Latest news with #Callinan
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Merewether's Ryan Callinan into semi-finals on Surfest Sunday
Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Shock exits: Baker, Wilson casualties in 'rogue' surf on mixed day for locals
Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday.
The Advertiser
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Locals stoked with double Surfest shot as Anderson progresses on day one
Surfing a world-ranked event at your home break once a season is special enough. So, home-grown pair Jackson Baker and Ryan Callinan were clearly stoked at the announcement on Monday that Newcastle Surfest contests would bookend the World Surf League's (WSL) second-tier Challenger Series (CS). Baker, Callinan and fellow Merewether surfer Morgan Cibilic are attempting to requalify for the World Championship Tour through the seven-event CS, which began in Newcastle on Monday and returns as the last stop of the 2025-26 series next March. The CS previously comprised five events but the WSL announced on Monday, as Surfest was launched at Merewether, that events at Hawaii's Pipeline (January 28 to February 8, 2026) and in Newcastle (March 8-15, 2026) had been added for this season. The top-10 ranked male surfers and top-seven women, based on competitor's best-five results, earn a spot on the top-tier Championship Tour for 2026. "It's really exciting to finish here," Baker said on Monday. "Mentally, you're still preparing for a five-event series, so those extra two are a bonus. You kind of want to seal it up before Pipe and coming back here, but that's easier said than done. "But to finish here and be standing on the beach here in March and you've made the world tour at your local break would be a dream come true." The 28-year-old's name is etched into Surfest history as its first home-grown men's winner. Baker won the Newcastle title in 2022 when it was a third-tier Qualifying Series event. That year was his first year on the Championship Tour, a place he is determined to get back to. "It was a special day," Baker reflected of the 2022 victory. "Everyone has kind of been bringing it up in the last few weeks, but I'm just reminding myself that coming into this event it doesn't really mean anything now. "Refresh with the Challenger Series. The goal is still the same - to try to win it as a Challenger Series for the first time. "But that was a really special day. I got to share the final with Ryan, and we knew we had a 50 per cent chance that a local would finally win the thing. "It was a beautiful afternoon and the waves were really fun, really good Merewether, kind of similar today, really good conditions." Competition got underway with the men's round-of-80 surfers on Monday. Gold Coast surfer Julian Wilson, who now calls Newcastle home and won Surfest in 2020, won his opening-round heat on Monday. The 36-year-old, who is making a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight, posted a two-wave score of 13.50 points to progress to the next round alongside second-placed Tenshi Iwami (11.27) from Japan. Baker, Cibilic and Callinan hit the water in the next round, likely to start on Wednesday or Thursday depending on conditions. Callinan comes back into the CS for the first time since 2022 after missing the CT's mid-season cut last week. The 33-year-old goofy-footer has had a mixed 2025, missing two of seven CT events, but recently celebrated the birth of his first child - four-week-old daughter Penelope. "It's a big adjustment but I'm loving every second of it. It's a new adventure," Callinan said on Monday. "It's been a bit of a bumpy year competitively for me, missing an event having an injury and then missing another event for the birth of Pene, which I wouldn't change for the world. "But just trying to find the flow and find my feet in the water and what better way to do it than here at home with waves that look so fun." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, who has her own named etched in history as the 2009 Surfest's women's winner, is an event wildcard and looked right at home as she progressed to the next round with a first-up heat win on Monday. The 33-year-old natural-footer took an early heat lead then sealed a winning score of 12.06 points with a 6.33-point ride in the final minutes. Peru's Arena Rodriguez was second (11.90) and also progressed. Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum placed third (9.83) in the same heat and bowed out of the contest, along with fourth-placed Australian Oceania Rogers (8.36). "That was probably the least nervous I've ever been ... that felt really good. I guess just no pressure," Anderson said after her heat win on Monday afternoon. "For me, I was pretty devastated I didn't make the Challenger to represent our region this year but we had the trials yesterday and I said to a few of the local girls, 'Just how good is this opportunity. You have a one in 12 shot to make a Challenger'. "I kind of carried that into today, just how good is this opportunity. A bit of a different mindset for me this year." Destination NSW funding has helped secure Surfest events this year and next. Surfing a world-ranked event at your home break once a season is special enough. So, home-grown pair Jackson Baker and Ryan Callinan were clearly stoked at the announcement on Monday that Newcastle Surfest contests would