Bells Beach/Djarrak, VIC/AUS (Sunday 1st June, 2025): Day 3 of the 2025 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles presented by Rip Curl delivered a stunning finish at Djarrak (Bells Beach), with champions crowned across all divisions in a day full of powerful performances, spectacular moments, and community celebration.
The Open Men’s final proved to be a strategic battle, with slow sets making wave selection critical. Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD) was first to strike, opening with two fast-paced snaps and drifting the fins on the final manoeuvre to score a 7.17 and take the early lead.
Finn Hill (Avoca Beach, NSW) stayed busy, banking a couple of mid-range scores to keep his momentum alive. After a long lull in the swell, Jordie Campbell (Torquay, VIC) made his first wave count, locking in an excellent 8.00-point ride that brought him within striking distance of Smales, who had already built a strong backup score.
A final flurry of waves then pushed through the lineup. With Hill holding priority and Smales in second priority, Hill took the first wave, unleashing his powerful style across multiple major manoeuvres for a 6.93-point ride. But Smales answered straight back, taking the larger and cleaner second wave of the set, and laid down a dynamic series of forehand snaps and carves. The judges rewarded him with the highest score of the final, an 8.67-point ride, securing his win with a 15.84 combined total. Hill placed second on 11.10, with Campbell third and Russ Malony (Central Coast, NSW) fourth.
“I ended up in second priority at the end, and there was a two-wave set, and I kinda sold Finn on the first one and got the bomb behind it and got a good score,” said Smales.
“This is always a great event, the waves seem to always turn on for us, and I love coming here every year,” he continued.
Smales wasn’t done yet. He backed up his Open Men’s win by claiming victory in the Open Men’s Longboard final as well. Continuing his dominant form from Day 2, he caught eight waves, with three scoring above 8 points. His standout was a 9.67-point ride that included an extended nose ride out the back and a stylish mix of carves all the way to shore. That wave not only sealed his longboard title but also earned him the Surf Better Now Wave of the Day presented by Rip Curl.
In the Longboard Women’s final, Djarrak again delivered as lines stacked to the horizon under a shining Winter sun. The competitors embraced the moment, catching plenty of waves and exchanging laughs, epitomising the event’s spirit of connection and joy. Among them, Melissa Combo (Bundjalung, NSW) stood out with a flowing, smooth ride that featured critical high-lining and stylish control. Her 6.67-point ride helped her finish with a 12.47 combined total to claim the title. Angela King (Torquay, VIC) followed closely in second with 11.70 points, while Elly Muir (Port Macquarie, NSW), Jessi Muir (Jan Juc, VIC), and Matilda Thearle (Woolooware, NSW) rounded out the final placings in third, fourth, and fifth respectively.
The Open Women’s final had the crowd on their feet from the start. After watching her mother, Kirsty Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW), take out the Master Women’s title the heat before, and claiming her own victory in the Junior Girls division, Lehaini Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW) was fired up. She opened with a blistering ride, flying down the line into a tight snap, followed by a massive forehand hit that sent spray flying, before finishing with a stylish grab rail carve. The wave scored a 9.00-point ride, setting the tone.
Kauri Heuston-Connor (Reedy Creek, QLD) responded with a strong combination of carving manoeuvres for a 6.50-point ride, tightening the gap. But Zoric wasn’t done. She found another bomb set wave and continued her attacking approach to score an 8.50-point ride. With a combined 17.50 score line, Zoric put her opponents in a combination situation, sealing the win. Heuston-Connor finished second on 12.83 points, followed by Bodhi Simon (Gold Coast, QLD) and Meg Day (Moonta, SA) in third and fourth.
“I was cold out there, but I’m excited to win, and the waves have been so good,” Zoric exclaimed.
“I got to surf for half an hour in the Opens and 25 minutes in the Juniors, so I had a bit of time out in the water and I got a couple of good ones,” she continued.
“It’s like the greatest event ever, it’s my favourite one out of all the ones I have competed in because you get to surf Bells with no one out and I just love the vibe here!”
As the day came to a close, Zac Maloney (Killarney Vale, NSW) was honoured with the Community Spirit Award for his uplifting attitude and consistent encouragement of fellow competitors throughout the event.
Other division champions included Rhys Collins (Red Hill, VIC) in the Masters Men, Charlie Chisolm (Torquay, VIC) in the Junior Boys, and Jay McKenzie (Cronulla, NSW) in the Over 50s.
Finals Results:
Open Men
1st – Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD), 15.84
2nd – Finn Hill (Avoca Beach, NSW), 11.10
3rd – Jordie Campbell (Torquay, VIC), 8.00
4th – Russ Molony (Central Coast, NSW), 4.10
Open Women
1st – Lehaini Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW), 17.50
2nd – Kauri Heuston-Connor (Reedy Creek, QLD), 12.83
3rd -Bohdi Simons (Coolangatta, QLD), 9.04
4th – Meg Day (Moonta, SA), 7.13
Men’s Longboard
1st – Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD), 18.50
2nd – Rhys Collins (Red Hill, VIC), 14.20
3rd – Tom Avery (Lismore, NSW), 12.07
4th – Mitch Keighran (Arrawarra Headland, NSW), 10.26
Women’s Longboard
1st – Melissa Combo (Bundjalung, NSW), 12.47
2nd – Angela King (Torquay, VIC), 11.70
3rd – Elly Muir (Port Macquarie, NSW), 10.74
4th – Jessi Muir (Jan Juc, VIC), 9.33
5th – Matilda Thearle (Woolooware, NSW), 4.74
Masters Men
1st – Rhys Collins (Red Hill, VIC), 15.33
2nd – Jay McKenzie (Cronulla, NSW), 14.27
3rd – Christian Pritchett (Connewarre, VIC), 12.40
4th – Brook Silvester (Tugun, QLD), 10.86
Masters Women
1st – Kirsty Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW), 8.83
2nd – Angela King (Torquay, VIC), 7.83
Junior Boys
1st – Charlie Chisolm (Torquay, VIC), 14.47
2nd – Seth Baillie (SA), 13.50
3rd – Maddox Cohen (Macmasters Beach, NSW), 8.60
4th – Tyler Duell (Phillip Island, VIC), 4.83
5th – Ed Day (Moonta, SA), 4.33
Junior Girls
1st – Lehaini Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW), 18.27
2nd – Kauri Heuston-Connor (Reedy Creek, QLD), 14.90
3rd – Ruby Davis (Catalina, NSW), 6.80
4th – Matilda Thearle (Woolooware, NSW), 6.67
5th – Delilah Chisolm (Torquay, VIC), 0.00
Over 50 Men
1st – Jay McKenzie (Cronulla, NSW), 17.17
2nd – Robbie Page (Kempsey, NSW), 15.86
3rd – Alfred Wellington (Orient Point, NSW), 9.50
4th – Brook Silvester (Tugun, NSW), 9.37
5th – Stephan Krasna (Melbourne, VIC), 8.54
Full scores and results can be found via www.australianindigenoussurfingtitles.com
The Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles is presented by Rip Curl and Headsox and supported by the Victorian Government, Surf Coast Events, VicHealth, Surfing Australia, Play it Safe by the Water, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners, Indigo- Print, Jessi Rebel Art, Cancer Council Sunscreen, Feed Me Surf Coast and Surf Better Now.