*New SIC 2012 Video Highlights*
The International Bodyboarding Association (IBA) welcomes you to the 2012 NMD Shark Island Challenge – A major bodyboarding specialty event on the IBA calendar.
The 2012 NMD Shark Island Challenge is proudly supported by UPTOWN GROUP, RYDGES HOTEL, EMERALD, JUDIUS, IBA & IINET.
The 2012 NMD Shark Island Challenge was run and won today in wild 2 meter waves at the notorious Shark Island break in the south of Sydney.
20 of the World best Bodyboarders were invited to compete in this International Bodyboarding Association (IBA) Specialty event that has a 3 month waiting period and 1 day of frantic competition.
Mitch Rawlins (QLD) dominated the competition from the first heat of the day and looked like the man to beat. Other standouts in the early rounds included Jacob Romero from Hawaii, Jason Finlay (NSW) and Damian King (NSW).
The busiest heat was number four with Jase Finlay, Ben Player, Damian King, Shaun Pyne and Andrew Lester. The sets started running from the peak to surge with a bit more east in the swell. Straight off the bat BP pushed through what looked like a close out to make the tube. Kingy made us remember why he won the 2001 event with a half-turn inside one of the heavier sets. Waves seemed to be magnetised to Finlay. He rode some long pits and managed an invert that sealed the heat win for him.
The conditions stabilised with a pulse in the swell for the first semi final. The tide came in a bit and the wind swung, producing some heaving Island slabs. Rawlins and Ewan were battling it out wave-for-wave.
The 4 man final was a memorable one with Mitch Rawlins exchanging waves with other finalists Ewan Donnachie (NSW), Jason Finlay (NSW) and Damian King (NSW). It was Mitch who came out on top with some amazing barrel riding skills on the largest waves of the final, thrilling the big crowd in the water and on the land.
Mitch watch quoted as saying “this is the event that every Bodyboarder wants to win and I am happy I can now say I have won the Shark Island Challenge, even if only one time.”
