2023 WA Longboard & Logger Championship | Highlights

The 2023 WA Longboard & Logger Championship wrapped up memorably yesterday in Denmark, Western Australia.

A total of 17 State Champions were crowned, with many past, present, and future stars on the show.

Sunny skies, light winds, and groomed swells provided the perfect setting for the event, as competitors used every inch of their nine-foot-plus boards to exact the most out of the waves on offer at Parry's Beach.

Jack Medland claimed both the Open Men's Longboard and Open Men's Logger divisions.

Using a mixture of traditional and modern longboard maneuvers, Medland quickly posted excellent scores in front of a packed beach that soaked up the festival-like atmosphere.

Medland was pushed by an in-form Ryan Clark, who battled hard to defend his State Titles from 2022.

The pair swapped positions on the leaderboard regularly, but Medland came out on top.

"It's been a remarkable event, and I couldn't be happier right now," said Medland.

"To get the double was always my goal, but that was tough," said Medland.

Georgia Young's love of longboarding was displayed as she took out the Open Women's Longboard final.

Young's combination of powerful rail turns and fancy footwork saw him claim a narrow victory ahead of local talent Michaela Ross, with just 0.07 separating the two when the siren sounded.

Bridget Churack finished in third, and Shae Sheridan fourth.

"It's been three days of pumping surf and even better times here in Denmark," said Young.

Michaela Ross drew from her local knowledge to win the Open Women's Logger final.

Making a welcome return to the competitive arena, Ross danced up and down her board like a ballerina to the applaud of a strong local contingent who were there to cheer her on.

Ross posted a combined two-wave total of 11.27 (from a possible 20) on her way to victory.

"It's been a while since I've competed in the State Titles, and I just love the longboard community we have here in Western Australia," said Ross.

"I grew up surfing along this stretch of coastline, and it holds a special place in my heart."

Dane Quirk traveled over 20 hours to be in Denmark to compete in his first State Championship in over a decade.

Quirk's power and radical approach saw him claim victory in the Over-40 Men's division with a dominant performance that saw his post a two-wave total of 13.56.

Quirk was too strong for close friends Jock Bahen, Paul Burke, and Rob Thurston, who finished second, third, and fourth.

"It's been 12 years since I last competed in one of these events, and it's been so good to catch up with old mates and see the new faces coming through the ranks," said Quirk.

"I used to ride Warren Thompson's surfboards, and it's nice to be in his backyard, and I pay homage to him and all he's done for longboarding in WA."

Dave Smith took out the Over-50 Men's final and will look to compete at the National Titles in August alongside his son Jake Smith, who won the Under-18 Junior Boys division.

It was a successful event for the Smith family, with Dave recently transitioning to longboarding after many years of riding a shortboard.

"As a surfboard shaper, I jumped on a longboard last summer as the waves in Perth can be pretty bad," said Smith.

"I've loved riding the bigger boards and think there is something pretty special about longboarding here in Western Australia."

Jock Bahen was a popular winner of the Over-40 Men's Logger division, Barrie McKinnon defended his Over-60 Men's State Championship, while Brent Moss was a standout performer in the Over-65 Men's final.

In other event results, Amanda Curley won the Over-40 Women's Logger final, with Samantha Vanderford taking out the Over 50 Women's division.

Paul Burke won the Over-45 Men's final, and Doug Carruthers was the best of the Over-55 Men's competitors.

At 75 years of age, Bob Monkman still looked very sharp and elegant, winning the Over-70 Men's division, while Finlay Foley was the best of the Under-18 Junior Loggers.

Jack Medland claimed the West Coast Suspensions Wave of the Weekend for the highest individual score of the event, with an excellent 8.83, during the Open Men's Logger final.

Ryan Clark was the lucky recipient of a brand new Moonshine Surfboard for his consistent and quality surfing throughout the event.

2023 WA Longboard & Logger Championship | State Champions

Open Men's Longboard: Ryan Clark
Open Women's Longboard: Georgia Young
Open Men's Logger: Jack Medland
Open Women's Logger: Michaela Ross
Over 40 Men's Longboard: Dane Quirk
Over 40 Women's Longboard: Amanda Curley
Over 40 Men's Logger: Jock Bahen
Over 40 Women's Logger: Amanda Curley
Over 45 Men's Longboard: Paul Burke
Over 50 Men's Longboard: Dave Smith
Over 50 Women's Longboard: Samantha Vanderford
Over 55 Men's Longboard: Kevin Anderson
Over 60 Men's Longboard: Barrie McKinnon
Over 65 Men's Longboard: Brent Moss
Over 70 Men's Longboard: Bob Monkman
U18 Junior Longboard: Jake Smith
U18 Junior Logger: Finlay Foley