PORT Macquarie bodyboarder Sam Bennett dealt with messy three to four foot waves the best to take out the annual David “Goose” Gosby Memorial.
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Contest director Luke Filipek said there were five divisions and 38 competitors – the largest number of bodyboarders to compete in a few years.
“Sam had some pretty critical manoeuvres that saw him get some high-scores, especially in the final,” he said.
“He got a 9.8 in the final and has won it a few times before – he’s probably a bit of a veteran now.”
Filipek said the quality of bodyboarding on show was an improvement on last year’s event.
“We had quite a few out-of-towners which was great to see and that probably pushed everyone else to do a bit better.
“We had a few last-minute entries; it was the highest it’s been in a few years.”
Port Stephens teenager Kaylah Pisani took out the women’s division as the youngest competitor, while Kiama duo Nathan Wilson and Hunter Nicholls took out the top two places in the junior division.
Forster claimed the top two in the drop-knee division through Adam Cheers and Thomas Donnelly.
Port Macquarie’s Mitchell Atherton won the cadet division.
“Hunter Nicholls – who finished second in the juniors – made the final in the cadets which was a terrific effort,” Filipek said.
Camden Haven duo Grant and Tyler Gardner finished in the top three in the junior and cadet divisions respectively.
Filipek was confident the contest would continue to grow in coming years.
“We want to try and run it over two days next year and include a masters division,” he said.