Jan Juc, Victoria – The 2024 Victorian State Titles for Shortboard Masters and SUP Surfing concluded over the weekend, with surfers treated to ideal conditions along the Surf Coast. The two-day event, presented by Kieser Australia, was held across two iconic locations: Point Impossible and Jan Juc.
The competition featured the inaugural Over 30s Open Shortboard Division, where Phillip Island’s Jarvis Cininas stood out. Taking full advantage of clean, head-high waves at Jan Juc, Cininas posted a heat total of 14.67 out of a possible 20. He edged out strong local competitors Tim Birnie and Cahill Bell-Warren, who placed second and third. Luke Breeling (Dromana) and Ross Dart (Torquay) rounded out the final in fourth and fifth positions.
In the Over 40 Women’s Division, Tiffany Riggs (Torquay) defended her title with another commanding performance. Despite a late push by Clair Eldridge (Portland), who scored a 7.00 ride in the final minutes, Riggs maintained her lead to secure the win and another State Title.
Other shortboard division champions included:
- Johnny Hawken (Over 40 Open, Jan Juc)
- Andrew Hyde (Over 50 Open, McCrae)
- Craig Lloyd (Over 55 Open, Armstrong Creek)
- Michelle Fincher (Over 55 Women, Phillip Island)
- Rowan Sapwell (Over 60 Open, Torquay)
- Kim Shannon (Over 65 Open, Melbourne)
SUP Surfing took center stage on Saturday at Point Impossible, where perfect, reeling waves created a thrilling showcase for Victoria’s top paddle surfers.
Matt Takle (Torquay) made history by claiming his fifth consecutive Open Men’s SUP Title. Opening with an outstanding 9.50 ride, Takle closed out the final with a 16.33 heat total. Sandy Ryan (Phillip Island), returning to competition after several years, took second place. Rick Pettifer and Steve Toy finished third and fourth.
A notable highlight was the return of the Under 18 Girls SUP heat, held for the first time since 2018. Willa Webb (Torquay) claimed victory with a heat score of 12.33, while Tulleah Close (Jan Juc) finished second with 6.17.
Additional SUP division champions included:
- Sandy Ryan (Over 40 Open, Phillip Island)
- Lucy Bell (Over 40 Women, Sandringham)
- Brendan Ryan (Over 50 Open, Port Campbell)
- John Takle (Over 60 Open & 9ft Over 60 Open, Torquay)
- Gwen Carbone (Over 60 Women, Ocean Grove)
- Liam McCafferty (9ft Open & 9ft Over 50 Open, McCrae)
- Emma Webb (9ft Open Women, Torquay)
With strong performances across all divisions and near-perfect wave conditions, the Victorian Masters and SUP Titles concluded as one of the most successful editions in recent years.