Shark Island Challenge: Difference between revisions

The Shark Island Challenge (SIC), held near Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia, is the most celebrated World Tour event in bodyboarding since the elimination of the Teahupoo Challenge (Teahupoo) from the world bodyboarding tour.

The Shark Island Challenge first started in 1997, and was a very informal and local event organized by Nathan Purcell and Mark Fordhan. The championship would get increasing attention in the following years and was promoted to an international World Tour event sanctioned by the International Bodyboarding Association (IBA) in 2002, eventually turning out to be the premiere event of the tour when the Teahuppo Challenge was eliminated due to lack of financial sponsoring.

• Organizers: Nathan Purcell, Mark Fordham
• Waiting Period: Best day in May, later changed to best day in June due to lack of swell
• Format: 12 local riders vs. 12 invitees from Australia
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Matt Percy ($1000 AUD)
  • 2. Steve Mackenzie (STC trip to Sumatra for a week)
  • 3. Chris Warr ($700 AUD)
  • 4. Luke Miller (STC trip to G-land for a week)
  • 5. Nathan Purcell, Ben Player
• Sponsors: Ocean and Earth / Manta Bodyboards / The Surf Travel Company / Emerald Surf City / Cronulla house boats and sea planes
• Condititions: 1 - 1,5 meters (4 - 5 foot) offshore waves
• Footage: Secret Weapons by Chris Stroh

As the first Shark Island Challenge it was a very informal competition. Comments from the riders gives the notion that it was more like free-surfing. It could be argued that the low money prize and the fact that it did not scored points for the World Tour contributed to this relaxed feeling toward the competition in this year.

• Organizers: Nathan Purcell, Mark Fordham
• Waiting Period: 1st of July to 1st of August (1 - 2 days event depending on conditions)
• Format: 12 local riders vs. 12 invitees from Australia, 2 rounds event
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Steve Mackenzie ($1000 AUD + trip 2 tonga by STC)
  • 2. Matt Percy (STC trip to Tonga by week)
  • 3. Adam Smith ($1200 AUD)
  • 4. Nathan Purcell ($800 AUD)
• Sponsors: Ocean and Earth / Manta Bodyboards / The Surf Travel Company / Emerald Surf City
• Condititions:
  • 1st round: 1 - 2 meters (4 - 6 foot) waves with cross winds
  • 2nd round: 1 - 2 meters (4 - 6 foot) thundering tubular waves with offshore winds
• Footage: Rush - Shark Island Challeng by Chris Stroh

The second incarnation of the SIC showed bodyboarding legend Mike Stewart riding like no other. This time again the competition was on a relaxed mood, and despite the Hawaiian efforts the locals dominated the heats.

• Organizers: Nathan Purcell, Mark Fordham
• Waiting Period: 11th of June to 11th of July (1 - 2 days event depending on conditions)
• Format: 12 locals vs. 12 invitees, 2 round event, six 1 hour 4 men heats, 3 best scoring waves counting each round
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Christian Riguccini ($5000 AUD)
  • 2. Nathan Purcell ($3000 AUD)
  • 3. Toby Player ($2000 AUD)
  • 4. Adam Smith ($1000 AUD)
  • 5. Ryan Hardy ($750 AUD)
  • 6. Guilherme Tamega ($750 AUD)
  • 7. Matt Percy ($500 AUD)
  • 7. Warren Feinbier ($500 AUD)
• Sponsors: Surf Dive ‘n’ Ski / Manta Bodyboards / Ocean and Earth / The Surf Travel Company / Dream Weaver Surf adventures / Emerald Surf City / Mike Perry / Peter Michaels Seafood and the Voodoo Lounge Cronulla
• Best move: Christian Riguccini, long tube ride with a huge roll on surge.
• Best barrel: Matt Percy
• Condititions: 1st (and only) round: 1 - 2 meters (4 - 6 foot) southeast ground swell with perfect conditions
• Footage: Rush - Shark Island Challeng by Chris Stroh

This year a promising and very anticipated swell for the beginning of June failed to show up and the competition had to be put on hold. Many stand-out invitees had to drop the contest due to previous scheduled trips (Mike Stewart, Spencer Skipper, Jeff Hubbard and Andre Botha). On Monday the 5th of July, with only six days left in the window, an unexpected 4 - 6 foot swell created perfect conditions for the Island. This was so unexpected that some prominent riders missed their heats (Steve Mackenzie, Paul Barnard and Damian King). The Island didn't break again with good condition to the end of the waiting period and the final results were taken from the first round scores. Brazilian Guilherme Tamega surfed Shark Island for the first time during the only day of competition.

