This week we have it all; a full wrap of Bulli 5000, a new set of power rankings and an updated top earners in Surf Sports or Paydays as we like to call it…. Enjoy
SHAW AND PARTNERS SUMMER OF SURF
BULLI 5000 WRAP
We headed down to the glorious Gong for a Sunday session of surf sports for the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf Bulli 5000, in conjunction with the Sydney Water Surf Series. While the sun was shining, it was the wind that proved the big spoiler for the day – with the Nor-Easter basically flattening conditions but making things very tricky by the time the finals package rolled around.
Despite the lack of swell it was a huge weekend of racing with the Juniors on Saturday and the big guys and girls putting on an absolute show on Sunday – As usual it was the big clubs dominating with Newport and the small Burleigh crew filling most of the podium places in the open finals but it was good to see the home club of Bulli grabbing a sneaky silver as well.
It was also the first facebook livestream of the summer with Stew Duff and Matt Poole doing a great job in the studio – and you’ll be able to catch the replay on both the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf Facebook page and the Seven Plus app.
Lets review the action.
Women’s Ski Race.
Skills paid the bills for the Queen of the south, Lizzie Welborn (Newport) who led basically from start to finish to open our finals package. Welborn looked strong in the blustery conditions to lead home an all-Newport podium with Piper Harrison and Alex Lefevre in second and third. The Sydney based club has plenty of talent with 8 of the 18 finalists and arguably missing their best two paddlers in Jemma Smith and Hannah Minogue they’ll be a force this summer.
The silver was enough for Piper Harrison to take the lead in the overall point score with a second and third to start the season, she’s certainly in a purple patch of form.
Men’s Ski Race
It was physical strength that proved the difference for Burleigh’s Ben Carberry in this one. He had 3 ski lengths at the first can and as soon as he turned and ran with the wind it was all over; the most comfortable win of the day, Carberry continues to push his credentials as a pure ski paddler. The win moved him into the lead of the overall point score ahead of Swansea Belmont bolter Josh Murphy who collected silver; while Burleigh up and comer Sean Reilly snuck home for the final spot on the podium – there is big wraps on young Reilly who’s made the move north from vico to the Gold Coast and had a strong Ironman Series trial finishing in the final – so watch for more from him.
Women’s Surf Race
It was back to back wins for Burleigh, with Lily O’Sullivan picking the perfect line on the way out to lead by 15m at the first can, and she didn’t look back to claim her first win of the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf Season; It was a Burleigh quinella as she dragged teammate Claudia Slaven almost the whole way round – but O’Sullivans skills in the shore break proved the difference. Manly teammates Georgia Singleton and Charlotte Ward went shoulder to shoulder for third with singleton just getting home for the bronze.
Slaven’s silver was enough to push her ahead of Newport transfer Sarah Locke to lead the overall point score by just 200pts.
Men’s Surf Race
Hayden Cotter bounced back after a tough couple of weeks for the defending Summer of Surf Swim Series Champion; he claimed a much needed win in a very tight battle the entire way around the cans. Cotter snuck a body-length on the field before the first can as 10-15 chasers slowed each other down. Burleigh’s Ben Carberry hit the lead just before they hit the sand but a shorter run up the beach was the difference for Cotter, who claimed the 5000 points. Home-beach hero Brayden Woodford (Bulli) had a sprint finish that’d make any coach proud to dip Carberry for second and get the locals on the podium.
A fifth place for Conner Maggs (Newport) was enough to keep him in the overall point score lead after his win at Wanda a fortnight ago; while Cotter moved into second, 500points behind.
Women’s Board Race
The boys in the commentary booth nailed this one – Lizzie Welborn was the only woman on her knees on the way to the first turning can in the hectic wind and that proved the difference – she got first shot at the runners when she turned, opened up a massive lead and found a wave to take the most dominant win of the day. It’s difficult to rate this performance for Welborn as she didn’t look like she got out of second gear, so that’s a scary sign for her rivals. 3 wins and a 7th for Welborn in the four finals is certainly a good day but Alexandra Headland will be a huge step up in just a few weeks. Burleigh’s Claudia Slaven is making a claim for most improved competitor of the offseason with another second ahead of clubmate Kirstie Hardstaff.
A fifth for Manly’s Georgia Singleton was enough to keep her in the overall point score lead after the opening two rounds, but with the form Welborn is in and her history in 10,000 point events, it’s going to be a tough one to hold onto.
