Joe Collins acquires arguably the biggest win over his career and Lana Rogers shuts the gate on a simply unstoppable performance headlining the weekend.
This addition of the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series Hayden Kenny Classic was marvellous. The Sun shined the crowds came and action pulsated the beautiful Sunshine Coast. With some of the best performances we have ever seen in the Shaw and Partners world ocean series. From the podium bar up at the Alex surf club down to the Shaw and Partners world ocean series arena the crowd was loving every moment.
With the ocean refusing to offer any real assistance, racing shifted heavily toward skill, decision-making and raw aerobic work. The flat water rewarded clean lines and punished even the smallest lapse in tempo, turning every transition into a critical moment. Cross-shore winds began creeping in through the afternoon finals, adding texture and runners to make board and ski legs unpredictable and opening the door for those brave enough to take different lines on the way home.
On Sunday, the next generation took centre stage as the Under 11 and Under 14 Nippers had the chance to race inside the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series arenas. Adding to the moment, several of the Series’ elite athletes were on the sand lending advice, encouragement and a few race-day secrets to the young competitors. It’s a special aspect of this sport watching the best in the world give back to those coming through and you can’t help but feel that in just a few years, these very nippers will be the ones breaking the tape in the open arenas.
10,000 Points in the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series is a genuine delicacy with only four opportunities to claim them , you could sense a built of urgency to try and claim a win before the new year. As mentioned above Collins and Rogers headlined the Shaw and Partners Hayden Kenny classic final package additionally Lani Pallister showed how elite her surf swimming is by taking out the win and being an incredible ambassador for our sport. In the men’s swim it was hometown hero and people’s champ Cooper Williams who came home like a bullet train in front of his home club. In the Board Races it was vintage board wins from two athletes that are not shy to winning board races in the Shaw and Partners World Ocan series in Lizzie Welborn who has a commanding paddle and Matt Beviqlaiuce showing power grit and excellence in a perfect paddle. Bevy is showing really a strong sign to start winning ironman and board race for the rest of the summer. The Ski races to round out the individual finals was epic to watch with the lady’s final dual of club mates Piper Harrison taking a classy win ahead of Olivia Clues who had personal best result in the ski result. Newport can produce some ski paddlers! The men’s ski field was the best we have seen, Olympians, world champs, Aussie champs and Shaw and Partners World Ocean series champs all coming together to take out the Shaw and partners Hayden Kenny classic and it was Jackson Collins who backend the race to perfection he steamed up the beach like an inside midfielder in the AFL. To round out the day it was the Open mixed Taplin final. Hit replay on that race. Alex surf club stood up and played the whole field. The streets of Alex and the beach erupted to take a Taplin win on your home beach. Taplin Town Alex headland.
Watch Replay from the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series Hayden Kenny Classic:
Lets deep dive the results from the weekend.
Click replay : Men’s Ski final finish, Open ironwoman final, mixed Taplin
Open Ironman:
1. Joe Collins- Northcliffe
2. Jackson Borg- Newport
3. Connor Maggs- Mermaid Beach
Locked and loaded like a rocket, Joe Collins launched off the start and immediately stamped authority on the ski leg, with Bevy and Jackson Borg in hot pursuit as they hit the water. But emerging from the swim was Mermaid Beach’s Connor Maggs who threaded the wave zone to perfection, sliding just ahead of Collins. Into the board, Maggs carried roughly a 20-metre margin over JC and Borgy, before the chase pack timed a long runner to perfection around the cans. That set up a dramatic finish, with a final wave re-forming under all three athletes and delivering a three-way sprint up the beach for the way. Joe Collins took the tape for his first ever Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series Hayden Kenny classic win.
Open Ironwoman:
1. Lana Rogers- Northcliffe
2. Tiarnee Massie- Maroochydore
3. Emma Woods – Alexandra Headland
Lana Rogers made an absolute statement. From start to finish she did the unthinkable in the challenging Alex Beach conditions, turning the ski–swim–board combination into a masterclass. It was arguably the best performance we’ve ever seen from Rogers in the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series. Heading into that final board, the chase pack of Lucy Derbyshire, Tiarnee Massie, Lizzie Welborn, Carla Papac, Naomi Scott and defending champ Emma Woods were stroking hard to close the gap. With that calibre of board paddlers, everyone knew the finish was going to be something special Tiarnee and Lizzie went to work around the cans before Massie surged clear into second. A Sand-to-Surf sprint decided third, with Woods edging Welborn to round out the podium on her home beach. With that victory, Lana Rogers now takes the outright lead in the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series Ironwoman rankings.
Men’s Board:
1. Matt Bevilacqua- Northcliffe
2. Charlie Verco- Newport
3. Brayden Casamento – Alexandra Headland
For over a decade, Matt Bevilacqua has been the benchmark in board paddling from marathon distance races to three-minute sprints, he’s always had it dialled. But wow… the Shaw and Partners Hayden Kenny Classic was another level. From the gun, Bevy looked impeccable, using his experience, pace and race craft to send shockwaves across both the board and Ironman fields. Around the cans it was almost five-wide, and only on the final turn did it settle into a straight fight between Bevilacqua and Cruz McKee for the inside. The moment Bevy hit that last can he shut the gate and went for broke. Behind him, Casamento and a late-charging Charlie Verco sprinted for podium places, with Verco surging into the medals in the dying stages. With that result, Charlie Verco now moves into the lead of the Men’s Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series overall rankings.
