IT WAS a hotly contested day of club surfing on Saturday, October 11, with Coolum Beach hosting the Queensland leg of the Australian Boardriders Battle (ABB) Regional Series, with North End Boardriders Club taking out the top spot in tricky conditions.

The one-day qualifier brought together 16 of Queensland’s best boardrider clubs, each showcasing their surfing chops, and three-time World Champion Mick Fanning also took to the water for Kirra Surfriders.

The final saw the reigning national champions , North Shore Boardriders, North End BRC, Snapper Rocks Surfriders, and the previous Queensland ABB Regional Series winners, Noosa BRC, throw down one last time, with momentum swinging back and forth throughout the heat.

Noosa came out firing early before Snapper surged ahead mid-heat. In the final minutes, North End’s power surfer Chris Zaffis led a strong push, locking in critical scores that sealed the win for his team.

Zaffis’ dominant performance earned him the Celsius Overall Performer Award, recognising his pivotal role in North End’s victory.

The Jim Beam Team Spirit Award went to North Shore Boardriders, celebrated for their camaraderie and consistent sportsmanship across the event.

Surfing Queensland CEO, Luca Liussi, said the event captured the essence of grassroots surfing and highlighted the vital role boardrider clubs play in shaping Queensland’s surfing culture.

“We’re proud to support Surfing Australia in delivering this event, which truly represents the heart of our surfing community.

“Boardrider clubs are the foundation of surfing in Queensland, and this tag-team format brings out the camaraderie, teamwork, and passion that make these communities so unique.”

Proudly representing Kirra Surfriders Club, Mick Fanning expressed gratitude to the club that supported him throughout his early surfing years.

“Kirra Boardriders has given me so much over the years, especially when I was younger and I just wanted to come down and give back to the club — there’s certainly a bit of pressure, but I had a great time representing Kirra.”

The top eight clubs from the event have now earned their place at the Australian Boardriders Battle Grand Final presented by NRMA Insurance, set to take place at Burleigh Heads on March 7-8, 2026.

Queensland Qualifying Boardrider Clubs: 
North End BRC
Noosa BRC
Snapper Rocks SRC
North Shore BRC
Burleigh Heads BRC
Kawana BRC
MNM BRC
Coolum BRC

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.

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.