Men’s Board Race
The first draw in the summer of surf (that I can remember) and what a finish this one was – Sydneysiders Charlie Brooks and Noah Steiner went head to head to the line and in the end they couldn’t split the boys (and to be honest I will take that). Both these boys are favourites under the tent, so there were smiles all round; while Swansea Belmont’s Kurt Murphy clinched the bronze in a huge jump up from his 22nd place at Wanda. Swansea (and the Newcastle region) has a rich history of board paddlers and Murphy is cut from the same cloth, watch for him in the future.
Steiner’s shared win and a 6th from Wanda pushed him into the overall series lead. While there are still plenty of the big guns keeping their powder dry in this series – the top 5 or 6 could still be fighting it out come the Shannon Eckstein Ironman Classic in Feb – they’re good quality.
Ironwoman
A change of order on the line for the women, after a bit of chaotic attempt at a ski start was disappointing but the result wouldn’t have changed in terms of the winner, with Lizzie Welborn a class above. Lily O’Sullivan led the opening swim leg, in an almost replay of the Surf Race with Claudia Slaven hot on her heels in second; a small wash-through put Georgia Singleton from Manly onto the ski first but O’Sullivan quickly pulled back the lead through the break ahead of Piper Harrison and Lizzie Welborn.
Welborn didn’t hit the lead on the ski, but it was where the race was won as she picked up her board alongside her Burleigh rival and Newport teammate Harrison;
Welborn immediately broke away, while O’Sullivan got hit, allowing Harrison to move into second place and that’s the way they would finish, a Newport one-two in a tough final.
The two big take aways from this one, Lizzie Welborn’s ski paddling and RUNNING – she looked fast and light through transitions in what had always been a bit of a weakness, and she looked very strong on the ski, confessing in the post-race interview it was something she worked on in the offseason. Piper Harrison continues to shine and build on what is already her best season – a spot in the Nutri-Grain Iron Series, a win, a second and the overall lead of the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf Ironwoman Series all in a month is proving to the punters she belongs at the top level of this sport.
Ironman
The men were able to get away in the intended order of ski swim board; and it was ski race winner Ben Carberry who immediately established a small lead ahead of board race winner Noah Steiner (Wanda). Carberry’s line back to the beach would put him into the swim first, with Steiner jumping straight onto his wash. Newport trio of Conner Maggs, Jackson Borg and Charlie Brooks would work together in the swim to close the gap and give themselves a shot heading into the final board leg. After Steiner’s win in the board, he looked the favourite entering the final leg in the lead and had done everything right, leading all the way to the final can; But the race was far from over as the top 4 traded runners back to the beach. Eventually one of those runners turned into a wave and it was the young guns, Steiner and Magg who left their more fancied rivals behind and set themselves for a sprint finish.
They say “winners win” and Conner Maggs certainly knows how to win, but he was made to fight all the way by Steiner in his best Iron performance of the summer as well.
If you missed it, I wouldn’t worry too much because you’re going to see hundreds of tight finishes between these two over the next ten years – but if you were lucky enough to be on the beach or watching the livestream, you may have just witnessed the changing of the guard as Generation NEXT begins to make its mark.
Charlie Brooks worked the ocean to finish up on the smallest step of the podium ahead of Borg and Carberry.
POWER RANKINGS
WOMEN
- PIPER HARRISON – Leads the Shaw and Partners Iron pointscore, 2 podiums and a spot in the cereal series. Have a better month girl, I dare you.
- LIZZIE WELBORN – In scary form, could this be her year.
- OLIVIA CORRIN – A win at the trial – looked confident and mature as an athlete.
- ELECTRA OUTRAM – After a few years off the radar – new coach and looked unbeatable at Tugun.
- PIPI TE PANIA – Only knows how to win, taking out the u17 Iron at Bulli and made the trial final. Imagine being that good at like 16.
- CLAUDIA SLAVEN – Was always super talented, now fulfilling that – candidate for best offseason improvement.
- GEORGIA MILLER – Because she didn’t get a mention last time, broken back in April; Burnt feet in October and is back racing this week at the Shaw and Partners WA Race week – still my favourite for the Summer of Surf Iron Title.
- LILY O’SULLIVAN – Has always been a special talent but I think we’re about to find out just how special. Can she make the jump to the overall podium this summer? Only time will tell.
- LANA ROGERS – Nobody looks like they’re having more fun right now than her; big changes could bring big results.
- JASMINE RAYWARD – Will be the youngest in the Nutri-Grain Series. Could represent Aus in just about anything; hopefully we can keep her in the sport as the lure of Kayaking at the Olympics looms large.
MEN
- TANYN LYNDON – I’m not crying, you’re crying.. the comeback was hampered last summer with injury but the oldest grom in the field couldn’t be denied at the trial at Tugun – well done old man.
