Djarrk delivers ‘epic’ Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles

Callan Morse Published June 1, 2023 at 1.05pm (AWST)

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2023 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles open winners Summer Simon (left) and Landen Smales. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

The Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles have returned to Djarrk (Bells Beach), with exceptional conditions leading to an "all time high" level of surfing on display throughout the three-day day event.

The 10th running of the event saw more than 70 of the country's top First Nations surfers battling it out across eight divisions on Wadawurrung Country.

"Superb waves" and "epic comradely" was on display during day one of competition, with Lennox Head's Ocea Curtis standing out in two divisions, delivering a strong performance to score 12.97 in the open women division whilst dominating the junior girls semi-final division with 8.50 and 8.17 rides.

Curtis said she was honoured to received the competition's Wave of the Day award.

"It was so sick surfing out at Bells Beach with only two other people out," Curtis said.

Ocea Curtis took out the junior girls division with a score of 13.34. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

"The vibe out in the water was great, I'm friends with all the girls so it's so good."

Kempsey's Robbie Page was the standout of the men's divisions on day one of competition.

Page smashed his first round heat in the over 50 men's division, posting a 15.57 point combined heat total on the back of 7.50 and 8.07 rides whilst also progressing to the semi-finals in the open men longboard division.

Whilst paying tribute to his competitors, Page said his decades of experience of surfing Djarrk held him in good stead.

"Over the 21 events I've surfed at Bells, I've gathered a lot of information on what sort of waves to ride, which I reckon is 70 per cent of the challenge out here," he said.

Landen Smalls was the competition's most successful surfer, winning the junior boys, men's longboard and open men's divisions. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

"When this indigenous event is on there's no ego in the car park, this is a real modern day corroboree" he continued.

"It's where all the saltwater and freshwater mob come and practice our skills."

Day two of competition did not disappoint, with long-running fix foot plus waves greeting competitors from dawn to dusk.

Open men's long boarder Kaiden smalls took out 'Wave of the Day', finishing second behind brother Landen Smalls.

"It felt amazing to surf a few waves at pumping Bells with a couple of boys out," Kaiden said.

Avoca Beach's Finn Hill in action on day three. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

"It's so good to have such a big wall on the waves to cruise along.

"It's great to get everyone together for a comp and see everyone's faces and have a good time."

Landen went on to dominate he junior boys final, with scoring 9.60 followed by the day's highest score, a 9.87 to give him a combined 19.47 points, placing him well ahead of his rivals.

In women's day two action, Rainbow Bay's Summer Simon put on a clinic in the open women's final with a 7.50 ride followed by an 8.33 point ride and placing ahead of Kauri Heuston-Connor, Ocea Curtis and Leihani Zoric.

Simon said the Indigenous titles are a favourite of hers.

Coffs Harbour's Lee Winkler topped the men's masters division with a score of 18.07. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

"It felt so surreal, Bells is one of my favourite places to surf so to take out the Indigenous Title this year is really special to me," she said.

"I was super stoked to get Bells pumping and catch heaps of good waves.

"We were cheering each other on out there and all the girls were shredding which makes it that bit harder to win."

The final day of competition saw bombing 6 to 8 foot waves wrapping into Djarrk, leading to six 9 point rides and one 10 point ride throughout the day.

Coffs Harbour's Lee Winkler delivered the event's first perfect 10 point ride, followed by an 8.07 ride to see him take out the master's men's division and 'Wave of the Day'.

"I surfed three heats in a row so everything was kind of a blur but it felt amazing surfing those big, fast canvases," Winkler said.

2023 Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles competitors. (Image: Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles)

"It was just about sharing waves with really good humans and enjoying the purity of surfing these waves at this location."

In the final heat of the day Landen Smales claimed his third division win of the event, taking out the open men division with 7.00 and 6.80 rides seeing him out-surf Torquy's Jordie Campbell by 0.20 points.

"It's been a big couple of days with Bells putting on a show for everyone," Landen said.

"I'm very proud to be indigenous and be able to come down to this comp and surf with everyone."

The Australian Indigenous Surfing Titles are supported by Wadawurrung people, Traditional Owners of Djarrk (Bells Beach).

Final Results:

Open Women

1st – Summer Simon (Rainbow Bay, QLD), 15.83

2nd – Kauri Heuston-Connor (Reedy Creek, QLD), 11.53

3rd – Ocea Curtis (Lennox Head, NSW), 8.00

4th – Leihani Zoric (Broken Head, NSW), 0.00

Open Men

1st – Landen Smales (Noosa Heads, QLD), 13.80

2nd – Jordie Campbell (Torquay, VIC), 13.60