Heroic saves, hot weather and hometown heros were the highlights of the 2024 Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf Murphy Homes Maroochy Classic; that solidified in my minds as one of the most important carnivals of the season if you want to claim an overall title.
In its 57th year the Maroochy crew delivered another big event with plenty of upsets and surprises, but it was what happened outside the racing that were the real highlights. Two separate incidents where athletes went out of their way to rescue people in the tough conditions, made everyone present incredibly proud.
The first was Maroochydore’s Olli Monaghan who stopped mid heat of the Iron to rescue defending series champion Zac Morris who had injured his neck; Monaghan was leading and turned around to help (shout out to Drew Green as well) giving up his own chances of getting through. Awesome effort.
The second was Northcliffe’s Harriet Brown who swam to the rescue of a number of members of the public along with lifesavers – if Brown wasn’t there to help it would’ve been a mass rescue for the patrol, but the world champion was on the spot and handled it like the champion she is. Well done all round.
Let get into the racing.
WOMEN’S BOARD
1. HARRIET BROWN ((NORTHCLIFFE)
2. TIARNEE MASSIE (MAROOCHYDORE)
3. LIZZIE WELBORN (NEWPORT)
Nobody in the sport is upset when Harriet Brown wins; she is one of the most likeable people on the beach and after her Friday afternoon heroics she deserved this one. But to be honest it hasn’t been the easiest season or road to recovery for the veteran and this is a real indication she is close to back to her best – and that’s something every surf sports fan wants. Massie grabbed a runner up spot on her home beach in a mad dash to the line ahead of Lizzie Welborn who had an uncharacteristically quiet day.
North Curl Curl’s Ash Windsham remains ontop overall but Welborn has moved into 2nd place and is only counting 4 scores – its advantage Welborn.
MEN’S BOARD
1. COREY FLETCHER
2. MATT BEVILACQUA (NORTHCLIFFE)
3. CHARLIE VERCO (NEWPORT)
The beach thought Matt Bevilacqua had this one, and so did he as he rode a wave on his own in the shallows – but Corey Fletcher produced one of the great “come from the clouds” efforts to paddle over the top of the lead wave and then run further to claim this one; Fletcher is as fast as anyone in the sport but it was his efforts on the water where this was really won. Bevilacqua hung on for second, while the race’s early leader Charlie Verco grabbed a bronze to get back on a big time podium for his new club.
Fletcher now leads the overall series ahead of dual 10k event winner Auden Parrish.
WOMEN’S SWIM
- NAOMI SCOTT (NORTHCLIFFE)
- GEORGIA MILLER (NORTHCLIFFE)
- CLAUDIA ROSE SLAVEN
Burleigh’s CRS (Claudia Rose Slaven) shook up the entire beach when she was the first and only girl in this one to take the bank on the right side of the course. Everyone said it was the wrong call but when she led at the back of the break, everyone took notice. Eventually the Northlcliffe pair of Miller and Scott would grind their way into the lead and break away, when the waves shook this up, Scott stood up and handled the soft sand run a little better than Miller to take the win. CRS continued her amazing season with another podium and deserved it but she was forced to relinquish her overall series lead to Scott for the first time this summer.
MEN’S SWIM
- SAM SHORT (MAROOCHYDORE)
- RYLEY HARLAND (NORTHCLIFFE)
- MATT LOWE (NORTHCLIFFE)
When the 4th fastest man ALL TIME over 400m and 1500m lines up, Sam Short was always going to be the red-hot favourite; and he delivered. It wasn’t as convincing as what we’ve seen with Lani Pallister in the past, but he was probably only in second gear. Hit the lead at the first can and just kept extending the lead until he had the superbox singing as he crossed the line (are Maroochydore the only club with a bunch of weird songs they like to sing?)
Seeing him in the Summer of Surf is special – let’s hope he lines up a few more times.
The Northcliffe duo outsprinted a huge contingent to grab the minors, both Harland and Lowe continue to impress in these surf races.
Hayden Cotter still has the overall lead in the series as well as the biggest lead of anyone, with 6800 points.
WOMEN’S SKI
1. PIPER HARRISON (NEWPORT)
2. JASMINE RAYWARD (BURLIEGH)
3. JEMMA SMITH (NEWPORT)
If there was any doubters about Piper Harrison’s paddling ability, they have no argument now after she managed to produce a win against 3 of the best ski paddlers in the water right now. Future superstar Jasmine Locke lead almost the entire race ahead of her teammate Jemma Smith before a wave brought Harrison and Rayward into the party. The Ironwomen were always going to have the advantage in the run finish and Harrison blew them away to claim the 7000points ahead of Rayward and Smith.
The toughest question to come out of this one is ‘how hard will it be to make Newport’s A ski relay?’ these girls are on fire.
MEN’S SKI
1. JAMO PORTER (ALEX HEADS)
2. COREY FLETCHER (BURLEIGH)
3. SAM ROY (SURFERS)
Jamo Porter can produce in the big moments, and he has done it again here. The coach of Alex Heads showed all his athletes how it was done and dominated from start to finish to claim his first win of the season. In an interesting podium Corey Fletcher’s MVP chances took a massive boost after claiming second while Surfers Sam Roy is quietly building a fantastic season with a big podium finish.
Ben Carberry, who withdrew from Saturday due to illness, still sits on top of the overall points core ahead of his clubmate Fletcher who rocketed up the standings thanks to this one.
IRONWOMAN
1. TIARNEE MASSIE (MAROOCHYDORE)
2. GEORGIA MILLER (NORTHCLIFFE)
3. NAOMI SCOTT (NORTHCLIFFE)
All I can say is when Tiarnee Massie won this, Maroochydore went OFF!! Hometown hero getting it done on the beach she started at; it was special – and Massie rose to the occasion.
Kerri Thomas spoke to their field before the final and they were all more fired up than usual. A wave in the opening leg set up Massie, Miller and Scott but the hometown girls blistering transitions proved the difference overall.
Back-to-back wins for Massie have shot her up into second on the overall point score while Georgia Miller returns to the top with 3 events to go.
IRONMAN
1. JOE COLLINS (NORTHCLIFFE)
2. ALI DAY (SURFERS)
3. ETHAN CALLAGHAN (BURLEIGH)
Its about time Joe Collins got what he deserved, and that’s a big win in the Shaw and Partner Summer of Surf – after 3 straight weekends of bad luck, he finally finished on the top step of the podium and didn’t he earn it – head to head with Cooper Williams and Ali Day for most of the race, Collins final ski leg was as good as we’ve seen to get home and collect the 7000points. Ali Day’s run of runner up finishes continued with his 3rd silver in 4 rounds; and Ethan Callaghan proved himself once again on the same stretch of sand that he won the Haydnen Kenny Classic with a third here. The guy has a bright future and continues to deliver.
It was a race worth of the event and the Robbie Thomasson Memorial Trophy.
Day retakes the lead of the overall series and looks in ominous form heading into the backhalf of the season.
MIXED 6 PERSON TAPLIN RELAY
1. NORTHCLIFFE
2. BURLEIGH
3. ALEX HEADS
Alex played catch me if you can in this one and looked like holding on before a mammoth ski effort from Emily Doyle and Jasmine Rayward brought Northcliffe and Burleigh back into it in the final leg. Doyles finish was phenomenal and proved the difference here to wrap up a massive mixed 6 person Taplin and Maroochy Classic for 2024.
Its Northcliffe’s second win of the Summer and look to be the redhot favourites going into the backend of the year.