- WSL / Tom Bennett
- WSL / Tom Bennett

Boardriders clubs are the lifeblood of Australian surfing. Often once a month these surfers get together to execute an array of surfing competitions for all ages, covering all disciplines.

Clubs have introduced generations of surfers into the field of competition whilst cultivating a tight-knit community.

Merewether win the 2019 Australian Boardriders Battle National Final Team Merewether claims the 2019 Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Final - WSL / Tom Bennett

This weekend will see the gathering of the tribes in Australian surfing, for the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Final. The event is the culmination of a series of boardriders club qualifying contests that run across the country, and result in 23 clubs gathering to surf for the ultimate team prize.

By the end of the final battles, one club in Australia will reign supreme, taking home the bragging rights that go along with the prestigious win -- and money for the club to invest in surfing development and club infrastructure.

Much of Australia's competitive success on the world stage can be attributed to the boardrider club phenomenon. The country's coastline is full of clubs that host grassroots competitions for surfers across age groups and disciplines, one weekend per month. At world-class waves like Snapper, Margaret River and Torquay, to name a few, these extremely competitive events have contributed to the lifetime training of numerous Aussie surfing champions.

Presentation at the 2019 Australian Boardriders Battle National Final Merewhether Surfers secure victory, bragging rights and finance for surfing development and club infrastructure - WSL / Ethan Smith

These clubs have a long and rich history of competing against each other, across a variety of different formats. In the tag-team-style event, each club has a team of five surfers, including one junior (male or female), three open-age men, one open age-woman and one surfer over 35 (male or female).

This team has one hour to compete against other teams with only one surfer in the water at a time. After this surfer scores their wave, he or she runs up the beach and into the gates to tag in the next teammate. At the end of the hour each team tallies their scores to determine the winner.

Sophie McCullogh in the 2019 Australian Boardriders Battle National Final North Shore competitor Sophie McCullogh displayed a stand out performance in 2019 - WSL / Tom Bennett

Because the WSL sanctions the finale event, Championship Tour stars who also have club affiliations are able to get in the mix. In some cases, clubs have surfers as young as 11 who get the chance to compete against the world's best.

It also means that surfers who don't normally compete in WSL events may be paddling out to fight for their club.

Competitors leave it all on the line at the 2019 Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Final - WSL / ETHANSMITH

Watch the Nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Final live on the Worldsurfleague.com from February 15 - 16.

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