SIX of the nation’s hottest surfing prospects were crowned across three age divisions at the 2024 Sanbah Cadet Cup supported by Ocean & Earth as part of the 2024 Surfest Newcastle Australia.
Eighty-four young male and female athletes contested six divisions at Newcastle’s South Bar Beach. The contest was nationally ranked at 4500pts in the Surfing Australia national rankings and competitors gained points on the national rankings for their final placings.
Poppy O’Reilly (Bronte, NSW) added her name to illustrious company by winning the under-16 girls title for the second straight year, becoming the first to do that since Macy Callaghan (2014-15). Current world No.1 on the WSL CT Molly Picklum (2018) is another past winner of the Sanbah Cadet Cup.
“It was tough but there were still some pretty fun waves. I was trying to get a 7 in the first ten minutes but got a 5 and was happy with that.
“Everyone was on the one bank, and I didn’t have priority, so I switched banks and got that left. That was sick,” O’Reilly said.
Ben Zenatta Creagh (Dee Why, NSW) took out the under-16 boys title when he edged out defending champion Ocean Lancaster by less than ½ a point.
The 15-year-old, who came second in last November’s Let’s Surf Lake Mac Pro Junior at Redhead Beach, landed two powerful airs in the final.
“It was better than yesterday, and the swell picked up, and there were some fun waves. It was good being able to hear the scores and they were close so I thought I just should really go for it,” he said.
Crescent Heads surfer Mali Adam who surfs for Merewether Boardriders won the under-14 girls at the Reflections Cadet Cup at Bonny Hills’ Rainbow Beach last month and backed it up with victory at South Bar Beach, as did Maverick Macgugan (North Avalon) and Coco Woolley (Boomerang Beach) in the under-12s.
Sanbah Cadet Cup powered by Ocean & Earth
Finals Results
U/16 Boys
1. Ben Zanatta Creagh 14.27
2. Ocean Lancaster 13.84
3. Noah Hartney 9.73
4. Jordi Bray 7.24
U/16 Girls
1. Poppy O’Reilly 13.76
2. Mia McMahon 11.33
3. Avalon Vowels 6.90
4. Malia Barron 6.37
U/14 Boys
1. Kade Kelly 12.16
2. Sandon Vowels 8.27
3. Omar Moltzen 7.70
4. Eli Clarke 7.60
U/14 Girls
1. Mali Adam 9.60
2. Talia Tebb 5.84
3. Olive Morriss 4.63
4. Lyla Freudenstein 3.53
U/12 Boys
1. Maverick Macgugan 9.57
2. Noah Kornek 7.60
3. Mack Ringis 7.16
4. Nixon Vaughan 5.63
U/12 Girls
1. Coco Woolley 10.60
2. Alanni Morris 4.93
3. Charlotte Hainsworth 3.53
4. Rosie Barron 2.33
Surfest Newcastle Australia is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.
Surfest Newcastle Australia 2024 presented by Reflections Holiday Parks is also proudly supported by Burton Automotive, The City of Newcastle, Reflections Holiday Parks, crowd funding from the Newcastle business community, and Newcastle and Hunter Regional businesses.
