CULBURRA BOARDRIDERS CLUB WIN 2018 NUDIE AUSTRALIAN BOARDRIDERS BATTLE FINAL IN NEWCASTLE
- WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPION TYLER WRIGHT JOINS HER CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO TAKE THE TITLE FOR CULBURRA
-  MEREWETHER, NORTH NARRABEEN AND NORTH SHELLY MAKE IT TO 2018 FINAL
- MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT WORLDSURFLEAGUE.COM

Caption: Culburra Boardriders Club from left to right; Ty Watson, Tyler Wright, Jordin Watson, Mikey Wright and Jordan Dank.The 2018 nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Champions at Newcastle Beach.   
Credit: © WSL /  Blainey Woodham

Newcastle, NSW/AUS  (Sunday, February 18, 2018)  -  Culburra Beach Boardriders Clubhave taken out the 2018 nudie Australian Boardriders Battle Final in pumping waves at Newcastle Beach. It was a family affair as Mikey and Tyler Wright teamed up with Jordin and Ty Watson along with Jordan Dank to take the ultimate bragging rights in Australian Club Surfing.
 
The club, who only formed in 2014, had been edging closer to a final berth every year at the event and looked primed in 2018 with the addition of current Women’s World Champion Tyler Wright and Brother Mikey. With only 50 seconds left, Mikey was the hero, finding a mid-range score and making it back to the beach just in time for the final to finish and to hear that the young club had just made history.
 
“This is incredible to win today – it’s so special,” Wright said. “I knew we were in good hands having Mikey out there at the end, he is such a weapon and could always get the score. Seeing him run up the beach at the end was good, he has so much passion for family and our club and that is what we needed today to get the win. Winning a World Title is obviously one of the greatest achievements, but this is more for the community and family - the hometown. I travel and compete with them in my heart but to be here today with all of them is incredible – these are the people that raised us and I couldn’t be prouder.”

 Having struggled during the teams division earlier in the day, Culburra were certain they didn’t have a chance of making the final and began to leave Newcastle. With Jordin Watson at the airport and Tyler on the Central Coast, they rushed back to the beach and prepared for the final where they came up against past champions North Narrabeen, event wildcards North Shelly and local favourites Merewether.
 
“I was down on the Central Coast not long ago and Jordy was at the airport so we were lucky to even make it back,” Wright continued.
 
Tyler’s younger brother Mikey was the star for the club taking out the skins earlier in the day then finding the winning wave in the final. Mikey couldn’t be prouder of the battle his club put up on the Final Day. Mikey Wright was also awarded the prestigious Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew medal for being the best performer of the event.
 
“As I was taking off on that wave I heard them say I had 53 seconds,” Mikey Wright said. “I knew I just needed to do two turns, then get up the beach and get into the gate. I ran through the gate and as I took a couple deep breaths I heard the countdown go three, two, one… So I was stoked to make it. Winning as team is an unreal feeling, it’s not just the surfers in the jerseys, but we had supporters, our boardriders club and the whole community back home in Culburra. Our team was almost out, but I had a good morning and made some heats, we love a fight and we never give up. Everyone played their part and I’m really proud of what we did today.”