bookend the World Surf League's (WSL) second-tier Challenger Series (CS). Baker, Callinan and fellow Merewether surfer Morgan Cibilic are attempting to requalify for the World Championship Tour through the seven-event CS, which began in Newcastle on Monday and returns as the last stop of the 2025-26 series next March. The CS previously comprised five events but the WSL announced on Monday, as Surfest was launched at Merewether, that events at Hawaii's Pipeline (January 28 to February 8, 2026) and in Newcastle (March 8-15, 2026) had been added for this season. The top-10 ranked male surfers and top-seven women, based on competitor's best-five results, earn a spot on the top-tier Championship Tour for 2026. "It's really exciting to finish here," Baker said on Monday. "Mentally, you're still preparing for a five-event series, so those extra two are a bonus. You kind of want to seal it up before Pipe and coming back here, but that's easier said than done. "But to finish here and be standing on the beach here in March and you've made the world tour at your local break would be a dream come true." The 28-year-old's name is etched into Surfest history as its first home-grown men's winner. Baker won the Newcastle title in 2022 when it was a third-tier Qualifying Series event. That year was his first year on the Championship Tour, a place he is determined to get back to. "It was a special day," Baker reflected of the 2022 victory. "Everyone has kind of been bringing it up in the last few weeks, but I'm just reminding myself that coming into this event it doesn't really mean anything now. "Refresh with the Challenger Series. The goal is still the same - to try to win it as a Challenger Series for the first time. "But that was a really special day. I got to share the final with Ryan, and we knew we had a 50 per cent chance that a local would finally win the thing. "It was a beautiful afternoon and the waves were really fun, really good Merewether, kind of similar today, really good conditions." Competition got underway with the men's round-of-80 surfers on Monday. Gold Coast surfer Julian Wilson, who now calls Newcastle home and won Surfest in 2020, won his opening-round heat on Monday. The 36-year-old, who is making a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight, posted a two-wave score of 13.50 points to progress to the next round alongside second-placed Tenshi Iwami (11.27) from Japan. Baker, Cibilic and Callinan hit the water in the next round, likely to start on Wednesday or Thursday depending on conditions. Callinan comes back into the CS for the first time since 2022 after missing the CT's mid-season cut last week. The 33-year-old goofy-footer has had a mixed 2025, missing two of seven CT events, but recently celebrated the birth of his first child - four-week-old daughter Penelope. "It's a big adjustment but I'm loving every second of it. It's a new adventure," Callinan said on Monday. "It's been a bit of a bumpy year competitively for me, missing an event having an injury and then missing another event for the birth of Pene, which I wouldn't change for the world. "But just trying to find the flow and find my feet in the water and what better way to do it than here at home with waves that look so fun." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, who has her own named etched in history as the 2009 Surfest's women's winner, is an event wildcard and looked right at home as she progressed to the next round with a first-up heat win on Monday. The 33-year-old natural-footer took an early heat lead then sealed a winning score of 12.06 points with a 6.33-point ride in the final minutes. Peru's Arena Rodriguez was second (11.90) and also progressed. Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum placed third (9.83) in the same heat and bowed out of the contest, along with fourth-placed Australian Oceania Rogers (8.36). "That was probably the least nervous I've ever been ... that felt really good. I guess just no pressure," Anderson said after her heat win on Monday afternoon. "For me, I was pretty devastated I didn't make the Challenger to represent our region this year but we had the trials yesterday and I said to a few of the local girls, 'Just how good is this opportunity. You have a one in 12 shot to make a Challenger'. "I kind of carried that into today, just how good is this opportunity. A bit of a different mindset for me this year." Destination NSW funding has helped secure Surfest events this year and next. Surfing a world-ranked event at your home break once a season is special enough. So, home-grown pair Jackson Baker and Ryan Callinan were clearly stoked at the announcement on Monday that Newcastle Surfest contests would bookend the World Surf League's (WSL) second-tier Challenger Series (CS). Baker, Callinan and fellow Merewether surfer Morgan Cibilic are attempting to requalify for the World Championship Tour through the seven-event CS, which began in Newcastle on Monday and returns as the last stop of the 2025-26 series next March. The CS previously comprised five events but the WSL announced on Monday, as Surfest was launched at Merewether, that events at Hawaii's Pipeline (January 28 to February 8, 2026) and in Newcastle (March 8-15, 2026) had been added for this season. The top-10 ranked male surfers and top-seven women, based on competitor's best-five results, earn a spot on the top-tier Championship