• Organizers: Mark Fordham, Nathan Purcell
• Waiting Period: 11th of June to 11th of July (1 - 2 days event depending on conditions)
• Format: 8 locals, 8 Australians, 8 internationals, 2 round event, six 1 hour 4 men heats, 3 best scoring waves counting each round
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Mike Stewart ($6000 AUD)
  • =2. Damian King ($2500 AUD)
  • =2. Ryan Hardy ($2500 AUD)
  • 4. Dave Ballard - $1000
  • 5. Andrew Lester - $750
  • 6. Steve Mackenzie - $750
  • 7. Adam Smith - $500
  • 7. Toby Player - $500
• Sponsors: Surf Dive ‘n’ Ski / Mike Stewart Science / The Surf Travel Company / Dreamweaver Surf adventures / Emerald Surf City / Wavecam / Mike Perry / Peter Michaels Seafood and the Voodoo Lounge Cronulla
• Best move: Ryan Hardy – Huge Invert over whiterock (the most dangerous and shallowest section of reef that sits near the takeoff zone)
• Best barrel: Mike Stewart
• Best wipeout: Nathan Purcell
• Condititions:
  • 1st round: 1,5 - 2,5 meters (6 - 8 foot) east/southeast swell offshore winds
  • 2nd round: Small 1 - 1,5 meters (4 - 6 foot) waves
• Footage: S.I.C - SDS, Mike Stewart - Shark Island Challenge 2000 by Chris Stroh

With huge, very dangerous conditions on the first round, bodyboarding legend Mike Stewart dominated the competition, by maintaining a good average scoring on the second round small conditions he took the first place on this year´s SIC. The locals, although yet a driving force in the competition, started to be replaced by international top bodyboarders on the top 10.

• Organizers: Mark Fordham, Nathan Purcell
• Waiting Period: 21st of June to 22nd of July (1 - 2 days event depending on conditions)
• Format: 10 locals, 8 Australians, 5 internationals, 2 round event, six 1 hour 4 men heats, 3 best scoring waves counting each round
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Damian King ($10,000 AUD)
  • 2. Ryan Hardy ($3000 AUD)
  • 3. Sean Virtue ($2000 AUD)
  • 4. Dave Ballard ($1000)
  • 5. Andrew Lester ($800)
  • 6. Jeff Hubbard ($700 AUD)
  • 7. Steve Mackenzie ($600 AUD)
  • 7. Toby Player ($500 AUD)
• Sponsors: Human / Custom X / Citizen Watches / The Surf Travel Co / Dreamweaver Surfing Adventures / Wave Cam / Wing Wetsuits
• Best move: Ryan Hardy
• Best barrel: Simon Thornton
• Best wipeout: Ryan McKinnon
• Condititions:
  • 1st round: 2 - 2,5 meters (6+ - 8 foot) east with little north on the swell with light westerly wind
  • 2nd round: 2 - 2,5+ meters (6+ - 8+ foot) east with little north on the swell (a little bigger than on the 1st round)
• Footage: The Human Shark Island Challenge 2001 by Ian Stewart.

This year presented the heaviest wave conditions for a SIC ever. With former champion Mike Stewart pulling out of the competition due to family commitments, the stage was clear for the other performers. South African Alistair Taylor (bodyboarder) had to go to the hospital to check his injuries after receiving one of the worst wipeouts ever seen at Shark Island. International top bodyboarders dominated the competition with to be two-times world champion Damian King taking the lead.

Surfing footage of 2001 SIC at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpb1IsKzEWU&search=shark%20island

• Organizers: Mark Fordham, Nathan Purcell
• Waiting Period: 21st of June to 22nd of July (1 - 2 days event depending on conditions)
• Format: 10 locals, 8 Australians, 5 internationals, 2 round event, six 1 hour 4 men heats, 3 best scoring waves counting each round
• Results and prizes
  • 1. Guilherme Tamega ($6,000 USD)
  • 2. Andrew Lester ($3000 USD)
  • 3. Damian King ($2000 USD)
  • 4. Jeff Hubbard ($1600 AUD)
  • 5. Alistair Taylor ($1200 AUD)
  • 6. Beau Day ($800 AUD)
  • 7. Ben Player ($400 AUD)
  • 8. Toby Player ($400 AUD)
• Sponsors: Human / Rejected Clothing / Custom X / Gola / www.fluidzone.com / The Surf Travel Company / Emerald Surf City
• Best move: Kelley Hunt
• Best barrel: Andrew Lester
• Condititions:
  • 1st round: 1 - 1,5+ meters (4 - 6+ foot) with some cross-shore effect
  • 2nd round: 1 - 1,5+ meters (4 - 6+ foot) perfect conditions
• Footage: The Human Shark Island Challenge 2002 by Ian Stewart.

This was the first year that the Shark Island Challenge was run as an International sanctioned event of the World Tour. It was the first time Guilherme Tamega went to win the title, a feat he would repeat in the following two years to become the only person ever to win two or three consecutive SIC titles. He would eventually win his sixth world title that year.

• Bodyboarding USA coverage of the Shark Island Challenge
• Bodyboarding Community Worldwide coverage of the Shark Island Challenge