Gold Coast surfing competition Usher Cup to become ‘world club championship’
From Snapper Rocks to the world – a Gold Coast surfing competition is set to become the city’s next international event. FULL DETAILS
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Macy Callaghan has been crowned the women’s Usher Cup champion after defeating her interstate rivals but she will need to beat the world if she wants to defend the title next year.
The Usher Cup is set to become the Gold Coast’s next international surfing event in 2023, with six overseas clubs confirmed to take part in the event.
They include U.S. based Santa Cruz, San Clemente, Huntington Beach and Maui Boardriders Clubs, Bali-based Padma Boardriders Club and New Zealand’s Raglan Point Boardriders Club.
Co-founders Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew said: “It’s the beginning of a great exchange and a world first for boardrider clubs”.
“The Usher Cup welcoming international clubs will make our surfing culture so much richer.”
Fellow co-founder Theodore Vairaktaris said the addition made the Usher Cup a “World Club Championship” and would cement the competition’s place on the global stage.
“2023 will mark the beginning of this event marking the surfing calendar for boardriders worldwide.”
The event already boasted boardriding powerhouses Noosa, North Shelley, Kingscliffe, D’Bah and Snapper Rocks and the inclusion of international clubs will enhance the quality of competition further.
North Shelley competitor Callaghan produced a two-wave total of 13.94 to win the women’s Cup, beating Keely Andrews (12.34), Mermaid’s Ellie Brooks (12.27), and Charlotte Mulley (8.86) in the final on Sunday.
The win comes on the back of Callaghan’s victory in the Burleigh Single Fin earlier this month.
Snapper Rocks boardrider Sheldon Simkus took out the men’s final and the $7000 in prizemoney that came with it.
Simkus (14.77) beat North Narrabeen’s Nathan Hedge (14.76), Jaggar Bartholomew (9.07) and Noosa’s Ben Lorentson (8.50) in the 30 minute final.
Who to watch at Usher Cup
January 26, 2022
The Usher Cup is returning to the Gold Coast this weekend and surfing legend Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew has given his tips for who to watch out for
From Friday to Sunday the second edition of the charity surfing contest will host a field of over 140 male and female competitors from 23 of Australia’s best boardriding clubs at Snapper Rocks.
RABBIT’S SURFERS TO WATCH BELOW
The border opening to Queensland has allowed the competition to increase from 19 clubs in last year’s edition at Rainbow Bay.
The prize money has also been ramped up to more than $73,000 with the winner of the male and female competitions pocketing $7000 each, along with the champion club collecting $5000 to donate to a charity of choice.
This year 10 local charities will receive a guaranteed minimum of $10,000 each, an increase from four last year who split $60,000.
The competition has become a breeding ground for surfing talent with Burleigh’s Liam O’Brien and Duranbah’s Callum Robson – who both qualified for the World Surf League championship tour – taking part in last year’s edition.
The best four surfers – three males and one female – from clubs stretching from Sydney’s North Narrabeen to Victoria’s Torquay will be taking part, showcasing the next crop of Australia’s best surfers.
Bartholomew said this year’s edition of the Usher Cup will put the best Queensland and Northern NSW clubs against elite interstate clubs.
“This is going to be a phenomenal showdown. There are so many great surfers in the field,” he said.
WHO TO WATCH
Dylan Moffat
Club: North Narrabeen
Age: 22
The product from the Narrabeen Sports High School has been on the rise for years.
At 18, he finished fourth at the International Surfing Association’s World Junior Surfing Championships in Japan.
Since then he has continued to grow his skills in the water and last year earned his first WSL qualifying series win at the Maroubra Pro World Surf League.
Xavier Huxtable
Club: Torquay
Age: 19
Huxtable is coming in with some hot form after winning November’s Victorian Open Series.
A former Victorian Institute of Sport athlete, he represented Australia at the World Junior Championships in 2017 and Victoria at the Australian Junior Champion in 2015 and 2016.
In 2019 Huxtable earned a wildcard to compete at the Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro.
Sheldon Simkus
Club: Snapper Rocks
Age: 24
Simkus will have an advantage on his home break. The Tweed Head’s surfer is definitely one for the crowd to keep an eye on. His love for big swell makes him an exciting prospect.
He is flagged as one of the best next generation surfers to come out of an area that has produced multiple world champions.
Mitch Parkinson
Club: Snapper Rocks
Age: 26
The cousin to former world champion Joel Parkinson, Mitch has made his own name, turning heads when he won the So Sri Lanka Pro in 2019.
His form continued last year when he took out the Taiwan Open.
He will be hoping Snapper produces similar swell to the day he caught seven barrels on one wave in 2016.
Jaggar Bartholomew
Club: Snapper Rocks
Age: 20
Of course Rabbit couldn’t leave out his son Jaggar. He doesn’t need the name to stand out from the pack.
Jaggar narrowly missed out on last year’s Usher Cup to Dakoda Walters and the Gold Coast surfer is looking to go one better after winning the Snapper Rocks club championships at the end of 2021.
Kobie Enright
Club: Snapper Rocks
Age: 22
Not short of experience, the local Gold Coast surfer earned a wildcard to the Bells Beach Rip Curl Pro in 2019 and competed against Stephanie Gilmore. Enright took at Burleigh’s Gold Coast Open and will be looking to kickstart another stellar year.
Tru Starling
Club: North Narrabeen
Age: 20
The Northern Sydney surfer will be making her way to the Coast to show-off her talent that was heavily featured in the NSW pathway teams when she was a teenager. She was a part of the winning North Narrabeen team at the Australian Boardriders Battle last year.
Sophie McCulloch
Club: North Shore
Age: 23
It was a successful but frustrating 2021 for McCulloch who came second in the Great Lakes Pro and Mad Mex Maroubra Pro, along with a third in the Oakberry Tweed Coast Pro. The North Shore’s surfer will be looking to start her new year in style this weekend.
Zahli Kelly
Club: Cabarita
Age: 18
In 2017, Kelly took out the Australasian pro junior tour in her first year at 13. A year later she won her first ever qualifying series event in France at only 14. Kelly has continued to grow her skills and her air game will be something for the crowds to keep an eye on.
Macy Callaghan
Club: North Shelly
Age: 21
The NSW Central Coast surfer grew up surfing at Avoca Beach but moved to Kingscliff to hone her skills after a successful junior career, including one Australian Open title and two junior Australian titles. She has been travelling across the world, including competing in last year’s US Open of Surfing, and has returned to compete from her home club North Shelly.
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