02-06-2025
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.
