Stab Highs' Sydney Winners + North Narrabeen win Heavyweight Rumble 2025 + Surfing Australia announces 2025 ISA World Para Surfing Team
Presented by Monster Energy - ran weekend of October 10 & 11
Over 2 huge days, Stab High (by Stab magazine; ' writers, video editors, and photojournalists, but mostly, we just like to surf'), the boundary-pushing aerial surf contest that redefines what’s possible above the lip, was here at URBNSURF. The venue, at Sydney Olympic Park, is described as the ultimate surfers playground in New South Wales, offering consistent, world-class waves for all levels.
Joel Vaughan took out Stab High 2025 with the highest score of the event (48/50), following in his brother Hughie’s footsteps after his win in Japan earlier this year.
Photo credit: Stab / Ryan Heywood
On her last right, Milla Brown threw down a frontside full rote, finishing 2nd in Open Women behind a brilliant Sierra Kerr, just days after Sierra shared she has finally been diagnosed with Lymes disease and has been battling health challenges since the beginning of the year.
Thousands of local and overseas surfers send Sierra their love and wishes for recovery.
Sierra posted on Insta after the win:
''Happy to be battling back day by day, step by step, wave by wave. I’ll never give up!
4x Stab High winner + a past Monster Air win, and this one means the most to me by far.
Thank you @stab @stab_high.
Being able to surf with some of my best mates is my favourite part of it all, @bella_kenworthy and @skybrown, original Ladybirds and friends since we were little, The Champ @picklummolly you inspire me and I’m pretty sure all those ping pong battles we had helped your title 😂 and @milla.coco.brown that battle was so good and you made me have to clutch up + push myself.
Congrats Joel, Loci, Skai!
Thank you for all the love, prayers, and support 🙏🏼
I didn’t plan to surf this Stab High, even though my name was in it. I told them I didn’t think I could. On Friday I felt good, and it’s always a goal I have. I’m glad I got to do it and I felt good enough to do it. ''
Photo credit: Stab / Ryan Heywood
NASA surfer Locana Cullen went back-to-back in Bottle Rockets, proving untouchable, in an event that has become a favourite with the Avalon Beach local.
Stab said:
''It wasn’t broken, and @loci.cullen knew better than to fix it.
Only one wave counts in the final, but Loci backed up his 45-point backside stalefish reverse with a 42-point frontside full-ro. He would have won with either score and is your first-ever back-to-back Bottle Rockets Champ, presented by @yeti.''
Loci posted afterwards:
''I'm so happy to get back to back wins in the bottle rockets division at @stab_high @stab in my home town. Congratulations to all of the boys in the division and all competitors everyone is boosting crazy stuff 🙌🔥
Huge thankyou @stab and all of the organisers, sponsors and @urbnsurf. You put together an insane event I’m so grateful I got to be a part of it 🙌🙏
thankyou @nasurfriders friends and family for coming out to support me it was extra special having you all there 🙌🙏❤️🔥
Thankyou to my sponsors without your support I would not be able to do this; @cisurfboardsaus @billabong_australia @stickyjohnsonwax @futuresfins @creaturesofleisure ''
Stabs' video from this year's event runs below.
Further NSW surfers made their mark against the world’s best in the air, with finalists including Leihani Zoric 3rd, Jaggar Phillips 3rd, Harley Walters 3rd and Molly Picklum 4th!
North Narrabeen Reclaims Crown in Epic Boardriders Battle at URBNSURF Sydney
In related URBNSURF news, the stage was set and the stakes were sky-high as 27 of the state’s best boardriding clubs descended on URBN Surf at Sydney Olympic Park for this year’s heavyweight rumble in mid-September 2025.
North Narrabeen wins!. Photo: Surfing NSW
Defending champions North Narrabeen kicked off their campaign in dominant fashion, taking out the first heat on the lefts. Over on the rights, Southend Boardriders from Maroubra made a statement with a commanding win, setting the tone for a day of fierce competition.
Bungan Boardriders exploded into the event with standout surfer Lucy Brown, whose electric performances hinted at a big future in the sport. Teams like Northern Beaches Para Surfer Boardriders and Sydney Adaptive Boardriders also made a strong impression, showing that the competition’s depth and diversity continue to grow.
