Latest news with #Callinan
1News
21-07-2025
- Business
- 1News
Noel Leeming charged over alleged Fair Trading Act breaches
Technology and appliance retailer Noel Leeming says it is "baffled" and "perplexed" by the Commerce Commission filing charges alleging it misled consumers on its promise to match prices. The Commerce Commission announced it had filed criminal charges in the Auckland District Court against the wholly-owned subsidiary of The Warehouse Group Limited, alleging it had breached the Fair Trading Act. Deputy chairperson Anne Callinan said its "price promise had many limitations and conditions which weren't made obvious to customers". "For over a decade Noel Leeming has prominently promoted their 'Price Promise,' which is their commitment to match any competitors' price. We believe their price promise claim was misleading and in breach of the Fair Trading Act," she said. "Price match advertising gives the impression that customers will be able to show up and get a match for competitor's prices. It's crucial that businesses promoting any price match offer factor in the overall impression of the claims they make, and that all information is clear to customers." The Commission has also filed charges against Noel Leeming regarding promotions where the advertised product or price was different to what could be purchased, and allege the company gave incorrect or misleading information about consumers' rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act when customers complained about faulty products. Callinan said Noel Leeming had previously been "one of our most complained about traders, and we were concerned about the range of issues consumers raised". Noel Leeming's chief operating officer Jason Bell said the company was "baffled" by the decision to press charges. "We firmly maintain that we have committed no offence and will vigorously defend this," he said in a statement. Bell said "our terms and conditions are fair and presented just like other retailers, and when we can't price match, we often don't get the sale". "We're perplexed by the Commission's claim that price matches were difficult to obtain, when over 250,000 Kiwis saved money with our Price Promise between 2019-2021. "Price matching is widely used by the industry, and it helps drive competition, and without it, Kiwis will end up paying more. He said if the business doesn't get something right, it would work hard to ensure fair resolutions for our customers. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds, Mama Hooch rapists appeal, Ukraine's new message to Russia, and Jason Momoa's plans here. (Source: Breakfast) "Some of the additional matters raised by the Commission occurred during the Covid-19-pandemic, when all businesses experienced unprecedented pressure, and our team went to extraordinary lengths to help Kiwis access the products they needed, handling over ten million transactions. "It is concerning that significant public resources and time have been spent on this matter for over three years, while overlooking more pressing potential harm to consumers from overseas online retailers operating outside of the rules. The system needs to evolve and hold all retailers selling to New Zealanders to the same standards of care." Callinan said "price match advertising gives the impression that customers will be able to show up and get a match for competitor's prices. "It's crucial that businesses promoting any price match offer factor in the overall impression of the claims they make, and that all information is clear to customers." The maximum penalty for breaches of the Fair Trading Act, is $600,000 per charge for businesses.
NZ Herald
20-07-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
Commerce Commission files charges against Noel Leeming over ‘Price Promise' claims
The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against retail electronics chain Noel Leeming for allegedly misleading customers with its "Price Promise". Photo / Supplied Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against retail electronics chain Noel Leeming for allegedly misleading customers with its "Price Promise". Photo / Supplied The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against retail electronics chain Noel Leeming for allegedly misleading customers with its 'Price Promise'. The commission alleges multiple breaches of the Fair Trading Act by Noel Leeming which is owned by The Warehouse Group. 'For over a decade Noel Leeming has prominently promoted their 'Price Promise,' which is their commitment to match any competitor's price. We believe their price promise claim was misleading and in breach of the Fair Trading Act,' Commerce Commission deputy chair Anne Callinan said. 'Price match advertising gives the impression that customers will be able to show up and get a match for competitors' prices… we believe Noel Leeming's price promise had many limitations and conditions which weren't made obvious to customers and made any price matches difficult to obtain.' Callinan said it is crucial businesses promoting any price match offer factor in the overall impression of the claims they make, and that all information is clear to customers.
