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The Advertiser
2 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
02-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Everything you need to know about Surfest in 2025
Forty years after its inception, dreamed up as the uniquely Newcastle surf event that would help carry the city out of its industrial past, Surfest has returned in 2025, arguably bigger and better than ever after rising to the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series. "It's radically different," Andrew Stark, the WSL's Asia-Pacific president, said of the main contest's elevation from the third-tier Qualifying Series in November last year. With heightened status, the competition from June 2 to June 8 promises bigger names, better surf and more eyeballs on Newcastle's glorious coastline. Public transport is the best way to get to Surfest with buses running regularly to Merewether Beach, where most of the surf action is happening, the event has advised. The Newcastle light rail runs regularly from the Newcastle Interchange on Stewart Avenue to Newcastle Beach, connecting to regional train lines. Event goers using the light rail can connect with route 12 at Hunter Street at Florence Street - a short walk from Newcastle Interchange or connect with route 21 at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. The ferry operates between Stockton and Queens Wharf with services every 15 minutes during peak periods and 20 minutes throughout the day and weekends. Event goers can connect with the Route 21 service at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. Surfest events have been running since December, but the height of the action brings the show to a rollicking climax in Newcastle from Monday, June 2, to Sunday, June 8. Here is the full event schedule. If you cannot make it to the beach, the Surfest website will live stream events as they happen, including the June 1 to June 8 Challenger Series. You can watch the events here. Surfest 2025 is returning "home" to The Beach Hotel at Merewether from June 2 to 8. Not only is the hotel stepping up as an official event sponsor this year, it's also acting as a hub for Surfest entertainment and sponsoring Merewether's own Ryan Callinan, a world-class surfer and proud representative of the local Boardriders club and celebrating the rich surfing heritage of the region. The hotel is also hosting a string of Surfest events, including the Ain't That Swell live podcast with Vaughan Blakey and Jed Smith (June 1); the Go For Broke breakfast and panel with Morgan Cibilic, Andrew Stark, Mitchell Ross, Kate Wilcomes and Stace Galbraith (June 5); and the Surfest Closing Party with Tommy Trash (June 8). "We're stoked to partner with The Beach Hotel for this year's Burton Automotive Surfest Challenger Series," says World Surf League (WSL) Asia Pacific (APAC) president Andrew Stark. "It's an iconic venue with deep roots in the local surf scene - especially with the Merewether Boardriders and the local community. "With its epic location, great food, and surf history on the walls, it's the perfect spot for competitors and fans to kick back after a day in the water. We're pumped to see it all come to life." With Merewether being the original birthplace of Surfest, The Beach Hotel has long been woven into the fabric of Newcastle's surf culture. It's something owner Glenn Piper was adamant about preserving - and honouring - while renovating the building. "Surfing is in our veins here at The Beaches," he said. "Bringing Surfest back to its original home and supporting local legends like Ryan is about honouring our past while investing in the future of Newcastle's surf culture." Added Ryan: "The Beach Hotel has always been at the heart of Merewether's surf scene, whether it's boardriders swapping stories after a comp or locals celebrating a perfect run of swell. Having them back in the 2025 season is more than a sponsorship; it's a show of community strength and pride. Carrying the Beaches logo in the line-up reminds me I'm representing everyone who calls this place home." The 2025 Surfest will be the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series, drawing over 120 of the world's best surfers to Merewether Beach from June 2 to 8. It's the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing Newcastle's vibrant coastal community to a global audience. To see the full Surfest program at The Beach Hotel, visit In coordination with the event, Sanbah Surf Shop - a major supporter of Surfest - is coordinating surf classes with professional coaching staff from Newcastle Surfest Surf School. Instructors are accredited with Surfing Australia and operate as a licensed Surfing Australia surf school, teaching surf lessons to children and adults from Nobby's Beach, Newcastle. Bookings and details are available here. Forty years after its inception, dreamed up as the uniquely Newcastle surf event that would help carry the city out of its industrial past, Surfest has returned in 2025, arguably bigger and better than ever after rising to the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series. "It's radically different," Andrew Stark, the WSL's Asia-Pacific president, said of the main contest's