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Surfing Down Under
Surfing Down Under
Newcastle, NSW, Australia and the Merewether Surfboard Club has taken out the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle National Final in front of a huge home crowd at Newcastle Beach. A massive field of 70 clubs was whittled down to 24 for the final weekend, which saw Merewether eventually claim it's first national title in fun 2-to-4 foot waves.
In the final team heat of the day, Merewether came up against former two-time champs Snapper Rocks Surfriders, an in-form North Shelly Boardriders and event dark horse North Shore Boardriders. After falling just short of the win at last year's event and losing two of their top surfers to injury this year, Merewether came into the event with relaxed expectations. The shift in attitude seemed to help them as Jesse Adam, Mike Clayton-Brown, Philippa Anderson, Mitchell Ross and Morgan Cibilic brought home their clubs first ABB title. "This is the best day ever," Said Merewether Surfboard Club President Jesse Adam. "All of the team members are such legends I can't believe how proud I am of them all."
Merewether's Philippa Anderson was a standout all event, posting solid scores to help her team to the Final. Fresh off a win at the first QS1,000 of the year, Anderson hopes this experience will spur on her to more success in 2019. This has been such a cool weekend," Anderson said. "I had a lot of my friends here on the beach so the support was so awesome."
2019 Women's Championship Tour Rookie Macy Callaghan made nudie Boardriders Battle Final history, representing her club North Shelly Boardriders as the team 'Power Surfer,' the first time this has been done by a female.
Other standouts during the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle National Final included Sophie McCulloch (North Shore) who won the Layne Beachley Medal for best female performance and Liam O'Brien (Burleigh) who won the Rabbit Bartholomew Medal for top male.

