Coast swimmers brave wild and wet conditions

Central Coast athletes braved the wet and wild conditions over the weekend of January 17-19 to compete at the 2025 Shaw and Partners Manly Surf Open.

With the swell delivering on its forecasted huge and powerful waves, organisers were forced to push events into the South corner, with five water areas being set up South of the pipe.

The opens kicked off their races on Friday afternoon with their iron heats and flag events.

Saturday morning brought no relief from the rain or wind, and it was with sombre dispositions that the Central Coast athletes gathered beneath their club tents.

The mood beneath the Avoca Club tent was particularly solemn, as they donned black armbands around arms in memory of their fellow squad mate, competitor and friend, Ronnie Jordan, who tragically passed away a week before.

The competition began with a minute’s silence in honour of Ronnie, before the Central Coast Youth kicked off their iron-person heats with guts and determination against rising swell.

Willie Josling, fellow Avoca teammate and close friend of Ronnie Jordan, smashed his first iron heat in the Under 17s boys, earning himself an automatic entry into the final later in the day.

“He did it for Ronnie,” his father Chris said.

Tahj Regattieri and Eden Pearson, both of Terrigal, had competed with Ronnie since their Nipper days, and keenly felt Ronnie’s missing presence.

“It was weird racing without Ronnie for the first time,” Tahj said.

“It felt like something wasn’t right and definitely missing.

“It was hard to face the fact that I wouldn’t be racing him in the swim; we always loved seeing who got the best and biggest wave and who could bodysurf the best.

“But it was great to race for him and I know he was with us and probably racing with us the whole day, loving the big surf.”

With only a handful of the Central Coast athletes making the finals in the challenging conditions, they still punched well above their weight against the dominant Sydney and Queensland clubs.

Jett Green from Terrigal demonstrated his superior surf skills, making the finals for both the Open Men’s swim and board races, along with teammates Sam Cummins and Braith Wailters, who also made the Open Men’s swim final.

Holly Ayres of Avoca crashed her way through the huge sets to make the Open Women’s ski final, whilst Ciara Williams, also of Avoca, and Jodi Mead, of Ocean Beach, competed in two iron events (the heat and the semi-final) before being the only Under 17s women from the Central Coast to make the iron final.

Jodie also made her swim final.

Along with making his iron final, Will Josling also made the swim final, along with fellow teammate Bodi Bone in the Under 17s Men.

In the Under 17s Women, Catherine Kearney of Terrigal and Emily Rose of Avoca Beach both made their board final, while Marli Hoyland of Umina Beach was the only Central Coast girl to make her board final in the Under 15s Women’s.

Tor Manser of Avoca, in the Under 15s Men division, came an impressive 5th place in his board final, while Sam Wetti – also of Avoca – competed up an age group in the Under 15s Men and made the board final – the only Under 14s boy to do so.

Also competing up an age group were Avoca teammates Billy McCarthy, Ashton Bone and Levi Sinclair, who all made their Under 15s Men’s swim final (the only Under 14s Boys from the Central Coast to do so).

Billy and Ashton also made the Under 15s Men iron final – again, being the only two boys competing up an age from the Central Coast to do so.

The Under 15-17 Mixed Taplin Relay team from Avoca did quite well with a 5th place, with both their swimmers – Alex Hall and Ashton Bone – being from the Under 14s Nipper age group, and finally, the Open Men’s Board Relay team from Terrigal finished an impressive 5th place in their final.

In memory of Ronnie, the next Board and Ski Series round, to be held on February 1 at Shelly Beach, has been named Ronnie’s Round and will celebrate Ronnie’s love of surf sports.

Amanda Bone