elevation from the third-tier Qualifying Series in November last year. With heightened status, the competition from June 2 to June 8 promises bigger names, better surf and more eyeballs on Newcastle's glorious coastline. Public transport is the best way to get to Surfest with buses running regularly to Merewether Beach, where most of the surf action is happening, the event has advised. The Newcastle light rail runs regularly from the Newcastle Interchange on Stewart Avenue to Newcastle Beach, connecting to regional train lines. Event goers using the light rail can connect with route 12 at Hunter Street at Florence Street - a short walk from Newcastle Interchange or connect with route 21 at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. The ferry operates between Stockton and Queens Wharf with services every 15 minutes during peak periods and 20 minutes throughout the day and weekends. Event goers can connect with the Route 21 service at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. Surfest events have been running since December, but the height of the action brings the show to a rollicking climax in Newcastle from Monday, June 2, to Sunday, June 8. Here is the full event schedule. If you cannot make it to the beach, the Surfest website will live stream events as they happen, including the June 1 to June 8 Challenger Series. You can watch the events here. Surfest 2025 is returning "home" to The Beach Hotel at Merewether from June 2 to 8. Not only is the hotel stepping up as an official event sponsor this year, it's also acting as a hub for Surfest entertainment and sponsoring Merewether's own Ryan Callinan, a world-class surfer and proud representative of the local Boardriders club and celebrating the rich surfing heritage of the region. The hotel is also hosting a string of Surfest events, including the Ain't That Swell live podcast with Vaughan Blakey and Jed Smith (June 1); the Go For Broke breakfast and panel with Morgan Cibilic, Andrew Stark, Mitchell Ross, Kate Wilcomes and Stace Galbraith (June 5); and the Surfest Closing Party with Tommy Trash (June 8). "We're stoked to partner with The Beach Hotel for this year's Burton Automotive Surfest Challenger Series," says World Surf League (WSL) Asia Pacific (APAC) president Andrew Stark. "It's an iconic venue with deep roots in the local surf scene - especially with the Merewether Boardriders and the local community. "With its epic location, great food, and surf history on the walls, it's the perfect spot for competitors and fans to kick back after a day in the water. We're pumped to see it all come to life." With Merewether being the original birthplace of Surfest, The Beach Hotel has long been woven into the fabric of Newcastle's surf culture. It's something owner Glenn Piper was adamant about preserving - and honouring - while renovating the building. "Surfing is in our veins here at The Beaches," he said. "Bringing Surfest back to its original home and supporting local legends like Ryan is about honouring our past while investing in the future of Newcastle's surf culture." Added Ryan: "The Beach Hotel has always been at the heart of Merewether's surf scene, whether it's boardriders swapping stories after a comp or locals celebrating a perfect run of swell. Having them back in the 2025 season is more than a sponsorship; it's a show of community strength and pride. Carrying the Beaches logo in the line-up reminds me I'm representing everyone who calls this place home." The 2025 Surfest will be the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series, drawing over 120 of the world's best surfers to Merewether Beach from June 2 to 8. It's the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing Newcastle's vibrant coastal community to a global audience. To see the full Surfest program at The Beach Hotel, visit In coordination with the event, Sanbah Surf Shop - a major supporter of Surfest - is coordinating surf classes with professional coaching staff from Newcastle Surfest Surf School. Instructors are accredited with Surfing Australia and operate as a licensed Surfing Australia surf school, teaching surf lessons to children and adults from Nobby's Beach, Newcastle. Bookings and details are available here. Forty years after its inception, dreamed up as the uniquely Newcastle surf event that would help carry the city out of its industrial past, Surfest has returned in 2025, arguably bigger and better than ever after rising to the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series. "It's radically different," Andrew Stark, the WSL's Asia-Pacific president, said of the main contest's elevation from the third-tier Qualifying Series in November last year. With heightened status, the competition from June 2 to June 8 promises bigger names, better surf and more eyeballs on Newcastle's glorious coastline. Public transport is the best way to get to Surfest with buses running regularly to Merewether Beach, where most of the surf action is happening, the event has advised. The Newcastle light rail runs regularly from the Newcastle Interchange on Stewart Avenue to Newcastle Beach, connecting to regional train lines. Event goers using the light rail can connect with route 12 at Hunter Street at Florence