Host of State champions crowned at Denmark’s Parry Beach as part of WA Longboard and Logger Championships

Denmark’s Parry Beach played host to the WA Longboard and Logger Championships with 17 State titleholders crowned on near-perfect waves. The event was held over three days of amazing weather in Denmark and wrapped up on Sunday as competitors from as far as Exmouth and Esperance made the trip to take on a handful of locals. Dunsborough’s Jack Medland claimed multiple victories, winning the blue ribbon open men’s longboard and the hotly contested open men’s logger divisions. Using a mixture of traditional and modern longboard manoeuvres, Medland posted excellent scores to capture two State titles in front of a packed beach. He was pushed all the way by Ryan Clark, also from Dunsborough, in both finals. Medland scored 15.9 to win the open men’s longboard final from Clark (15.7), Jacob McIvor (11.6) and Lindsay Small (9.53) while in the open men’s logger decider a score of 14.9 gave Medland a narrow win over Clark (14.03), Evan Ledger (13.1) and Jock Bahen (12.9). “It’s been a remarkable event and I couldn’t be happier right now,” Medland said. “I was away in New Zealand last year and missed out on competing in the State titles in 2022, so to come back and score the conditions we did this weekend has been so good.” However Clark did finish as the State champion in the men’s longboard. Perth competitor Georgia Young produced a combination of powerful rail turns and fancy footwork to claim a narrow victory ahead of Denmark talent Michaela Ross in the open women’s longboard final. Just 0.07 separated the two when the siren sounded but Young’s score of 12.2 was enough to hold out Ross (12.13) while Bridget Churack (6.93) and Shae Sheridan (5.07) were third and fourth respectively. “It’s been three days of pumping surf and even better times here in Denmark,” Young said. “We’ve been so fortunate and it doesn’t get much better than this for a competition.” Ross turned the tables at her home surf in the open women’s logger final, moving well to post a combined two-wave total of 11.27 from a possible 20 to score victory. She defeated Olivia Lodge (5.96), Young (5.4) and Georgia Hanson (1.23) on her way to clinching the State title. “It’s been a while since I’ve competed in the State titles and I just love the longboard community we have here in WA,” Ross said. “I grew up surfing along this stretch of coastline and it holds a special place in my heart.” Albany’s Tony Harrison finished second in the over-70 men’s longboard final, his score of 22.68 bettered by State champion Bob Monkman (25.5) while Denmark’s Mike Neunuebel was fourth in the over-60 men’s final. Barrie McKinnon (11.97) won the over-60 title from Brett Merrifield (10), Rob Thurston (9.54) and Neunuebel (8.81). Other State champions crowned were Exmouth’s Dane Quirk (over-40 men’s longboard), Margaret River’s Amanda Curley (over-40 women’s longboard and logger), Cowaramup’s Jock Bahen (over-40 men’s logger), Dunsborough’s Paul Burke (over-45 men’s longboard), Osborne Park’s Dave Smith (over-50 men’s longboard), Green Head’s Samantha Vanderford (over-50 women’s longboard), North Fremantle’s Kevin Anderson (over-55 men’s longboard), Esperance’s Brett Moss (over-65 men’s longboard), Osborne Park’s Jake Smith (under-18 junior longboard) and Marybrook’s Finlay Foley (under-18 junior logger). Medland claimed the West Coast Suspensions Wave of the Weekend for the highest individual score of the event, with 8.83 out of 10 during the open men’s logger final. Clark was the lucky recipient of a brand new Moonshine Surfboard for his consistent and quality surfing throughout the event. Competitors who have booked a spot on the State team will now prepare for the national titles in Port Macquarie, NSW in August.