matchups:
HEAT 1: George Pittar (AUS) vs. Maxime Huscenot (FRA) vs. Riaru Ito (JPN) vs. Ryan Huckabee (USA)
HEAT 2: Callum Robson (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS) vs. Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Joh Azuchi (JPN)
HEAT 3: Michael Rodrigues (BRA) vs. Ian Gentil (HAW) vs. Franco Radziunas (ARG) vs. Dylan Moffat (AUS)
HEAT 4: Ian Gouveia (BRA) vs. Taro Watanabe (USA) vs. Carlos Munoz (CRC) vs. Josh Kerr (AUS)
HEAT 5: Deivid Silva (BRA) vs. Jarvis Earle (AUS) vs. Kyuss King (AUS) vs. Kolohe Andino (USA)
HEAT 6: Edgard Groggia (BRA) vs. Keijiro Nishi (JPN) vs. Jorgann Couzinet (FRA) vs. Afonso Antunes (POR)
HEAT 7: Jordan Lawler (AUS) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS) vs. Adin Masencamp (RSA) vs. Dane Henry (AUS)
HEAT 8: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Lucca Mesinas (PER) vs. Oscar Berry (AUS) vs. Adur Amatriain (EUK)
HEAT 9: Liam O’Brien (AUS) vs. Eli Hanneman (HAW) vs. Charly Quivront (FRA) vs. Julian Wilson (AUS)
HEAT 10: Mikey McDonagh (AUS) vs. Morgan Cibilic (AUS) vs. Finn McGill (HAW) vs. Tenshi Iwami (JPN)
HEAT 11: Imaikalani deVault (HAW) vs. Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Lucas Vicente (BRA) vs. Luke Slijpen (RSA)
HEAT 12: Ryan Callinan (AUS) vs. Nolan Rapoza (USA) vs. Bronson Meydi (INA) vs. Frederico Morais (POR)
HEAT 13: Samuel Pupo (BRA) vs. Jackson Baker (AUS) vs. Shion Crawford (HAW) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
HEAT 14: Mateus Herdy (BRA) vs. Kade Matson (USA) vs. Luke Thompson (RSA) vs. Kauli Vaast (FRA)
HEAT 15: Hiroto Ohhara (JPN) vs. Levi Slawson (USA) vs. Keoni Lasa (EUK) vs. Alister Reginato (AUS)
HEAT 16: Jackson Bunch (HAW) vs. Lucas Silveira (BRA) vs. Jett Schilling (USA) vs. Yago Dominguez (EUK)
Burton Automotive Newcastle SURFEST Presented by Bonsoy Women’s Round of 32 Matchups:
HEAT 1: Sally Fitzgibbons (AUS) vs. Laura Raupp (BRA) vs. Natalie Fensom (AUS) vs. Minami Nonaka (JPN)
HEAT 2: India Robinson (AUS) vs. Sophie McCulloch (AUS) vs. Sol Aguirre (PER) vs. Vaihitimahana Inso (HAW)
HEAT 3: Sophia Medina (BRA) vs. Teresa Bonvalot (POR) vs. Noah Klapp (DEU) vs. Sumomo Sato (JPN)
HEAT 4: Macy Callaghan (AUS) vs. Amuro Tsuzuki (JPN) vs. Eweleiula Wong (HAW) vs. Jahly Stokes (AUS)
HEAT 5: Nadia Erostarbe (EUK) vs. Francisca Veselko (POR) vs. Philippa Anderson (AUS) vs. Eden Walla (USA)
HEAT 6: Tessa Thyssen (FRA) vs. Kirra Pinkerton (USA) vs. Nanaho Tsuzuki (JPN) vs. Arena Rodriguez (PER)
HEAT 7: Alyssa Spencer (USA) vs. Ellie Harrison (AUS) vs. Daniella Rosas (PER) vs. Tya Zebrowski (FRA)
HEAT 8: Yolanda Hopkins (POR) vs. Keala Tomoda-Bannert (HAW) vs. Leilani McGonagle (CRC) vs. Willow Hardy (AUS)
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