Street - a short walk from Newcastle Interchange or connect with route 21 at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. The ferry operates between Stockton and Queens Wharf with services every 15 minutes during peak periods and 20 minutes throughout the day and weekends. Event goers can connect with the Route 21 service at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. Surfest events have been running since December, but the height of the action brings the show to a rollicking climax in Newcastle from Monday, June 2, to Sunday, June 8. Here is the full event schedule. If you cannot make it to the beach, the Surfest website will live stream events as they happen, including the June 1 to June 8 Challenger Series. You can watch the events here. Surfest 2025 is returning "home" to The Beach Hotel at Merewether from June 2 to 8. Not only is the hotel stepping up as an official event sponsor this year, it's also acting as a hub for Surfest entertainment and sponsoring Merewether's own Ryan Callinan, a world-class surfer and proud representative of the local Boardriders club and celebrating the rich surfing heritage of the region. The hotel is also hosting a string of Surfest events, including the Ain't That Swell live podcast with Vaughan Blakey and Jed Smith (June 1); the Go For Broke breakfast and panel with Morgan Cibilic, Andrew Stark, Mitchell Ross, Kate Wilcomes and Stace Galbraith (June 5); and the Surfest Closing Party with Tommy Trash (June 8). "We're stoked to partner with The Beach Hotel for this year's Burton Automotive Surfest Challenger Series," says World Surf League (WSL) Asia Pacific (APAC) president Andrew Stark. "It's an iconic venue with deep roots in the local surf scene - especially with the Merewether Boardriders and the local community. "With its epic location, great food, and surf history on the walls, it's the perfect spot for competitors and fans to kick back after a day in the water. We're pumped to see it all come to life." With Merewether being the original birthplace of Surfest, The Beach Hotel has long been woven into the fabric of Newcastle's surf culture. It's something owner Glenn Piper was adamant about preserving - and honouring - while renovating the building. "Surfing is in our veins here at The Beaches," he said. "Bringing Surfest back to its original home and supporting local legends like Ryan is about honouring our past while investing in the future of Newcastle's surf culture." Added Ryan: "The Beach Hotel has always been at the heart of Merewether's surf scene, whether it's boardriders swapping stories after a comp or locals celebrating a perfect run of swell. Having them back in the 2025 season is more than a sponsorship; it's a show of community strength and pride. Carrying the Beaches logo in the line-up reminds me I'm representing everyone who calls this place home." The 2025 Surfest will be the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series, drawing over 120 of the world's best surfers to Merewether Beach from June 2 to 8. It's the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing Newcastle's vibrant coastal community to a global audience. To see the full Surfest program at The Beach Hotel, visit In coordination with the event, Sanbah Surf Shop - a major supporter of Surfest - is coordinating surf classes with professional coaching staff from Newcastle Surfest Surf School. Instructors are accredited with Surfing Australia and operate as a licensed Surfing Australia surf school, teaching surf lessons to children and adults from Nobby's Beach, Newcastle. Bookings and details are available here. Forty years after its inception, dreamed up as the uniquely Newcastle surf event that would help carry the city out of its industrial past, Surfest has returned in 2025, arguably bigger and better than ever after rising to the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series. "It's radically different," Andrew Stark, the WSL's Asia-Pacific president, said of the main contest's elevation from the third-tier Qualifying Series in November last year. With heightened status, the competition from June 2 to June 8 promises bigger names, better surf and more eyeballs on Newcastle's glorious coastline. Public transport is the best way to get to Surfest with buses running regularly to Merewether Beach, where most of the surf action is happening, the event has advised. The Newcastle light rail runs regularly from the Newcastle Interchange on Stewart Avenue to Newcastle Beach, connecting to regional train lines. Event goers using the light rail can connect with route 12 at Hunter Street at Florence Street - a short walk from Newcastle Interchange or connect with route 21 at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. The ferry operates between Stockton and Queens Wharf with services every 15 minutes during peak periods and 20 minutes throughout the day and weekends. Event goers can connect with the Route 21 service at Customs House, Watt Street - a short walk from the Newcastle Beach stop. Surfest events have been running since December, but the height of the action brings the show to a rollicking climax in Newcastle from Monday, June 2, to Sunday, June 8. Here is the full event schedule. If you