The 2025 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles delivered a stunning finish at Djarrak (Bells Beach), with champions crowned across all divisions in a day full of powerful performances, spectacular moments, and community celebration.
The Open Men’s final proved to be a strategic battle, with slow sets making wave selection critical. Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD) was first to strike, opening with two fast-paced snaps and drifting the fins on the final manoeuvre to score a 7.17 and take the early lead.
Finn Hill (Avoca Beach, NSW) stayed busy, banking a couple of mid-range scores to keep his momentum alive. After a long lull in the swell, Jordie Campbell (Torquay, VIC) made his first wave count, locking in an excellent 8.00-point ride that brought him within striking distance of Smales, who had already built a strong backup score.
A final flurry of waves then pushed through the lineup. With Hill holding priority and Smales in second priority, Hill took the first wave, unleashing his powerful style across multiple major manoeuvres for a 6.93-point ride. But Smales answered straight back, taking the larger and cleaner second wave of the set, and laid down a dynamic series of forehand snaps and carves. The judges rewarded him with the highest score of the final, an 8.67-point ride, securing his win with a 15.84 combined total. Hill placed second on 11.10, with Campbell third and Russ Malony (Central Coast, NSW) fourth.
“I ended up in second priority at the end, and there was a two-wave set, and I kinda sold Finn on the first one and got the bomb behind it and got a good score,” said Smales.
“This is always a great event, the waves seem to always turn on for us, and I love coming here every year,” he continued.
Smales wasn’t done yet. He backed up his Open Men’s win by claiming victory in the Open Men’s Longboard final as well. Continuing his dominant form from Day 2, he caught eight waves, with three scoring above 8 points. His standout was a 9.67-point ride that included an extended nose ride out the back and a stylish mix of carves all the way to shore. That wave not only sealed his longboard title but also earned him the Surf Better Now Wave of the Day.
In the Longboard Women’s final, Djarrak again delivered as lines stacked to the horizon under a shining Winter sun. The competitors embraced the moment, catching plenty of waves and exchanging laughs, epitomising the event’s spirit of connection and joy. Among them, Melissa Combo (Bundjalung, NSW) stood out with a flowing, smooth ride that featured critical high-lining and stylish control. Her 6.67-point ride helped her finish with a 12.47 combined total to claim the title. Angela King (Torquay, VIC) followed closely in second with 11.70 points, while Elly Muir (Port Macquarie, NSW), Jessi Muir (Jan Juc, VIC), and Matilda Thearle (Woolooware, NSW) rounded out the final placings in third, fourth, and fifth respectively.
