City of Newcastle Pro: Joel Vaughan and Bronte Macaulay claim famous wins at Surfest

It was all on the line during the City of Newcastle Pro at Merewether Beach over the weekend, with some surprise results making some dreams come true in what was the final event of the QS tour.

There was plenty of late drama as the City of Newcastle Pro finished up on Sunday, with some surfers sealing their spots on the next round of world tour qualification on a dramatic final day at Merewether Beach.

In what was the final event of the Australia/Oceania leg of the Qualifying Series (QS), Central Coast surfer Joel Vaughan claimed the biggest win of his career by taking out the men’s event with some scintillating final day surfing.

In a strong field featuring plenty of former Championship Tour competitors and genuine future contenders, the 19-year-old was unstoppable on finals day, knocking off Japan’s Tensi Iwami and QS rankings winner Reef Heazlewood with an incredible aerial game to set up a final with North Steyne’s George Pittar.

It was one-way traffic in the final, with the North Shelley Boardriders surfer winning with a two-wave total of 13.83 to Pittar’s 8.17.

Although Vaughan took home the title, both surfers left Surfest with a huge smile on their faces, with results pushing the pair into fourth and fifth on the QS rankings and thus earning them spots on the WSL Challenger Series, which kicks off on the Gold Coast in May.

Joel Vaughan stunned the field with his aerial game at Surfest. Photo: Darren Anderson

“I’m so stoked with this win,” Vaughan said. “If you told me this morning that I would win this event I wouldn’t have believed you. The win along with the CS qualification is amazing,” he added.

“I’ve had a good run this year for the most part and this is the cherry on top. The win today is going to do a lot for my confidence heading into this year’s Challenger Series, so I can’t wait.”

North Steyne surfer George Pittar was impressive en route to the final. Photo: Darren Anderson

While he might not have come away with the win, Pittar was equally thrilled with his result.

“This is definitely the best day of my life,” Pittar said. “Making the final of Surfest, the last event of the series with big points on offer and qualifying for the Challenger Series – it’s just been an epic day. It was definitely a tricky final for waves and Joel was always going to be tough to beat but I’m so happy with my performance over the last few days.”

The win was the perfect preparation for West Australian surfer Bronte Macaulay’s Challenger Series campaign. Photo: Darren Anderson

Meanwhile in the women’s event, Western Australia’s Bronte Macaulay put in the perfect preparation for her own Challenger Series campaign by defeating Newcastle-based South African Sarah Baum in the final.

Macaulay, who had already secured her spot on the Challenger Series on account of her eighth-place finish on that tour last year, showed her class by taking out the win in her only QS appearance of the season.

Newcastle-based South African surfer Sarah Baum picked up her second consecutive second-place finish in her adopted hometown. Photo: Darren Anderson

She defeated Baum 12.23 to 8.83 in the final to join the likes of Sally Fitzgibbons, Mick Fanning, Tom Carroll and Mark Occhilupo as a two-time Surfest winner.

“There is something so special about this place – I just love it,” Macaulay said. “I’ve had a great week here catching up with friends and competing, it’s been so good.

“I’m keen to get started on the Challenger Series and find my way back onto the Championship Tour. I want to keep working on improving my surfing and I’ll need to if I want to get back on top. This is a good start to the campaign.”

It was a case of second-time unlucky for Baum, who despite surfing for South Africa, has called Newcastle home for the past five years. She also made the final in her adopted hometown last year, going down Macy Callaghan.

“It’s been a good start to the year for me so I’m really happy to keep my performance up,” Baum said.

“It’s so special to compete here with so much support, it’s definitely my favourite event on the calendar. I have improved year after year on the Challenger Series and I’m hoping the next improvement will put me in the top five and on the top level next year.”