In Round 2, Sandon Point edged out Bungan in a heated tussle, thanks to top-tier talent including current Australian Open Champion Jed Aston and Australian Junior Champion Sammy Lowe, both delivering high-performance displays.
Avoca Boardriders advanced to the semi-finals with help from dynamic duo Talia Tebb and power surfer Lennox Chell, joining Norah Head, NASA, and others in the penultimate round.
But it was North Narrabeen who kept all eyes on them. With Christo Hall, Jagger Phillips, and Dylan Moffat all scoring excellent waves, they rolled into the semis as the form team of the event.
In the semi-finals, NASA and Avoca outclassed Norah Head and Southend on the rights, while North Narrabeen and Bungan edged past Sandon Point and Newport Plus in a tight contest to set up a blockbuster final.
The final was a clash of titans. North Narrabeen started strong, led by reigning Over-40s Australian Champion Christo Hall and Kai Warner. NASA’s Arch Whiteman and Isaiah Vaealiki showed grit and kept their team within striking distance.
But it was Lucy Brown of Bungan who stole the spotlight once again, earning the Outstanding Surfer of the Day award with a combined two-wave score of 13.94.
The final blow came from a North Narrabeen surfer Dylan Moffat who delivered a powerful 9-point ride, followed by the only perfect 10 of the day, sealing the victory and reclaiming the title for the club.
Among the teams going head-to-head at the Heavyweight Rumble were Sydney Adaptive and the Northern Beaches Para Surfer Boardrider Clubs, proudly competing as equal members of the Surfing NSW community.
For Sydney Adaptive’s Chris Astill, the event was another chance to showcase the growth of adaptive surfing in NSW. Chris grew up surfing on the Manly to Barrenjoey peninsula before a paragliding accident left him with a T10 complete spinal cord injury. Just six weeks out of hospital he was finding ways to get back in the water.
But he didn’t do it alone. He credits Psillakis Surfboards for supporting how he reimagined he would be able to surf again.
“I rolled up to Mike’s place in my wheelchair and told him what I was chasing,” Chris recalled. “A week later he rang me back and said, ‘I’m in. Let’s make you a board.’”
During the process, Mike and Chris talked philosophy, style, and possibility. And when it came time to pick a colour, Chris knew instantly.
“He asked me what colour I wanted. I said, the same colour as your door I knocked on when I came to see you. Blue. And so blue is everything to me now.”
That one door, set off a chain reaction. With his custom board, Chris has since surfed the world stage, competed on the Adaptive World Tour, and, most importantly, created space for others. He went on to found the Sydney Adaptive Boardriders Club at URBNSurf. In just over a year, it’s grown to more than 100 members, hosting monthly comps where each sticker on Chris’s blue board represents.
“The Psillakis family have done a lot for me and the community,” Chris said. “Him giving me a board led to starting a boardriders club. Some people have a big effect on their community and the Psillakis family are one of them.”
2025 Heavyweight Rumble Final Results:
- North Narrabeen
- NASA
- Bungan
- Avoca
2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship Team Announcement
The Northern Beaches Para Surfer Boardriders, Australia’s first para surfing boardrider club, who also took part in the 2025 Heavyweight Rumble, was established in 2023 at Mona Vale. The club fosters a shared love of surfing while supporting surfers with disability to take on unique challenges in the water.
Their PON Profile ran a while back, soon after speaking to co-founder Em Dieters, for her Profile, and regular news updates run as they come in.
Northern Beaches Para Surfer Boardriders, at Heavyweight Rumble 2025. Photo: Surfing NSW
The latest was the announcement by Surfing Australia on October 8 of 2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship Team, which came in while we were all on the Spring Hols. break:
Surfing Australia is proud to announce the 13 adaptive surfers selected to represent the Irukandjis at the 2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship to be held at Oceanside, California, on November 2-7, 2025.
