Margaret River Boardriders have stormed to victory at the 34th Surf Boardroom Surf League, delivering an outstanding team performance to claim top honours at Scarborough Beach on Saturday.
Five of WA’s leading boardrider clubs battled for bragging rights and more than $5,000 in cash and prizes at the Surf Boardroom Surf League presented by Rip Curl, with Margaret River, Trigg Point, Mullaloo, Scarborough and Trigg Junior going head-to-head in one of the state’s longest-running club surfing events.
Held as part of the Groundswell Festival, presented by the City of Stirling, the event brought high-performance surfing, fierce club rivalries and plenty of action to the Scarborough foreshore.
Two-to-three-foot peaks and challenging conditions tested competitors throughout the day, but the depth of talent across the clubs produced an exceptional standard of surfing and some outstanding scores.
Each club fielded six surfers, including four Open competitors, one Over-35 Master and one Under-18 Junior, with each surfer’s best wave contributing to the team total.
After an opening-round defeat to Trigg Point, Margaret River turned the tables in spectacular fashion, dominating the 60-minute final to take out the title.
The formidable lineup of Cyrus Cox, Ace Flynn, Ben Spence, Jack Mitchell, Okie Fraser and Jerome Forrest combined for an outstanding 50.97 points (from a possible 60), finishing more than eight points clear of their nearest rivals.
Cox set the tone with an excellent 8.17-point ride (out of 10) before Spence added an 8.00, sparking a string of impressive performances across the Margaret River lineup.
Trigg Point mounted a spirited challenge, with Sebastian Pellizzon posting the highest individual score of the day, an impressive 8.60 (out of 10), to claim the Perry Hatchett Award for Best Surfer in the Final.
Mullaloo’s Kostya Rogoysky and Scarborough’s Jake Molloy also made late charges, but Margaret River’s Jerome Forrest helped seal the victory with a 7.37-point ride.
Margaret River finished on 50.97 points ahead of Trigg Point (42.66), while Mullaloo celebrated a strong third-place finish (33.16), followed by Scarborough (29.83) and Trigg Junior boardriders in fifth.
Margaret River’s Jerome Forrest said the victory was a testament to the strength and camaraderie of the club’s emerging talent.
“We’ve got such a solid young crew coming up,” said Forrest. “They all surf exceptionally well, they push each other and want to better each other when they’re out there. They’re also confident on their feet, so put all those things together and it’s a pretty deadly little team.
“We’re so stoked with our younger team coming up through the ranks. It was a really good team effort and a rock-solid performance.”
Surfing WA Regional Operations Manager Kim Clift said the outstanding scores reflected the growing strength of WA’s boardrider clubs.
“The scores were significantly higher than last year, and that wasn’t necessarily down to the conditions. It was the quality of the surfers and the depth of talent coming through every club,” said Clift.
“There’s been a real push in club surfing this year, with clubs running more local events and creating opportunities for their members to compete. You can see that paying off in the level of surfing we’re witnessing.”
Clift also praised Mullaloo’s podium finish, highlighting the club’s strong culture and commitment to developing young surfers.
“Mullaloo have built a fantastic club culture, with a great mix of experienced surfers, emerging juniors and positive mentors. To see them finish third against such strong competition is a terrific result.”
A fixture on WA’s surfing calendar for decades, the Surf Boardroom Surf League continues to bring generations of surfers together through club pride, friendly rivalries and a shared passion for the sport.
The Surf Boardroom owner Wayne Bowen praised the exceptional standard of surfing and reaffirmed the store’s long-standing commitment to the event.
“The surfing was unreal. The conditions were very difficult, but these guys made it look good,” said Bowen. “We were seeing four or five turns on some of the bigger scoring waves, and some of the single turns and hits were just fantastic.”
Bowen said The Surf Boardroom was proud to have supported the competition for 34 years.
“We think it’s one of the best events out there and it’s great to have all the boardrider clubs come together.”
FINAL RESULTS
1. Margaret River Boardriders – 50.97 points ($2,000)
2. Trigg Point Boardriders – 42.66 points ($1,000)
3. Mullaloo Boardriders – 33.16 points ($600)
4. Scarborough Boardriders – 29.83 points ($400)
5. Trigg Junior Boardriders
SPECIALTY AWARDS
Perry Hatchett Award (Best Surfer in Final) Sebastian Pellizzon (Trigg Point)
Channel Islands Frank Hayter Rising Star Award (Best Under-18 Junior Surfer) – Kostya Rogoysky (Mullaloo Boardriders)
Reef Best Single Manoeuvre – Jake Molloy (Scarborough Boardriders)
Rip Curl Falling Star (Best Over-35 Masters Surfer) – Luke Campbell (Trigg Point Boardriders)
Surf Boardroom Biggest Frother – Mahi Love (Trigg Junior Boardriders)
For full results visit liveheats.com.
For more information on the Groundswell Festival visit groundswellfestival.org.
Cyrus Cox was a standout for Margaret River Boardriders, helping power the team to Surf League victory. Photo: Raeley Jones / Surfing WA.
Surfers race into action as the fast-paced Surf Boardroom Surf League heats up at Scarborough Beach. Photo: Raeley Jones / Surfing WA.
Trigg Point’s Sebastian Pellizzon stole the show with the day’s highest score of 8.60, claiming the Perry Hatchett Award. Photo: Raeley Jones / Surfing WA.
About The Surf Boardroom
Since opening its doors in 1988 at Scarborough Beach, The Surf Boardroom has been dedicated to providing Western Australian surfers with the best gear, boards and advice. More than three decades on, the store remains a cornerstone of WA’s surf scene, proudly supporting local surfers and events while continuing to offer the latest in surf equipment, fashion and swimwear. Explore their full range at surfboardroom.com.au
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