- ALI DAY – Didn’t actually retire, despite what the Gold Coast Bulletin said, and gave me the lowdown on his race plans for the next 2 seasons – will be out this week on the Summer of Surf Website – he gets #2 for his honesty.
- NOAH STEINER – I think you can tell I like the kid, bounced back from a rough trial and performed at Bulli – the only way is up for him.
- KY KINSELA – The most mysterious man in Surf Sports put on a show at tugun – Rumour is he only did his swimming in tugun gutter (AND this week I found out he is Australia’s top ranked bodysurfer) but in all honesty, a mature and clinical performance from him at the trial.
- RILEY HARLAND – WHO? Well done mate; every year there’s a young gun who does the work and performs at the trial ahead of much more fancied rivals.. and this year it was him. Enjoy the ride, you deserve it.
- CONNER MAGGS – Winners win, and the snake snuck home at Bulli.
- BEN CARBERRY – Continues to race himself into form – he will be at the pointy end when the big moments come this season.
- HAYDEN COTTER – Started to turn his summer around with a win in the surf race at Bulli; he isn’t going anywhere.
- CHARLIE BROOKS – Anyone who can go to a bucks, wedding, Ironseries trial and win at a round of the Summer of Surf all in a month deserves a higher ranking in all honesty….. well played.
- TENT TALK PODCAST – Go back and listen to their technical issues episode – I don’t think I have heard two more broken humans – they get a vote for sticking it out.
But in all honesty, they have fun and surprisingly serious and insightful takes on all things Surf Sports – check them out where you get all good podcasts.
PAYDAYS 2 – As at Nov 19, 2023
Not a huge change to the top 20 for either the men’s or women’s earners for the Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf – but the number of competitors who have collected some cash certainly has jumped. 42 guys and 36 girls have collected a paycheque for all their hard work with Conner Maggs of Newport and Emily Maythers of North Cronulla being the biggest earners of the last month.
WOMEN
| ATHLETE | EARNINGS | CHANGE | |
| 1st | Lana Rogers | 25000 | – |
| 2nd | Courtney Hancock | 12000 | – |
| 3rd | Lucy Derbyshire | 6000 | – |
| 4th | Jemma Smith | 5500 | – |
| 5th | Tiarnee Massie | 4000 | – |
| 6th | Dani Richards | 3500 | – |
| 7th | Lizzie Welborn | 2950 | UP 1 |
| 8th | Piper Harrison | 2650 | UP 1 |
| 9TH | Harriet Brown | 2500 | DOWN 2 |
| Hannah Scully | 2500 | DOWN 2 | |
| Dom Melburn | 2500 | DOWN 2 | |
| 12th | Jasmine Rayward | 2000 | – |
| Bianca Rayward | 2000 | – | |
| Carla Papac | 2000 | – | |
| 15th | Lily O’Sullivan | 1600 | – |
| 16th | Claudia Slaven | 1500 | DOWN 1 |
| Liv Corrin | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| Jaimie Perkins | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| Georgia Laird | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| 20th | Judit Verges Xifra | 1000 | – |
| Pheobe Savage | 1000 | – |
(36 athletes total have collected prizemoney so far)
MEN
| ATHLETE | EARNINGS | CHANGE | |
| 1st | Ali Day | 25000 | – |
| 2nd | Matt Bev | 12000 | – |
| 3rd | Cory Taylor | 6000 | – |
| 4th | Tom Norton | 5500 | – |
| 5th | Cory Hill | 4500 | – |
| 6th | Kenj Louis | 4200 | – |
| 7th | Oscar Jones | 2500 | – |
| Zac Morris | 2500 | – | |
| Jake Morris | 2500 | – | |
| Joe Collins | 2500 | – | |
| Riley Harland | 2500 | – | |
| 12th | Brayden Casamento | 2000 | – |
| 13th | Hayden Cotter | 1600 | – |
| 14th | Harry Stone | 1500 | DOWN 1 |
| Stewart McLaughlin | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| Sean Riley | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| Corey Fletcher | 1500 | DOWN 1 | |
| 18th | 7 Athletes | 1000 | DOWN 1 |
(42 Athletes have collected prizemoney so far)
TERMS & CONDITIONS
1. If you’ve read this far I appreciate it
2. This is just for a laugh
3. Prize Money calculations is at major surf events & the Downwind race at the Gold was included but not any other AORS events.
4. Team event prizemoney will be split evenly because any other way to do it is weird.
5. This does not include sponsorship, pokies wins, club payments or work – just prizemoney.
6. The top 20 money earners are included – the rest can be found online
6. If you feel hard done by in the power rankings, you are probably correct.