The Surfantasy Predictions are back!
Make sure you pick your team by midnight tonight, below will give you all the tips and tricks to give you the best shot at claiming top place in your league.
It’s moving time — if you are a serious challenger in the Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series rankings, or a wannabe star of Surfantasy, the Shaw and Partners Glenelg Sprint Challenge 7,000 is very important.
For the athletes hoping to be racing for the crucial points in limited fields, we have bad news for you. Just like last year, the fields are absolutely world class so the athletes will have to work very hard to stand atop of the podium and bank the maximum points before Christmas.
If you are a Surfantasy player, there is no event that requires you to check the LiveHeats entry page more than this one. One late entry can significantly change your selections, so we recommend checking who is entered right up to the close at midnight Thursday.
The forecast is for small, weak swell and light onshore winds, with a low tide for finals, so it is going to be good for the strong athletes with good finishing speed on the sand.
SWIM
Women
Lani Pallister is currently selected by 52% of Surfantasy players, however she is not entered. Some changes to your Surfantasy team selections are recommended!
Naomi Scott is entered and, if she starts, she is the favourite. I just listened to her excellent Tent Talk podcast (all Tent Talk podcasts are now available from the Surfantasy home page), and it will be interesting to see how many individual swims she races this year.
The other athlete to watch is Georgia Singleton, who has a 4th and 5th at Port Macquarie 7000 and the Shaw and Partners Hayden Kenny Classic, respectively.
But Emma Woods, Kaitlin Rees, and hometown favourite Lucy Derbyshire will be thereabouts — and Emma can run. In a sprint finish, she would be a huge chance.
Winner — Naomi Scott
Dangerous — Georgia Singleton, Emma Woods, Kaitlin Rees, Lucy Derbyshire
Men
We said last time that if Hayden Cotter is a starter, you pick him. He is a multiple Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series Swim MVP and comes off a second at the Hayden Kenny Classic. I hope his health has improved since Alex Headland and, if so, he is a likely winner.
He won’t have it all his own way. After missing the iron final at Alex, Cooper Williams stormed home in the swim race to beat Hayden. He loves sprint distance and, over a shorter course, is a hot chance. Finn Askew, overall series MVP favourite Jackson Borg, and Henry Simpson will be fighting it out.
Winner — Hayden Cotter
Dangerous — Cooper Williams, Finn Askew, Jackson Borg
IRON
Women
This is a hard prediction. Naomi Scott had a dominant season last year to win the overall iron MVP, yet Emma Woods has had a brilliant start to the season with 3rd at the Hayden Kenny Classic and another strong podium in Sunday’s Newcastle Iron Series eliminator. She is in hot form and can transition fast on low tides.
Young gun Kaitlin Rees is a racer. She does every race at every carnival and is currently ranked 2nd in this year’s Shaw and Partners World Ocean Series iron MVP.
The iron order is board, swim, ski, so expect Kaitlin to lead and the others to chase for the rest of the race.
Don’t discount Lucy Derbyshire racing on her home beach with huge crowd support. She had a 10th at Glenelg last year, and I remember she wasn’t happy with that result — so expect some redemption. She is also coming off a win in the Sunday Newcastle Iron Series eliminator and confidence will be high.
Winner — Kaitlin Rees
Dangerous — Lucy Derbyshire, Emma Woods, Naomi Scott
Men
For the Shaw and Partners Hayden Kenny Classic I wrote, “We have all seen what Ali Day does to the field in flat, light conditions and is a lock selection.” I was proved wrong and Ali got 12th in that event, but was apparently recovering from illness. We are sticking with
Ali for Glenelg after winning a round in the Shaw and Partners Iron Series on Sunday. 73% of Surfantasy players agree and have selected him in their team.
Joe Collins won that Shaw and Partners Hayden Kenny race in similar long-run conditions and is a huge threat here. I also like Borgy, who is back racing his best after an indifferent last season by his standards. Chasing the overall MVP and doing more races suits this
workhorse.
If you like winning ironman races, Finn Askew is a serial pest — always there — and this weekend will be no different. Cooper Williams, in sprint conditions, will be present if he can start on the board well. Brayden Casamento and Bevy, who has been selected by 42% of Surfantasy players, will lead early and will require catching.
Winner — Ali Day
Dangerous — Joe Collins, Borgy, Finn Askew, Bevy
BOARD
Women
No Welborn. No Scully. No Massie. It’s wide open.
Georgia Singleton is the current board MVP leader, having done five races, and is reinvigorated racing in new colours. I like Brodee Trinca, who when fit can seriously challenge the big three listed above, and Naomi Scott has won an Aussie board final and has done three board races this year — so we know she is frequently racing this
event (she knows racing individual disciplines improves your weakest iron leg).
Kaitlin Rees is a high-quality board paddler and, with results including a 16th, 12th, and 17th this year, isn’t an obvious selection. But you can discount these results slightly as she is a young athlete now racing opens — and I like lay-down paddling in flat conditions. She is in my Surfantasy team and I recommend her for yours this
weekend.
Winner — Kaitlin Rees
Dangerous — Naomi Scott, Brodee Trinca, Georgia Singleton
Men
Charlie Verco and Cruz McKee are in a great battle for the Board MVP, coming 1st and 2nd respectively. Charlie is currently in 88% of Surfantasy teams but is a late withdrawal and is not racing this weekend — edit your teams, everyone!
Cruz McKee is the Prince Charming of board racing — everyone loves him. He is a rare gem of a lay-down paddler and will fly in these conditions. Have him in your Surfantasy team, especially in sprint distance.
I also really like Brayden Casamento. He is the most improved board paddler in Australia and will win races this year. Make room for him in your Surfantasy team.
Matt Bevilaqua is the best male board paddler over the past 10 years — always fast and very, very hard to beat. He won at Hayden Kenny and will threaten, especially if the wind picks up and there are runners on the way home.
Winner — Brayden Casamento (I’m doubling down)
Dangerous — Cruz McKee, Matt Bevilaqua
SKI
Women
This is a race of four between Naomi, Kaitlin, Lucy, and Claudia “The Dozer” Kelley. I like watching Claudia race. She looks happy, and I like happy. I hope she wins — and I think she will.
Piper Harrison, who won at the Hayden Kenny Classic, is a late withdrawal, so the chasers will be Naomi, Lucy Derbyshire, and Kaitlin — and that is the order I think they finish.
Winner — Claudia Kelley
Dangerous — Naomi Scott, Lucy Derbyshire, Kaitlin Rees
Men
How good was the men’s ski race at the Shaw and Partner Hayden Kenny Classic, with Jacko Collins in a sprint finish over Harry Taurins. It was the race of the day seeing the big men sprint.
Ski paddling used to finish in the water and ski paddlers vigorously defended the right to finish wet. But adding a sprint finish to a ski race is genius — well done to whoever invented it. I love it.
Harry Taurins had a breakout result in that race with 2nd and backs up here. He is my pick and in my Surfantasy team. He is a young kid getting stronger — watch him over the next few years.
His club mate Jackson “Bam-Bam” Borg is already strong and his paddling is very good. He will podium, along with Piran Phillips from North Burleigh, who is very fast.
Winner — Harry Taurins
Dangerous — Piran Phillips, Jacko Borg
I also approached local Glenelg athlete Zoe Demaria on which local legends will fly this weekend. These are her calls, and we hope they go well:
Women — Hannah Decon, Amy Buck
Men — Jack Travers, Max Humphries, Aiden Carberry, Taj Bunting, Ben Zuill, Issac
Keighran, Lachie Merchant