COFFS Harbour Boardriders Club will be chasing a berth in the national final of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle when the Northern NSW qualifier is held in Coffs Harbour on Saturday.

The biggest grassroots boardriders event in Australian surfing history, the top three teams on Saturday will all qualify for the Australian final to be held early next year but Coffs Boardriders club president and former WCT surfer Lee Winkler said it’s going to be hard work if the home team is going to reach the final again.

“Le-Ba (Lennox-Ballina) will be one to beat as they always are but other teams to look out for will be Byron and Evand Head are a team that’s building.

“They’ve got some good 20, 21 year-olds in their team,” Winkler said.

“The thing is you’ve got to make the top-three and there’ll be four in Saturday’s final.

“There’s an element of luck in surfing and you need some luck to go your way.”

The team event is unique in surfing and the Coffs crew will feature Winkler and Jayke Sharpe as the veterans alongside talented local surfers Rosie Smart, Taj Watson, Ethan Stocks, Dane Peel, Creed Smart and Carly Shanahan.

A two-to-three foot swell is predicted for the event and although the venue won’t be decided until Saturday morning, it’s thought Diggers or Gallows will be the most likely break selected.

Winkler said the Coffs team has prepared well for the important event.

“We’ve been training really hard,” he said.

“We’ve been training weekly for about a month and a half now and it’s probably been our best lead-up to a competition.”

 

By Brad GREENSHIELDS