- WSL / Sean Rowland
- WSL / Sean Rowland
Joel Parkinson placed second in Heat 1 of Round Five of the Billabong Pipe Masters at Pipeine, Oahu, Hawaii. Parko will be hitting the water for his beloved Snapper Rocks at the ABB Final, Newcastle. - WSL / Tony Heff

The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Series IV National Final in Newcastle is just around the corner, meaning clubs have finalised their teams and there are plenty of the biggest names in surfing set to compete.

Ten Championship Tour (CT) competitors will join other big names like Mikey Wright (Culburra Boardriders), Ryan Callinan (Merewether Surfboard Club), Craig Anderson (Merewether Surfboard Club), Luke Egan (Merewether Surfboard Club), Shaun Cansdell (Coffs Harbour Boardriders) to name just a few.

CT Competitors to Compete at the ABB:

  • Stu Kennedy (Le-Ba Boardriders)
  • 2016 WSL World Champion Tyler Wright (Culburra Boardriders)
  • 2012 WSL Men's World Champion Joel Parkinson (Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club)
  • 6x WSL World Champion Stephanie Gilmore (Snapper Rocks Surfriders Club)
  • Matt Wilkinson (Avoca Boardriders)
  • Adrian Buchan (Avoca Boardriders)
  • Bede Durbidge (Point Lookout Boardriders)
  • Ethan Ewing (Point Lookout Boardriders)
  • Bronte Macaulay (Margaret River Boardriders Club)
  • Connor O'Leary (Elouera Boardriders Club)

The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Series involves more than 60 of Australia's best boardriders clubs in eight state qualifying rounds and culminate in a national Final in Newcastle in February for a bolstered 24 clubs.

Stephanie Gilmore winning the Billabong Women's Pipe Invitational at Pipeine, Oahu, Hawaii. 6 times Women's World Champion Stephanie Gilmore will be representing Snapper Rocks Surriders Club. - WSL / Tony Heff

There's $160,000 cash and prizes up for grabs for clubs across the National Series including $24,000 prize money split between eight State events and $85,500 prize money across the Newcastle National Final with the winning boardriders taking home a huge $20,000 and an overseas trip for six surfers from the winning club, thanks to World Surfaris, valued at $30,000. To top things off, there's an additional $20,000 in prizes across the series.

The nudie Australian Boardriders Battle has official sanctioning by the World Surf League (WSL), which allows Australian WSL Championship Tour surfers (men and women) the opportunity to represent their local boardriders club at respective state qualifying events and the National Final.

The prestigious National Final event will also include the nudie trials on Friday 17th February 2017, which will be the final qualifying opportunity for clubs in the Newcastle region for a Wildcard position for the National Final.

The purpose of the nudie Australian Boardriders Battle program is to build the profile and capacity of community boardriders clubs Australia-wide. Over the next three years, more than $450,000 will be invested into grassroots clubs through the partnership.

Surfing Australia CEO Andrew Stark said: "We are stoked to see the final teams submitted for this weekend's Final. With 11 WSL Aussie Tour surfers set to represent their clubs, along with all the clubs littered with amazing homegrown talent, this will be a showcase of the absolute best in Australian surfing. It will profile the depth and significance of boardriders clubs in Australia."

Matt Wilkinson (AUS)  placed 2 nd in Heat 1 of Round Three at Billabong Pipe Masters 2016 Current World No. 5 Matt Wilkinson will be representing Avoca Boardriders Club. - WSL / tony heff
World Surf League
Download it for free on the App store. Download it for free on Google Play.