Day 2 Delivers As Swell And Scores Rise With Finals Spots Locked In At The 2025 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles Presented By Rip Curl

Bells Beach/Djarrak, VIC/AUS (Saturday 31st May, 2025): Day 2 of the 2025 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles presented by Rip Curl brought a step-up in swell and a stacked schedule of high-performance surfing. Clean 3–5 foot sets rolled through Djarrak, groomed by crystal-clear offshore winds, creating a picture-perfect canvas for competitors to showcase their best.

The Open Men’s division capitalised on the prime conditions, with heats running through to the semi-finals. Continuing his momentum from Day 1, Finn Hill (Avoca Beach, NSW) again emerged as a standout performer. In his semi-final heat, Hill opened strong with a flurry of carving manoeuvres, earning a 6.83-point ride. Victorian local Jordie Campbell (Torquay, VIC) responded with a sharp 6.90-point ride for a series of precise backhand hits in the bowl.

Hill wasn’t done. With confidence and control, he laid hard on the rail and sent spray sky-high on his next scoring wave, a 7.67-point ride, securing his spot in the Open Men’s final. Campbell followed suit with his own solid performance, earning his place in the final alongside Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD) and Russ Malony (Central Coast, NSW).

“This comp has been incredible. We have 4-foot clean waves, and surfing out there with three other guys is just as good as it gets,” exclaimed Hill.

“Bells Beach is such a beautiful and spiritual place for me, as my ancestors come from Wadawurrung Country,” he added.

“To surf that heat against Jordie, who I’ve known for a long time, is incredible as well!”

As the swell continued to rise, the Masters Men division hit the water in front of the enthusiastic crowd. Christian Pritchett (Connewarre, VIC) set the tone early in his quarter-final, finding a gem of a wave within the opening moments. After a smooth bottom turn, he cracked the lip and launched into a monster backhand snap, with the lip of the wave crashing behind him. Riding out cleanly, the judges awarded the ride a 9.33-point ride and the Surf Better Now Wave of the day.

Fired up by the high standard, Jay McKenzie (Cronulla, NSW) answered with his own standout moment, linking a string of forehand slashes for an excellent 8.17-point ride. Both surfers maintained their rhythm into the semi-finals, earning spots in the Masters Final along with Brook Silvester (Tugun, QLD) and Rhys Collins (Red Hill, VIC).

“I feel like I never find good waves in heats, so it was great to get one that stood up,” said Pritchett.

“Just the community we have here makes you feel so welcome, it’s pretty amazing. I love the camaraderie, and we all just get around each other,” Pritchett continued.

In the Open Women’s division, Kauri Heuston-Connor (Reedy Creek, QLD) delivered one of the strongest performances of the day. Combining speed and power, she belted three large sections from out the back to the inside, scoring an 8.00-point ride. She quickly backed it up with a 6.17-point ride, booking her place in the final alongside yesterday’s standout Lehaini Zoric (Byron Bay, NSW), Bodhi Simon (Gold Coast, QLD), and Meg Day (Moonta, SA).

To close out the day, Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD) once again proved why he’s the one to beat. In the Open Men’s Longboard division, Smales combined technical nose rides with stylish drop-knee carves to earn a perfect 10-point ride, capping off another flawless performance.

With a finals-packed schedule set for Day 3, the energy at Djarrak is only building, and the best may be yet to come.

Live scores and schedule 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.