Tour for 2026. "It's really exciting to finish here," Baker said on Monday. "Mentally, you're still preparing for a five-event series, so those extra two are a bonus. You kind of want to seal it up before Pipe and coming back here, but that's easier said than done. "But to finish here and be standing on the beach here in March and you've made the world tour at your local break would be a dream come true." The 28-year-old's name is etched into Surfest history as its first home-grown men's winner. Baker won the Newcastle title in 2022 when it was a third-tier Qualifying Series event. That year was his first year on the Championship Tour, a place he is determined to get back to. "It was a special day," Baker reflected of the 2022 victory. "Everyone has kind of been bringing it up in the last few weeks, but I'm just reminding myself that coming into this event it doesn't really mean anything now. "Refresh with the Challenger Series. The goal is still the same - to try to win it as a Challenger Series for the first time. "But that was a really special day. I got to share the final with Ryan, and we knew we had a 50 per cent chance that a local would finally win the thing. "It was a beautiful afternoon and the waves were really fun, really good Merewether, kind of similar today, really good conditions." Competition got underway with the men's round-of-80 surfers on Monday. Gold Coast surfer Julian Wilson, who now calls Newcastle home and won Surfest in 2020, won his opening-round heat on Monday. The 36-year-old, who is making a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight, posted a two-wave score of 13.50 points to progress to the next round alongside second-placed Tenshi Iwami (11.27) from Japan. Baker, Cibilic and Callinan hit the water in the next round, likely to start on Wednesday or Thursday depending on conditions. Callinan comes back into the CS for the first time since 2022 after missing the CT's mid-season cut last week. The 33-year-old goofy-footer has had a mixed 2025, missing two of seven CT events, but recently celebrated the birth of his first child - four-week-old daughter Penelope. "It's a big adjustment but I'm loving every second of it. It's a new adventure," Callinan said on Monday. "It's been a bit of a bumpy year competitively for me, missing an event having an injury and then missing another event for the birth of Pene, which I wouldn't change for the world. "But just trying to find the flow and find my feet in the water and what better way to do it than here at home with waves that look so fun." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, who has her own named etched in history as the 2009 Surfest's women's winner, is an event wildcard and looked right at home as she progressed to the next round with a first-up heat win on Monday. The 33-year-old natural-footer took an early heat lead then sealed a winning score of 12.06 points with a 6.33-point ride in the final minutes. Peru's Arena Rodriguez was second (11.90) and also progressed. Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum placed third (9.83) in the same heat and bowed out of the contest, along with fourth-placed Australian Oceania Rogers (8.36). "That was probably the least nervous I've ever been ... that felt really good. I guess just no pressure," Anderson said after her heat win on Monday afternoon. "For me, I was pretty devastated I didn't make the Challenger to represent our region this year but we had the trials yesterday and I said to a few of the local girls, 'Just how good is this opportunity. You have a one in 12 shot to make a Challenger'. "I kind of carried that into today, just how good is this opportunity. A bit of a different mindset for me this year." Destination NSW funding has helped secure Surfest events this year and next. Surfing a world-ranked event at your home break once a season is special enough. So, home-grown pair Jackson Baker and Ryan Callinan were clearly stoked at the announcement on Monday that Newcastle Surfest contests would bookend the World Surf League's (WSL) second-tier Challenger Series (CS). Baker, Callinan and fellow Merewether surfer Morgan Cibilic are attempting to requalify for the World Championship Tour through the seven-event CS, which began in Newcastle on Monday and returns as the last stop of the 2025-26 series next March. The CS previously comprised five events but the WSL announced on Monday, as Surfest was launched at Merewether, that events at Hawaii's Pipeline (January 28 to February 8, 2026) and in Newcastle (March 8-15, 2026) had been added for this season. The top-10 ranked male surfers and top-seven women, based on competitor's best-five results, earn a spot on the top-tier Championship Tour for 2026. "It's really exciting to finish here," Baker said on Monday. "Mentally, you're still preparing for a five-event series, so those extra two are a bonus. You kind of want to seal it up before Pipe and coming back here, but that's easier said than done. "But to finish here and be standing on the beach here in March and you've made the world tour at your local break would be a dream come true." The 28-year-old's name is etched into Surfest history as its first home-grown men's winner. Baker won the Newcastle title in 2022 when it was a third-tier Qualifying Series event. That year was his first year on the Championship Tour, a place he is determined to get back to. "It