cannot make it to the beach, the Surfest website will live stream events as they happen, including the June 1 to June 8 Challenger Series. You can watch the events here. Surfest 2025 is returning "home" to The Beach Hotel at Merewether from June 2 to 8. Not only is the hotel stepping up as an official event sponsor this year, it's also acting as a hub for Surfest entertainment and sponsoring Merewether's own Ryan Callinan, a world-class surfer and proud representative of the local Boardriders club and celebrating the rich surfing heritage of the region. The hotel is also hosting a string of Surfest events, including the Ain't That Swell live podcast with Vaughan Blakey and Jed Smith (June 1); the Go For Broke breakfast and panel with Morgan Cibilic, Andrew Stark, Mitchell Ross, Kate Wilcomes and Stace Galbraith (June 5); and the Surfest Closing Party with Tommy Trash (June 8). "We're stoked to partner with The Beach Hotel for this year's Burton Automotive Surfest Challenger Series," says World Surf League (WSL) Asia Pacific (APAC) president Andrew Stark. "It's an iconic venue with deep roots in the local surf scene - especially with the Merewether Boardriders and the local community. "With its epic location, great food, and surf history on the walls, it's the perfect spot for competitors and fans to kick back after a day in the water. We're pumped to see it all come to life." With Merewether being the original birthplace of Surfest, The Beach Hotel has long been woven into the fabric of Newcastle's surf culture. It's something owner Glenn Piper was adamant about preserving - and honouring - while renovating the building. "Surfing is in our veins here at The Beaches," he said. "Bringing Surfest back to its original home and supporting local legends like Ryan is about honouring our past while investing in the future of Newcastle's surf culture." Added Ryan: "The Beach Hotel has always been at the heart of Merewether's surf scene, whether it's boardriders swapping stories after a comp or locals celebrating a perfect run of swell. Having them back in the 2025 season is more than a sponsorship; it's a show of community strength and pride. Carrying the Beaches logo in the line-up reminds me I'm representing everyone who calls this place home." The 2025 Surfest will be the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series, drawing over 120 of the world's best surfers to Merewether Beach from June 2 to 8. It's the largest surfing festival in the Southern Hemisphere, showcasing Newcastle's vibrant coastal community to a global audience. To see the full Surfest program at The Beach Hotel, visit In coordination with the event, Sanbah Surf Shop - a major supporter of Surfest - is coordinating surf classes with professional coaching staff from Newcastle Surfest Surf School. Instructors are accredited with Surfing Australia and operate as a licensed Surfing Australia surf school, teaching surf lessons to children and adults from Nobby's Beach, Newcastle. Bookings and details are available here.
The Advertiser
03-05-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Baby joy: Merewether surfer Ryan Callinan welcomes first child
Merewether surfer Ryan Callinan and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson will face off in the elimination round at the Gold Coast Pro after mixed starts on the contest's opening day.
The Advertiser
03-05-2025
- Climate
- The Advertiser
Callinan no-show, will be back after pre-Burleigh baby
The waves arrived but so did Ryan Callinan's newborn, the pre-tournament delivery forcing the Australian to miss his opening-round Gold Coast Pro heat.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Callinan no-show, will be back after pre-Burleigh baby
The waves arrived but so did Ryan Callinan's newborn, the pre-tournament delivery forcing the Australian to miss his opening-round Gold Coast Pro heat. Callinan's wife gave birth on Friday night, meaning the Newcastle product was a no-show when the Championship Tour returned to the Gold Coast for the first time since 2019 on Saturday morning. He will still feature though, set to return for the sudden-death second round that will also include high-profile compatriots Jack Robinson and Julian Wilson. Bells Beach champion and No.3-ranked Robinson (9.13 points) couldn't get going in his heat against Alan Cleland (10.27) and Callum Robson (13.26). Wilson (14.07), back at CT level for the first time since his 2019 retirement after winning qualifying on Friday, was shot down in a high-scoring heat by No.1-ranked Italo Ferreira (16.03) and Burleigh Heads local Liam O'Brien (15.77). Australian No.2 Ethan Ewing won his heat and was encouraged by what he saw from the building Burleigh swell after a season stunted by below-par conditions. Jordan Lawler will also surf in a sudden-death second-round heat, while Joel Vaughan is yet to enter the water. Stephanie Gilmore, an eight-time world champion and six-time event winner, will compete for the first time since August 2023 as a wildcard. There are five other Australian women in the field, including Bells Beach champion Isabella Nichols. The Gold Coast stop was shifted from the traditional Snapper Rocks location due to erosion created by Cyclone Alfred in March.
