After a lengthy run of preliminary rounds, Australia’s first man-on-man video competition for surfers aged twenty-nine and under, the Oakley Battles Clips contest, has been rounded down to four finalists. With a host of world-class surfers having already been wiped from the competition, including CT star Stu Kennedy and world junior champ Ethan Ewing, the remaining contenders are an eclectic, exciting bunch, and with their final sections having been compiled by the mySURF.tv crew after a recent stint in Hawaii, all that stands between them and the $20,000 prize cheque is an expert judging panel (which includes Julian Wilson) and you. That’s right, as an interactive online competition, public voting is a big part of what decides the eventual winner.
So with that in mind, let’s meet the finalists and check out their clips.
Brent Dorrington
‘Midget Mike’ aka 28-year-old Brent Dorrington is known for his big wave surfing capabilities. Based on the Gold Coast, Brent has won titles such as the Scottish Cold Water Classic. When he’s not surfing, the keen fisherman is also part of the notorious Mad Hueys clan.
Jack Robinson
Regarded by many as the best young surfer on the planet, 18-year-old Jack Robinson has long been one to watch. Hailing from Margaret River, Jack first garnered the interest of industry insiders at the age of eight when he began competing against surfers twice his age and winning.
Sheldon Simkus
Like many Aussie kids, Tweed Heads born and raised 19-year-old Sheldon Simkus first got his taste for the ocean at Nippers. By age 5 he was riding boogie boards, and by 7 he’d started competing in surf comps. Sheldon credits Surf Lifesaving on Sunday at his local beach to getting him into surfing.
Soli Bailey
21-year-old Soli Bailey grew up in Byron Bay surfing The Pass from the age of two, realising pretty quickly he had little dreams for anything else but to surf. Boasting a backing of elite sponsors, he has managed to live his dream so far, travelling the world establishing an impressive start to his competitive career.
The voting period runs from the 30th of January to the 13th of February, so if you’ve picked your winner out of the above clips, get over to www.oakleybattleclips.com to register your vote, or alternatively, like and share the clips on Instagram and Facebook. Public opinion makes up a third of the overall judging score, so the boys will be counting on your help. The winner will be crowned at a special event and screening of the Oakley Battle Clips film at the Nudie Australian Board Rider’s Battle National final in Newcastle on the 17th of February. In addition to the $20,000 grand prize the winner takes home, their filmer will be awarded $5,000 worth of Nikon camera equipment. The MySurf TV– Oakley Battle Clips Special will also air on Channel 9 at 10am on 18th February 2017.
