The highly anticipated Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary in Cottesloe later this week, bringing together surfers, spectators, and the local community for three action-packed days of thrilling competition and exciting festivities.
This iconic event will commence on Friday July 5th and run through until Sunday July 7th, marking a significant milestone in the history of West Australian longboarding. The Whalebone Classic was formed back in 1998 after local longboarder Peter Dunn, discovered a whale’s rib bone immersed in the surf at Cottesloe and decided to host a competition in memory of the whale’s spirit.
Over the past quarter-century, the Whalebone Longboard Classic has grown from a small gathering of passionate surfers into one of the premier longboarding events on the Australian surfing calendar. Renowned for its friendly atmosphere, high-caliber longboarding, and stunning location, the Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic has attracted a record field in 2024 with over 150 competitors set to showcase their skills on the pristine waves of Cottesloe.
Western Australia’s Open Men’s Longboard State Champion Anthony Spencer (Trigg), captured the Old Mal and Open Men’s Logger Titles in 2023 and is excited to compete in the Whalebone Classic once again.
“I was born the same year the Whalebone first ran which is pretty crazy to think,” said Spencer. “Growing up in Perth, the Whalebone Classic has always been a big deal and such a fun event to be part of, the longboarding community in WA is very supportive and I’m sure the 25th will be one of the best yet.”
Spencer will face stiff opposition from the likes of Jack Medland (Dunsborough), Rahn Goddard (Redfern, NSW), Mark Matisons (Cottesloe), Jordan Morris (Hillarys) and Ryan Clark (Dunsborough), who’ll all be out to etch their name on the impressive Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic trophy made from the bone of the whale discovered by Peter Dunn back in 1998.
A phenomenal increase in female participation in 2024 will see many first time competitors hit the water off Cottesloe, with seven-time champion Georgia Young (Perth), headlining an impressive array of wahine’s taking part in the event including local talents Maddie Barrett and Georgia Hanson.
Hanson, the current Cottesloe Longboard Club champion, said it was nice to have a prestigious, fun, grass roots, community-based event that brought the whole WA longboarding community together to embrace challenging conditions.
“I think clubs like Cottesloe are putting in a lot of effort into their women’s divisions and getting people behind it like Georgia Young and me has definitely helped getting more women involved,” said Hanson. “I know a lot of girls have entered their first event so that’s always exciting for them to get involved and you never know what the newcomers will do.”
The Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic combines a total of 14 divisions, with competitors ranging in age from 17 through to 75, displaying the diversity and popularity of longboarding in Western Australia. This year will see the inclusion of the Nose Rider division for the very first time, which will be judged purely by the amount of time spent on the nose of the longboard.The Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic is much more that just a surfing competition, with an impressive social calendar of events and activities for people to get involved with, as well as onsite catering, surf makes stalls, partner activations, surfboard raffles and much, much more.
“Lavan is very proud to once again sponsor the Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic, in partnership with Surfing WA. As a leading, independent Western Australian law firm we are committed to making a real difference through our support of local community organisations,” said Lavan’s Managing Partner, Dean Hely. “Surfing WA does fantastic work promoting Western Australian surfing and The Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic has been enjoyed by generations of surfers over the past 25 years. Lavan is delighted to see Youth Focus, one of our charity partners, involved in this year’s Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic. Youth Focus play a crucial role in young people’s lives by providing essential mental health services and counselling. Surfing WA has generously invited Youth Focus to promote their services over the event weekend and we hope that this initiative highlights the important work they do.”
Surfing Western Australia is incredibly proud to reach the 25 year milestone and carry on the tradition of the Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic established by Peter Dunn so many years ago.
“This year, we aim to honour the event’s rich history while looking forward to the future, fostering and furthering the love for longboarding in Western Australia,” said Surfing WA Events Manager Justin Majeks. “The Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic is free for spectators, making it an accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone. Whether you’re a surfing enthusiast or simply looking for a fun-filled weekend by the beach, this event is not to be missed.”
Live scores and results will be available via www.liveheats.com allowing people to tune into the action as it happens live from Cottesloe.
Competitors and spectators can interact with the event via the hashtag #WhaleboneLBClassic and be sure to check out all the Surfing WA social media platforms for more event updates and information as it happens. For more information on this or any other event in Western Australia jump onto www.surfingwa.com.au
Surfing WA acknowledges the State Government’s support through the Road Safety Commission and reminds all our traveling competitors and families of the dangers of sending a text message or using a mobile phone while behind the wheel – Remember #NoTxtNoWrecks.
ABOUT THE WHALEBONE LONGBOARD CLASSIC:
The Whalebone Classic was born in 1998 after local longboarder Peter Dunn, discovered a whale’s rib bone immersed in the surf at Isolated Reef and decided to host a longboarding competition in memory of the whale’s spirit. Two decades later, the competition has grown to become a much-loved tradition within the local longboarding community.
