Peninsula Surfriders Club Take Out Australian Boardriders Battle Victorian Qualifier

Phillip Island, VIC (Sunday, October 4th, 2026): Peninsula Surfriders Club have claimed victory at the 2026 Australian Boardriders Battle Victorian Qualifier, following a consistent run through the draw with a commanding performance in the final at Smiths Beach.

Eight Victorian clubs descended on Phillip Island for a sunny day of team surfing, with 2-foot left and right peaks and light onshore winds providing the stage.

Leading into the final, the big news was Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club making their way through the draw. Their semifinal was an impressive performance, with Taane Mitchell starting the club off strong with a huge forehand snap on a heavy section. The momentum carried on with Bohdie Williams launching into the air and Lucy Naylor laying into some backhand hooks to secure their spot in the final and give them a shot at their first appearance in the Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance.

Meeting them in the final were local club and defending champions Phillip Island Boardriders Club, as well as Torquay Boardriders Club. Peninsula Surfriders Club rounded out the field, having looked extremely strong throughout the earlier rounds, with power surfer Willem Watson consistently dropping 7-point rides.

The final started with a bang, with a rapid-fire exchange of waves from all four clubs. Point Lonsdale continued their momentum in the opening exchanges. Mitchell and Williams led the charge, with Williams going to the air again to score a 7.67-point ride.

Peninsula kept pace, with Joel Wookey opening up on his backhand with a huge two turn combination to score a 7.60-point ride. Tarvi Woods (6.00 point ride), Ava Holland (5.50 point ride) and Lachlan McDonald (4.80 point ride) all backed it up with solid scores to build the team total.

Coming into the last five minutes of the heat, Peninsula sat at the top, with Torquay in second on the back of a constant run of high 5-point rides, and Willis Droomer locking in a 6.67-point ride for a floater to snap that fanned spray into the air.

Peninsula then shut the final down, with Watson going all out on an excellent sliding backhand snap, sending the Peninsula crowd into a frenzy on the beach, hooting and screaming as he ran in. The score dropped in at 8.27-point ride, putting the other clubs out of reach and securing the win for Peninsula with a total of 38.67 points, 6.14 points clear of Torquay.

Torquay finished second on 32.53 points and Point Lonsdale third on 25.61 points, while defending champions Phillip Island finished fourth on 16.33 points, missing out on a place in the Grand Final. Williams was awarded the Boost Mobile Wave of the Day for his aerial approach.

Watson said, “It feels great to surf for the club, it’s good vibes down here and everyone is hyping each other up so it’s easy to feel comfortable and let the surfing do the talking.”

“It’s awesome to surf for the Peninsula Surfriders Club. I can’t imagine surfing for any other club, I love it,” he continued.

On the win, Watson added, “It feels amazing to get the win. We got second quite a few times in the last few years so it’s nice to come out on top against the world champs [Torquay Boardriders] and good teams like Phillip Island and Point Lonsdale.”

Wave of the Day winner Bohdie Williams was stoked to help his club qualify for the Grand Final. “It’s so sick to be part of a club that hasn’t really done much or been to the national final before. It’s pretty sick to be able to help them get there and go as a team, and it’ll be nice to be able to go up all together.”

On his winning aerial, Williams said, “The conditions kind of deteriorated a lot, so I thought why not just go to the air and change it up a bit.”

Peninsula Surfriders Club, Torquay Boardriders Club and Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club secured their places at the Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance, to be held at Burleigh Heads, QLD, in March 2027.

Final Results:

1st – Peninsula Surfriders Club, 38.67

2nd – Torquay Boardriders Club, 32.53

3rd – Point Lonsdale Boardriders Club, 25.61

4th – Phillip Island Boardriders Club, 16.33

Boost Mobile Wave of the Day – Bohdie Williams (Point Lonsdale)

Full results can be found online at www.surfingvic.com/live

2026 ABB Regional Qualifier Schedule

WA – Trigg – September 12/13, 2026

NSW Central – Northern Beaches – September 19, 2026

VIC – Phillip Island – October 4, 2026

QLD – Sunshine Coast – October 10, 2026

SA – Fleurieu Peninsula – October 17, 2026

TAS – Scamander – October 24, 2026

NSW South – Cronulla – October 31, 2026

NSW North – Tweed Coast – November 7, 2026

Full schedule, dates and further info: www.australianboardridersbattle.com

About the Australian Boardriders Battle

The Australian Boardriders Battle is Australia’s biggest grassroots surfing series, involving over 80 boardrider clubs in eight state qualifying rounds before culminating in the epic Grand Final showdown. The event has been instrumental in strengthening club culture, fostering future champions, and celebrating Australia’s deep connection with surfing.

The 2026 Australian Boardriders Battle Regional Series is proudly supported by

The Australian Boardriders Battle Regional Series 14 is proudly supported by Ford, Babybel, SafeStyle, Fujifilm Photos, Southern Cross University, Ampd Bros, Boost Mobile, Blackroll and Surfers for Climate.

This Surfing Australia event series is delivered in partnership with the state branches, Surfing WA, Surfing NSW, Surfing VIC, Surfing QLD, Surfing SA and Surfing TAS.

About Australian Boardrider clubs

There are more than 250 boardrider clubs across the country, where members gather regularly, often monthly, to organise grassroots competitions at world-class waves such as Burleigh Heads. The boardrider club phenomenon in Australia has made a significant contribution to the nation’s competitive success on the global stage, fostering close-knit communities that support young surfers on their journeys to becoming the next world champions.

For more information, visit www.australianboardridersbattle.com

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