was a special day," Baker reflected of the 2022 victory. "Everyone has kind of been bringing it up in the last few weeks, but I'm just reminding myself that coming into this event it doesn't really mean anything now. "Refresh with the Challenger Series. The goal is still the same - to try to win it as a Challenger Series for the first time. "But that was a really special day. I got to share the final with Ryan, and we knew we had a 50 per cent chance that a local would finally win the thing. "It was a beautiful afternoon and the waves were really fun, really good Merewether, kind of similar today, really good conditions." Competition got underway with the men's round-of-80 surfers on Monday. Gold Coast surfer Julian Wilson, who now calls Newcastle home and won Surfest in 2020, won his opening-round heat on Monday. The 36-year-old, who is making a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight, posted a two-wave score of 13.50 points to progress to the next round alongside second-placed Tenshi Iwami (11.27) from Japan. Baker, Cibilic and Callinan hit the water in the next round, likely to start on Wednesday or Thursday depending on conditions. Callinan comes back into the CS for the first time since 2022 after missing the CT's mid-season cut last week. The 33-year-old goofy-footer has had a mixed 2025, missing two of seven CT events, but recently celebrated the birth of his first child - four-week-old daughter Penelope. "It's a big adjustment but I'm loving every second of it. It's a new adventure," Callinan said on Monday. "It's been a bit of a bumpy year competitively for me, missing an event having an injury and then missing another event for the birth of Pene, which I wouldn't change for the world. "But just trying to find the flow and find my feet in the water and what better way to do it than here at home with waves that look so fun." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, who has her own named etched in history as the 2009 Surfest's women's winner, is an event wildcard and looked right at home as she progressed to the next round with a first-up heat win on Monday. The 33-year-old natural-footer took an early heat lead then sealed a winning score of 12.06 points with a 6.33-point ride in the final minutes. Peru's Arena Rodriguez was second (11.90) and also progressed. Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum placed third (9.83) in the same heat and bowed out of the contest, along with fourth-placed Australian Oceania Rogers (8.36). "That was probably the least nervous I've ever been ... that felt really good. I guess just no pressure," Anderson said after her heat win on Monday afternoon. "For me, I was pretty devastated I didn't make the Challenger to represent our region this year but we had the trials yesterday and I said to a few of the local girls, 'Just how good is this opportunity. You have a one in 12 shot to make a Challenger'. "I kind of carried that into today, just how good is this opportunity. A bit of a different mindset for me this year." Destination NSW funding has helped secure Surfest events this year and next.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
'Brutal' conditions sees a thousand tradies strike at remote camp in Aussie national park
Tradies at a camp inside a remote national park have downed tools on Wednesday, forcing a $12 billion project to a standstill. The NSW-based crew building Snowy 2.0, Australia's biggest renewable energy project, say their employer, Italian-owned Webuild, needs to pay them the same as workers at Melbourne projects and improve conditions. The Australian Workers Union (AWU) has raised concerns about conditions at the camp, with the Snowy Mountains wilderness scorching in summer and freezing during winter. FIFO workers complete 12-hour underground shifts and 14-day stints at the camp in Snowy Mountains wilderness, before travelling home for seven days. NSW AWU secretary Tony Callinan has been scathing of conditions at the camp, comparing the isolated Kosciuszko National Park worksite as 'like being in jail'. 'Employees leave home, they get on a plane, when they get off at Cooma, they get put on a company-supplied bus, and then they're stuck there for 14 days,' he said. 'There are no private vehicles allowed on site. It's not like you can just go up the road to the shops. You're stuck there. Even if you wanted to leave, there's no real ability to unless the company agrees to provide you with a bus to take you into Cooma.' Yesterday, the AWU was further angered after workers reported receiving a warning from the project's manager, Future Generation (FGJV), a joint venture between Webuild, Clough and Lane Construction. The email, seen by Yahoo News, detailed new rules from 5PM on Wednesday until 6AM on Thursday, covering the strike period. It included new restrictions on entering and leaving the site and warned of increased vehicle inspections. 'Breaches may result in disciplinary action,' the company warned. Workers are due to return to work on Thursday, and they are being surveyed by the union about how they'd like to proceed next week. 