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For someone who hadn’t had the pleasure of gracing the comp before, all I can say is, this was the unhinged bonus to the festive season I didn’t know I needed. Family vibes felt in full force as everyone spilled onto the fabled Burleigh headland to support someone, or someone’s someone, I guess it really doesn’t get more grassroots.

The first weekend of 2024 saw the Gold Coast ring in the New Year and chuck any resolutions out the window with the Single Fin comp running over Saturday the 6th and Sunday the 7th of Jan. The 27th edition of the annual weekend was a bright turnout, even given the bleak weather. Fortunately the waves were actually dialled up, for once. With the vintage quivers dusted off, the atmosphere built to a rumbling retro-fuelled crescendo, bolstered by enough Single Fin ale to drown the entire town of Burleigh.

The throwback festival at the wave made famous by the Stubbies comps in the late 70s and 80s, saw Burleigh’s very own Liam O’Brien (aka LOB) take home the Open Men’s title. With less than one point separating the top four in the division, it was a hyper-charged final. A long time coming for the CT local, his win felt a little like Cinderella finally finding her lost glass shoe – perhaps having the perfect single fin played a part too. 

LOB sat in the pouring rain and quite literally soaked up the moment as the comp closed out; a memorable final frame to wrap up his hometown win, and the weekend.

Pro surfing guru, Brad Gerlach, brought home the Masters title, while Tayla Green was number one in the women’s division and Rico Haybittle snared the Juniors. Big props to Jack Robbo’s form on the live webcast alongside Vaughan Blakey and Jed Smith. The barrel wizard and CT top-fiver revealed he has certainly honed his talents as a talking head. 

With resolutions promptly restored in the early hours of Monday, and the treasured single fins back in their felt covers, there’s finally a moment to recoup and revive; before we do it all over again, of course.