Bondi Boardriders set for Australian Boardriders Battle grand final at Cronulla this weekend

A CALL to arms has been signalled by Bondi Boardriders ahead of this weekend’s Australian Boardriders Battle finals at Cronulla, with the club hoping to flood the beach with its followers.

BONDI BOARDRIDERS

A CALL to arms has been signalled by Bondi Boardriders ahead of this weekend’s Australian Boardriders Battle finals at Cronulla, with the club hoping to flood the beach with its followers.

Ben Davies, Bondi Boardriders’ contest director, called on club members and Bondi residents to take over Cronulla on Saturday and Sunday.

“There is $5000 up for grabs for the best club spirit and for Bondi, who always win the club spirit awards, it is low hanging fruit,” Davies said.

“We are taking our bus and we will bring our own bands and musicians, we are going all out,” he said.

They are going all out for the win too, says Davies.

Bondi Boardriders president Ray Vuko, Nicola Atherton, Teale Vanner and contest director Ben Davies. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Perth Standlick competes in the state finals in Kiama last month. Picture: Supplied.

“We are not hoping for anything, hope is not a strategy. We are there to win,” he said.

The club has been preparing their five surfers – Perth Standlick, Nicola Atherton, Chris Friend, Teale Vanner and Jaleesa Vincent – for the event by hiring the best coaches and strategists.

The event includes sessions for a male and female surfer from each club and a team event in which all five surfers try to get a high scoring wave.

There are more than $100,000 in prizes on the line, with fist place fetching $20,000.

Bondi Rescue lifeguard Nicola Atherton will be the group’s solo female and said she relished the team environment.

“Usually surfing is an individual sport or you may get the opportunity to go away as part of the state or national team but rarely do you get to compete at a top professional level in a boardriding club,” she said.

“Boardriders is grassroots surfing, and to have it in this format is really giving it that taste of what it is like to be on the elite tour without having done it.”