🦆 Photograph of 31 rare birds sparks ripples in midst of hunting season 🐟 Aussie man 'remorseful' after illegal find in fish tank leads to $2,400 fine 😳 Incredible breakthrough in bid to protect 'near-mythical' species The AWU is calling for a pay increase of up to 12 per cent, in line with what workers are paid at the government's North East Link Tunnel in Melbourne. Also on its list of demands are a $140 daily camp allowance for FIFOs, a doubling of night shift rates, and increased mental health days. Food is also reportedly an issue for workers at the camp. In 2023, they claimed maggots were found in meals, forcing a SafeWork NSW investigation. 'I've got no negative comments to make about the chefs, they can only work with the limited resources and ingredients provided,' Callinan said. 'There's not much variance to the menu. And our members buy two-minute noodles and things like that to try and break up the cycle a bit. It's not a great environment to be living in.' Yahoo News has contacted Snowy 2.0, Webuild and FGJV for comment. On Tuesday, Snowy 2.0 told the ABC that negotiations between the FGJV and the union were ongoing. 'As the employer of most of Snowy 2.0's workforce, Snowy 2.0's delivery partner, Future Generation Joint Venture, is engaged in ongoing negotiations for the enterprise agreements of surface and underground workers," it said. The Snowy 2.0 project expands on the original Snowy Mountains power scheme by connecting two existing dams through a 27km tunnel and building an underground pumped-hydro power station. It is the largest renewable energy project in Australia, and was developed as the centrepiece of the Turnbull Government's green energy transition. Once completed, it will be able to supply three million homes with power over the course of a week. It will have roughly 2.2 gigawatts of capacity and create around 350,000 megawatt-hours of large-scale storage. But the project has been plagued by cost blowouts, delays, and environmental concerns. Work has previously stopped at the site twice this year due to equipment safety concerns and malfunctions. The project is not expected to be completed until at least 2027. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
7NEWS
21-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
More than 1000 workers at Snowy Hydro 2.0 project strike for 24 hours
More than 1000 workers will today walk off the job for 24 hours over pay disputes with employer Future Generation Joint Venture (FGJV), which is spearheaded by Italian company Webuild. Pay negotiations between the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) and the Snowy 2.0 employer continue to be unsuccessful as workers push for pay parity with workers on Webuild's North East Link project in Melbourne. According to Tony Callinan, secretary of AWU NSW, this comes as a result of Webuild refusing to address its concerns and requests. 'Webuild wasted the first 10 weeks of negotiations by refusing to engage, they didn't respond at all to the log of claims the AWU put to them on behalf of our 1000 odd members in mid-January'. It claims workers at Snowy 2.0 are paid less, but expected to operate on a fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) basis, rostered on two weeks at 12 hours a day, and then the following week off, which can be taken up by the long commute home. 'Working in the wilderness' Callinan said 'those working Snowy 2.0 live and work in the wilderness in the middle of winter, and when they're not underground tunnelling, they're confined to Spartan work camps'. According to Callinan, workers are seeking a 10 per cent to 12 per cent upfront pay increase in order to be on par with the pay of those working on the North East Link project. With those on the Melbourne project often able to commute home each day, Callinan said 'it should be obvious to anyone that our members working in the wilderness for two weeks straight would expect to be paid the same as workers in Melbourne who go home to their families each night'. Cynthia Calderon — vice president of communications, community and stakeholder engagement at FGJV — told 7NEWS: 'The employer has and will continue to negotiate in good faith for a replacement agreement with the relevant bargaining representatives.' 'Prisoner of war camp' However, in a notice received on Tuesday afternoon, the workers on strike were told they were not allowed to leave site, with access temporarily restricted, and any attempt to leave would result in disciplinary action. FGJV deputy project director Kevin Dunning noted that it would be 'increasing vehicle inspections', participants in the strike 'must remain in designated camp areas only', and 'crib areas', or the space used for meal and break time, will be only for 'those actively working'. Callinan described it as an extreme reaction. 'It's not a prisoner of war camp, it's not a jail.'. 'If workers want to leave the project while not being paid and go out for the day, they should be able to, It's obscene.' History of tension Safety concerns This isn't the first time where workers at Snowy 2.0 have taken industrial action. 7NEWS has previously reported on the alleged live maggots in the food at the mess hall, and given the remote location, there aren't exactly other restaurants to go to instead. The general safety of the site was questioned after an incident involving the malfunction of an industrial-sized fan in February led to a halt in drilling activity. Subsequent inspections found other fans were in similar states, some with missing bolts — an accident waiting to happen. This was a month after work was stopped due to safety refuge chambers found to be inoperable due to lack of maintenance.
