Burgess flies Skye high at Brian Hilton RA Girls Surf Show

Burgess flies Skye high at the 

Brian Hilton RA Show! 

Photo: Skye Burgess with her cheque, ex World Tour competiotor and runner up Sam Cornish and European Champ Sarah Beardmore at the presentation and all smiles.

On Saturday 21 January, for the second year running the Brian Hilton RA Show kicked off at Copacabana Beach on the Central Coast, NSW. The RA Show boasts to offer the highest prize purse for competitors at a female only amateur surfing competition in Australia. The event is organised by ASP World Tour competitor Rebecca Woods and ex World Tour competitor Amee Donohoe who have put in the hard yards to give back to their supporting local communities as well as to support the sport they love so much and simultaneously encourage the development of female surfing in Australia.

The Brian Hilton RA Show worked closely with Take 3, environmental organisation whose message is to ‘Take 3’ pieces of rubbish every time you leave the beach. The Brian Hilton RA Show rose over $800 for this great cause and was proud to be in close alliance over the planning and duration of the event.

Saturday saw an action packed day filled with impressive surfing and improving conditions at Woods’ end of the beach, Copacabana. There was also market stalls, surf lessons and activities for all. It was then on the Sunday where we saw a location change to Donohoe’s end of the same beach, MacMasters. With more protection from the ESE wind and a jump in swell MacMasters offered some punchy waves where competitors could prove themselves in a day mostly scheduled with finals. With some great prizes on offer including D Burge surfboards and all semi final and finalists in the Open Pro and Under 21 divisions, as well as Bodyboard and Longboard taking home cheques, everyone was battling it out until the very end.

In the Open Pro division we saw some impressive surfing and some very close heats. In the end it was Skye Burgess taking home the first place $1200 cheque narrowly defeating Samantha Cornish in a women on women final with Burgess scoring a well deserved 8.5 in the last two minutes enabling her to take the first place. In a hotly contested Open Pro division we saw current European Champion Sarah Beardmore placing third and Freya Prumm finishing in fourth. Skye Burgess below on the way to her finals win.

It was twins from Kingscliff who dominated the under 21 division with Audrey Stymen-Lane defeating her sister Grace Stymen-Lane. The sisters proved themselves to be fierce competition and up and coming junior surfers to keep an eye on. They both surfed with power and finesse every heat. Freya Prumm finished in third position and Open Pro winner Skye Burgess came in fourth. Audrey below going very vert!

In the Under 16’s it was Kristen Thorne from Norah Head who put on a great display defeating Kirra-Belle Olsson, Elly Muir and Cayla Baldwin respectively and dedicated her win to her late parents.

The future of Australian women’s surfing could be seen in the Under 12 division with advanced performances in trying conditions. It was Macy Callaghan who surfed her way to first position ahead of Kirra-Belle Olsson, Bohdi Leigh-Jones and Leilani Smith respectively.

The Masters division certainly proved that age is no factor when it comes to putting on a fantastic performance. Using her knowledge and surfing ability it was Yvonne Lamont in first place ahead of Kim Wooldridge, Sandra English and Ladine Smith respectively.

In the Open B for girls wanting to gain experience and have a bit of fun it was young Macy Callaghan who got the better of Claire Youmans, Celia Waterfield and Elly Nichols respectively.

Coming straight from a win at the Swatch World Longboard event in China it was no surprise when Chelsea Williams won the RA Show’s Longboard division impressing everyone on the beach which is why she also took out the best manoeuvre award. In second we saw Debbie Allan, third was Lesley Adamski and fourth place went to Taylah Richards.

In the Bodyboard it was Sarah Beardmore and Charlotte Hand using their wave experience placing first and second respectively and Tayla Allan placing third and Courtney Parsons in fourth.

The Brian Hilton RA show is a non profit event and big thanks go out to Bec Woods and Amee Donohoe for their altruistic qualities as well as all the time, effort and energy that they have put in to make this event happen.

The Brian Hilton RA Show would like to thank major sponsors who made the event possible; Brian Hilton, McDonalds Kincumber, Central Coast Sport and Recreation, Bendigo Bank, Sea FM, Coastalwatch, Reveal Advertising, D Burge Surfboards, Take 3, Surf Lifestyle and Midori.

Other supporting sponsors include, Ghanda, Balin, Adelio, Blue Kiss, ESS Boardstore, QCD Bodyboards, Serena Sportswear, Sticky Bumps, Avoca Palms Resort, Mitre 10 Kincumber and Blackbird tattoo sudio.

Special mention to Judith Price who dedicated a lot of time and energy into creating the fantastic trophies she made from rubbish she finds on the beach.

The Event site on Sunday below and right the front row of grommies at the presentation.

RESULTS

Open Pro

1      Skye Burgess

2      Samantha Cornish

3      Sarah Beardmore

4      Freya Frumm

Under 21

1      Audrey Stymen-Lane

2      Grace Stymen-Lane

3      Freya Prumm

4      Skye Burgess

Under 16

1      Kristen Thorne

2      Kirra-Belle Olsson

3      Elly Muir

4      Cayla Baldwin

Under 12

1      Macy Callaghan

2      Kirra-Belle Olsson

3      Bohdi Leigh-Jones

4      Leilani Smith

Masters

1      Yvonne Lamont

2      Kim Wooldridge

3      Sandra English

4      Ladine Smith

 Open B

1      Macy Callaghan

2      Claire Youmans

3      Celia Waterfield

4      Elly Nicholls

Longoard

1      Chelsea Williams

2      Debbie Allan

3      Lesley Adamski

4      Taylah Richards

Bodyboard

1      Sarah Beardmore

2      Charlotte Hand

3      Tayla Allan

4      Courtney Parsons

Written by: Sarah Beardmore