Surfing NSW is stoked to announce the return of the Volkswagen Tradies Surfmasters, presented by Oakberry on 22 October 2022. North Cronulla will once again host the Masters surfing event.
After a successful week for NSW surfers at the Australian Surf Championships, Surfing NSW is looking forward to continuing the momentum for the Masters with the announcement of the Tradies Surfmasters event for October.
Team NSW claimed seven titles this week with a team of 42 Masters surfers. The state body is hoping the participation and uptake increase in the sport over the pandemic* as well as the Australian Championships success will carry into the 2022 Surfmasters event.
The Tradies Surfmasters was first held in 2010 to foster the passion and continued surfing ability of over 28-year-old surfers. The partnership between Tradies and Surfing NSW has remained strong and the event is now highly regarded by athletes across the state.
“Tradies has a long history of sponsoring the Surfmasters and it gets bigger and better each year,” said Tradies President Dennis McHugh.
“The beach is such an integral part of our community in the Sutherland Shire and we’re extremely proud to be supporting this year’s event down at Cronulla. There’s always a great atmosphere on the day and we encourage everyone to head down and check it out.”
The event has given Australian and International Champions the chance to keep their competitive edge alive after their professional career has wrapped up.
2022 Australian Champion Paul Snow is a two-time Over 35’s and two-time Over 40’s Tradies Surfmaster winner. He first competed in 2017 and says it’s an amazing event at an iconic beach.
“I love returning to the Tradies Surfmasters each year,” he said.
“The Cronulla area and southern Sydney is a great place to visit. Each year the calibre of competitors is impressive.
“There’s such a depth of talent in the Masters and it’s just so good that Surfing NSW can provide such a great avenue for senior competitive surfers, it helps keep the fire and motivation alive for us.”
Surfing NSW CEO Luke Madden said the organisation is about supporting the wider community.
“This event is key to providing a competitive pathway for our masters surfers, it’s the link between club events, the State Championships and Australian Championships that we do so well in,” he said.
“We’re so stoked that the Tradies group continues to play such a big part in supporting the sport through our Masters surfing competitions.
“We’re always looking for opportunities to grow and develop our events and this year we’re thrilled to announce that VW will join the event as naming partners. We can’t wait to get back to Bate Bay for this event with the support of VW.”
Director Ryan Davies and the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles team are thrilled to be back on the beach at Cronulla for another year of Volkswagen Tradies Surfmasters after COVID.
“Our connection to surfing goes right back to our original Kombi, and with a range of campers including the new Crafter Kampervan now available in Australia, we can’t wait to check out the action and show surf fans why our vehicles are the perfect partner in the search for the endless summer,” said Davies.
In addition to the headline partners, Oakberry has joined the event as presenting partners.
“We are thrilled to be part of the VW Tradies Surfmasters presented by Oakberry. After the very successful support from Oakberry for the “Aussie Quaddie” earlier this year, we are excited to continue the partnership with this next event,” said CEO of Oakberry Acai Australia, Renan Pinto.
“Oakberry is a perfect match with surfing culture and its community, and we are looking forward to continuing to share the Oakberry experience at this next event, supporting surfing and its community at all levels.”
Not only will Oakberry be taking the present rights of the event, but they will be activating during the day of competition, selling their Acai to competitors and fans.
This is something that was a huge success at the recent Australian Championship Tour events and it will also continue to raise awareness for the brand which currently has a store in Cronulla.
Entries for the 2022 VW Tradies Surfmasters presented by Oakberry open on Monday 15 August via surfingnsw.com.au
Divisions include:
Over 28 Men
Over 35 Men and Women
Over 45 Men and Women
Over 55 Men
Over 65 Men
*Sport Australia 2022 report saw an increase in surfing participation in NSW throughout the pandemic. Read the full report.