Woman’s Board:
1. Lizzie Welborn- Newport
2. Hannah Sculley- Northcliffe
3. Lily O’sullivan – Burleigh
Welcome back Lizzie Welborn! What a paddle. Fresh off some big success during Shaw and Partners Race Week, Lizzie looked absolutely elite chasing runners, opening up space, and reminding everyone why she’s one of the most dangerous board paddlers in the world. She stretched the field early and instantly stamped herself as a favourite for the remainder of the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series. Around the cans it was a wall of club caps, but on the way home the field split north and south searching for the fastest line. No surprise to see Hannah Sculley charge home for second, while Lily O’Sullivan looked incredibly strong to round out the podium.A perfect campaign start for Welborn and based on today, the Women’s Board this season might just be the division to follow.
Men’s Swim:
1. Cooper Williams- Alexandra Headland
2. Hayden Cotter- Manly
3. Dylan Wilson – Sunshine Beach
Cooper Williams is a beast. He put his club on his shoulders with absolute pride and swam past some of the very best in the sport. The rivalry between Williams and Hayden Cotter in the men’s swim is slowly becoming one of the most prestigious head-to-heads in surf sports. But today, it wasn’t either of them who led early. Jackson McCleery from Wanda exploded off the start and took control with Williams glued to his hip. The way home was pure chaos splashes everywhere, elbows flying, athletes searching for any hint of a runner. Cooper powered up the sand to an electric reception from the crowd, with Cotter sneaking in behind for second. The surprise packet was Dylan Wilson, who has been hovering around the mark all season and finally stormed past traffic to round out the podium.
Woman’s Swim:
1. Lani Pallister- Alexandra Headland
2. Lily O’sullivan – Burleigh
3. Molly Shinvan- Northcliffe
This Women’s Swim was highly anticipated with Olympian and Alex Surf Club superstar Lani Pallister on the line and she absolutely delivered. It was a commanding race from start to finish, with no one coming close to matching her tempo, control, and pure class in the water. But the race for “next best” was wide open. A stacked chasing pack fought it out behind, with Northcliffe’s Molly Shinvan and Burleigh’s Lily O’Sullivan timing their runs perfectly to surge up the beach and secure the remaining podium places. A dominant return from Pallister, and a clear reminder why she’s one of the most exceptional surf swimmers we’ve seen in a long time. The Rankings in the woman’s Swim is open wide. Who will stand up over the next few Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series events.
Men’s Ski:
1. Jackson Collins- Kurrawa
2. Harrison Taurins – Newport
3. James Porter- Alexandra Headland
Like we highlighted in our intro, this was arguably the strongest Men’s Ski field we’ve ever seen in a Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series round. Olympic medallists, Australian champions, and previous series winners all lining up seriously elite company. Om Green and Harrison Taurins were first to the apex with Jamo Porter hanging right on the back wash. But on the final turn, Big Jackson Collins launched onto a runner and dragged himself right into the mix. From there the four lads went head-to-head, linking runners and trading momentum all the way home. The sprint finish was iconic. Taurins had the early inside line but Collins hit warp speed, making the rest of the field look like they were standing still. Around the Shaw and Partners turning flag there was a touch of flare and Collins just dipped in front of Taurins for the win, with hometown favourite Jamo Porter rounding out the podium in one of the races of the day.
Woman’s Ski:
1. Piper Harrison- Newport
2. Olivia Clues- Newport
3. Jasmin Locke - Newport
The Newport trilogy of Piper Harrison, Olivia Clues and Jasmin Locke absolutely showed up the women’s field in the Ski. Right now the women’s ski division is stacked with Olympians, Australian champions and some of the strongest paddlers in the country and Newport proved they’re setting the pace. Piper was electric off the cans, powering away and stretching the field on every runner. The shore break delivered a bit of carnage with skis going sideways, but Harrison stayed composed and ran it in for a commanding win. Behind her, Liv Clues got to her feet early and went to work for second, with Jasmin Locke rounding out the podium in a thrilling finish. In terms of the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series rankings, Piper Harrison now takes control at the top of the Women’s Ski leaderboard.
Mixed Taplin:
1. Alexandra Headland
2. Northcliffe
3. Burleigh heads
Alex are the Taplin Kings and Queens.
This race was always going to be about the powerhouse clubs Alex Headland, Northcliffe, Burleigh Heads and Newport and it absolutely lived up to the billing. The opening half was a genuine match race between Alex and Northcliffe, until the swim leg where Lani Pallister stripped it away and handed Alex a commanding lead that never looked in doubt. Every athlete in that Alex lineup delivered under pressure and executed in the key moments, proving once again why they’re one of the most complete clubs in Australia right now. Massive credit as well to some emerging clubs who haven’t been near the pointy end of Mixed Taplin’s in recent years there are a few squads clearly building momentum for the rest of the season and seasons to come.
Come ups:
-Alex Surf Club
-Roger’s statement ironwoman race
- Newport ladies ski podium
-Sprint finish between Collins and Taurins
- Lani Pallister’s excellence
- Taplin Town
- JC’s inaugural Shaw and Partner World Ocean series race win.
- Future is bright – Nippers showed skill and love for the sport.
Event imagery:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wDGQCFgp0ICITeQSObdX3dAhj-hYeNXv
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1wEAGB9yePqeLHbtRnreD9ufZNj3hEumx
For highlights, and broadcast replays, Click here or follow @worldoceanseries on social media.
*** Thank you to Shaw and Partners Financial Services, Race One Surf Craft, the Sunshine Coast Council, and the host club Alexandra Headland Surf Life Saving Club for their incredible support in bringing this upcoming event to life.