Prestigious Australian crowns have been decided in Port Macquarie today, with the Australian Longboard Titles wrapping up in clean 2ft peaks at North Haven

Team NSW dominated the overall title tally, netting 7 titles from the 11 divisions contested.

Tweed Heads ace Dane Pioli clinched his maiden Australian Open Men’s title in a tie break situation from current ASP Men’s World Champion Harley Ingleby (Emerald Beach).

Fellow finalist and 2006 ASP Men’s World Champion Josh Constable (Peregian Beach) took the early lead in the entertaining 30-minute exchange, nailing a 6.35 and a 5.80, to apply the early pressure.

Ingleby hit back with a pair of 6’s (6.50 and 6.00) to take the lead from Constable mid final. But with five minutes to go, Pioli snared a set wave from Beau Nixon (Tweed Heads) before proceeding to unleash a progressive Helicopter (nose ride 360 degree spin) move along with a mix of nose rides and a closeout 360 degree board spin to complete the wave.

Pioli jagging an excellent scoring 9.00 for his efforts to shoot from third to first position

With under a minute to go and holding the inside position, Pioli opted to go left leaving Ingleby to go right on a set wave which gave him enough scoring potential to throw down a noseride, roundhouse cutback and a high-speed floater.

Requiring a 7.51 for the win, Ingleby was awarded a 7.50, leaving him and Pioli tied on a 14.00 total. In an emotional ending, Pioli took the title on tie break with his top scoring ride (9.00) outpointing Ingleby’s 7.50.

“I’ve been coming to the Australian Titles since I was 13, so to win an Aussie title is awesome,” he said.

“I won the state titles this year and to win this after that is even better. I can’t believe how good this feels.”

Final Scores: Pioli (14.00), Ingleby (14.00), Constable (12.15) and Nixon (11.50).

Open Women Final

The open women’s final also came down to a tie break situation with Western Australian surfer Claire Finnucane (Melville) getting the better of fellow state team member Georgia Young. Finishing in third was Victoria’s Kristal Gerbach, with Western Australia’s Michaela Ross in fourth.

Final Scores: Finnucane (10.75), Young (10.75), Gerbach (10.35) and Ross (9.05).

Boys and girls

The under 18 boys final was action packed with the country’s longboarding upstarts going head-to-head in the race for glory. Scotts Head surfer Jack Lynch came up trumps disposing of Dylan Hunt (Crescent Head), Ed Cunningham (Bundaberg) and Kai Ellice-flint (NSW).

The girls upped the ante in the under 18 division final, throwing out some classy moves in the super clean conditions. The winner was Erin Dark (NSW), who disposed of Kirra Perry (NSW), Roisin Carolan (NSW) and Beth Palmer (QLD).

Over 35

In the over 35 men’s division, Sunshine Coast surfer Damien Coulter (Buderim) upstaged Byron Bay’s Lee Miller, Michael Pinney (VIC) and Craig Munro (NSW). Final Scores: Coulter (14.64), Miller (14.35), Pinney (11.65), Munro (9.45).

WA surfer Claire Finnucane (Melville) backhand blasted her way to a win in the over 35 women’s division, outclassing Debbie Boggiss (Qld), Sharon Jackson (Qld) and Kirsty Webster (NSW).

And older

NSW surfer Hayden Swan (Yamba, formerly Manly) survived a close call in the over 40 men’s division, winning the final by 0.10 of a point to Currumbin’s Mark McNamara.

Victorian legend Greg Brown (Torquay) was unstoppable in the over 45 men’s final, netting a 6.25 and an excellent scoring 8.50 to nab the Australian Title from Richard Smith (NSW), Glen Cunningham (Bundaberg) and Ray Blackman (NSW).

David ‘Sput’ Keevers was triumphant in the over 50 men’s division, nailing a 10.75 total to defeat Paul Gutherie (NSW), Roger Matthews (SA) and Brian Kuit (VIC).

Garry Taylor wound back the clock in the over 55 men’s division, unleashing some impressive surfing to take the crown ahead of Bruce Channon (Mona Vale), Peter Hudson (Lake Cathie) and Neville Smith (Qld), while the 060 men was taken out by Byron Bay surfer Al Atkins.

Photo Credit: Jake White/Surfing Australia