Burleigh falls short

BURLEIGH Heads have fallen just shy of making the Australian Boardriders Battle Series title decider.

The Gold Coast club was knocked out in the second semi-final, finishing fourth in the heat won by North Shore.

Defending champions Merewether couldn’t secure back-to-back titles, dropping out in Round 2.

Burleigh Heads had previously finished second in heat four of Round 1 behind Elouera and did the same in heat four of Round 2 behind Avoca to secure their place in the semi-finals.

Byron Bay won heat three of Round 1 but were knocked out after finishing fourth in heat 2 of Round 2.

North Shore won a dramatic final, coming from third to win with seconds left on the back of a stunning performance from Alister Reginato.

Needing 6.21 to go ahead of North Shelly (36.75) and North Narrabeen (36.60) with 40 seconds left, Reginato pulled out three stunning backhand manoeuvres that would ultimately be scored 8.15 by the judges. He had 10 seconds to get from the shore to the finishing chute and dived to the line with two seconds to spare.

“I don’t even know how I ran that fast,” Reginato said.

“My legs were jelly before I even got out of the water.

“I actually didn’t really know what was going on (in the water). I didn’t know what I needed. It was a pretty good wave so I just surfed it.”

Only seconds earlier Shane Holmes put North Shelly in front but their elation turned into heartache as the North Shore team erupted with celebrations on Newcastle’s Main Beach.

Reginato was engulfed by his teammates before being chaired up the beach.

Soli Bailey (6.50) won the open men’s event ahead of Stuart Kennedy (5.25), Point Lookout’s Curtis Ewing (4.20) and Alister Reginato (4). North Shelly surfer Molly Picklum won the Layne Beachley award while Xavier Huxtable won the men’s title. Beachley was on the beach to watch the final and said it was one to froth over. “It was an extraordinary event.”