The team includes a mix of seasoned champions and exciting new talents. Surfing Australia’s National High Performance Director, Kate Wilcomes, is proud to celebrate the addition of these athletes to a strong and inspiring national surfing team
“Australia has a long history of medal winning athletes, and the 2025 Irukandji team represents both those experienced surfers and the next generation. This event is a powerful reminder that surfing has no limits, and the spirit of these athletes continues to inspire communities in Australia and across the globe.”
Amongst them, five-time World Champion Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (Byron Bay, NSW), a veteran of the sport, will be competing in his tenth World Championship.
“I’m stoked to again represent Australia as an Irukandjis at my tenth ISA World Championship. I’m really looking forward to travelling and competing as part of this team and hopefully reproduce a gold medal performance,”
At the 2024 ISA World Para Surfing Championship, the team crowned two new world champions, eight individual medals and brought home an overall bronze medal.
Jocelyn Neumueller (Park Holme, SA) and Kai Colless (Burleigh Heads, QLD) took home gold medals in their divisions. Joel Taylor (Lennox Head, NSW) claimed silver, while Emma Dieters (Mona Vale, NSW) and Cliff Gralton (Tuncurry, NSW) secured bronze. Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (Byron Bay, NSW), Kirk Watson (Mona Vale, NSW) and Matt Formston (Wamberal, NSW), each earned copper in their respective divisions.
Hoping to continue building the nation’s success at the ISA World Para Surfing Championship, Dion Atkinson, Head of Podium at Surfing Australia, highlighted the team’s strength and momentum.
“We have a very strong team confirmed for this year’s ISA World Para Surfing Championship, and as we continue to build momentum on the world stage — while also growing the depth of talent in Australia — it’s an incredibly exciting time for our sport and our athletes.
The ISA World Para Surfing Championship returns to Oceanside, California, this November, and our Australian athletes are ready to represent with pride. Any support for our fundraising efforts will make a huge difference — not just for the athletes, but for the coaches, support teams, and the future of para surfing in Australia.”
While the 2025 team is focused on competition, they are also committed to raising funds to support their journey. As this trip is self-funded, athletes are relying on public donations to help cover their expenses.
“It’s an expensive trip as an adaptive athlete, with no government assistance, but thanks to Surfing Australia for launching a fundraising campaign to assist the whole team. Come on Aussies, get behind this team of amazing athletes.” said Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart (Byron Bay, NSW)
Joining the athletes at Oceanside will be Head Coach, Josh Fuller and Team Manager, Katie Waugh.
“After such a successful year with last year’s campaign, I’m really excited to be heading back to coach this year’s team. We were a few athletes short of a full squad last year, but thanks to the talent of the athletes surfing for Australia, we were still able to secure a podium finish. This year we have a bigger and stronger team. The event is back at Oceanside, which a lot of our athletes are familiar with, and carrying the momentum of a strong result with the recent ISA Open win, I know all the competitors are driven to bring another gold home for Australia and for themselves. I’m very excited and feel very fortunate to be supporting the athletes as a coach again this year. Let’s go, Australia—oi oi oi!” said Josh Fuller.
You can support the Irukandjis Para Surfing Team via their official fundraising campaign HERE.
2025 ISA World Para Surfing Championship – Team Irukandjis:
Mark ‘Mono’ Stewart – Para Surf Kneel
Toby Begg – Para Surf Kneel
Emma Dieters – Para Surf Kneel
Kai Colless – Para Surf Prone 1
Joel Taylor – Para Surf Prone 1
Grace Kennedy – Para Surf Prone 1
Cliff Gralton – Para Surf Prone 2
Jack Curphey – Para Surf Prone 2
Annie Goldsmith – Para Surf Prone 2
Kirk Watson – Para Surf VI 1
Steve Fox – Para Surf VI 1
Jack Jackson – Para Surf VI 2
Sarah Jane Gibson – Para Surf VI 2
Para Surfing has experienced incredible growth since the first ISA World Para Surfing Championship in 2015 (originally titled the World Adaptive Surfing Championship), and continues to grow. During that period, the ISA has continued to refine the Para Surfing Classification system in line with IPC requirements and encouraged its network of 116 member nations to host national and regional competitions.