Scoop
20-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Not So Promising? Noel Leeming's 'Price Promise' Leads To Criminal Charges
The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges in the Auckland District Court against Noel Leeming, alleging multiple breaches of the Fair Trading Act, including the promotion and application of their 'Price Promise' which misled consumers. 'For over a decade Noel Leeming has prominently promoted their 'Price Promise,' which is their commitment to match any competitors' price. We believe their price promise claim was misleading and in breach of the Fair Trading Act,' Deputy Chair Anne Callinan says. 'Price match advertising gives the impression that customers will be able to show up and get a match for competitor's prices. It's crucial that businesses promoting any price match offer factor in the overall impression of the claims they make, and that all information is clear to customers. 'We believe Noel Leeming's price promise had many limitations and conditions which weren't made obvious to customers and made any price matches difficult to obtain. Fine print should not contradict advertising claims or be used to conceal important information which could be critical to a person's decision to buy goods or services. 'Noel Leeming has previously been one of our most complained about traders, and we were concerned about the range of issues consumers raised,' Ms Callinan says The Commission has also filed charges against Noel Leeming regarding promotions where the advertised product or price was different to what could be purchased. Other charges allege Noel Leeming gave incorrect or misleading information about consumers' rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act when customers complained about faulty products. 'We expect big businesses to be clear and honest in their advertising. Consumers should be able to trust the information they receive when they are buying goods and services,' Ms Callinan says. "The Commission will take action when we see misleading or deceptive conduct,' Ms Callinan says. Background Noel Leeming is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Warehouse Group Limited. The Commerce Commission is responsible for enforcing the Fair Trading Act. The Fair Trading Act is primarily concerned with trader behaviours that are likely to mislead consumers as to the price, performance or quality of their purchase. These behaviours can include anything from false claims about what a product is made from or where it comes from, through to key pricing details being hidden in fine print. The maximum penalty for breaches of the Fair Trading Act, is $600,000 per charge for businesses.
The Advertiser
08-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Merewether's Ryan Callinan into semi-finals on Surfest Sunday
Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday. Merewether's Ryan Callinan has stormed into the semi-finals of Surfest at Merewether beach on Sunday with a commanding quarter-final victory. Callinan, the sole surviving local on Surfest Sunday, set up the win over American Dimitri Poulos with two quick, high-scoring waves.. The 33-year-old goofy-footer opened with an 8.17-point ride that included several impressive manoeuvres before backing it up with a 7.33. The Novocastrian won the quarter-final with a two-wave score of 15.50 points while Poulos (3.44) struggled to find a decent wave. Callinan will meet the winner of the quarter-final showdown between Tahiti's Kauli Vaast and Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. "I just got kind of lucky, in a way ... a couple of waves really lined up for me and an eight and seven to start off a heat is pretty magical," Callinan said after his quarter-final win. "There wasn't much at the back, but just to have that feeling and to be surfing at home in front of this incredible crowd is beautiful." Callinan is attempting to become just the second local male to win Surfest. Fellow Merewether surfer Jackson Baker achieved the feat in 2022. Merewether's Philippa Anderson, the 2009 women's champion, is the only local woman to win at Surfest. A large crowd is gathered at Merewether beach for the final day of the opening stop on the World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. "Walking down, just hearing everyone cheering, I nearly had a tear in my eye just feeling that, so I feel like I've already won the comp in that way," Callinan said. "It's so nice to have everyone down and around and supporting, and while the waves are cooking, it's nice to surf good waves as well." Morgan Cibilic, also from Merewether, bowed out in the round of 16. Three-time Surfest winner Sally Fitzgibbons, from Gerroa, has lined up a semi-final exchange with Portugal's Teresa Bonvolat after both won their two-person quarter-finals on Sunday morning. Francisco Veselko, also from Portugal, has also booked a semi-final appearance against 14-year-old Tahitian Tya Zebrowski. Semi-finals will follow the quarters with the championship finals set to start around 2.15pm. Surfest is the first stop on the 2025-26 World Surf League second-tier Challenger Series. It will also be the last event with another contest set for Merewether beach next March. Upcoming men's quarter-finals: HEAT 1: Xavier Huxtable (AUS) vs. Jacob Willcox (AUS); HEAT 2: Matthew McGillivray (RSA) vs. Winter Vincent (AUS); HEAT 3: Dimitri Poulos (USA) vs. Ryan Callinan (AUS), HEAT 4: Kauli Vaast (FRA) vs. Peterson Crisanto (BRA). Merewether pair advance in epic Surfest conditions - June 6, 2025 Home-grown pair Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan lapped up pumping Merewether surf to progress to the last 16 Surfest men's competitors with a one-two finish in their heat on Friday. Surfers were met with clean, and at times barrelling, conditions and put on a show for the crowd of Novocastrians lining the promenade between Merewether and Dixon Park beaches. Cibilic quickly got to work in heat five, which also featured Callinan and Hawaiians Eli Hanneman and Imaikalani deVault, with high-scoring back-to-back waves. The 25-year-old opened with a 6.17-point power-packed ride, backed it up with a 6.83 then sealed progression when he tucked into a barrel to the delight of local spectators and earned a wave score of 7.30 with seven minutes remaining. He won the heat with a best two-wave score of 14.13 points. Callinan was second with 13.03, which included a heat-high 7.50-point ride, while deVault (8.77) and Hanneman (6.13) were eliminated. Cibilic brought strong form into the opening event of the World Surf League's second-tier Challenger Series (CS). He was third at Bells Beach as a wildcard into the WSL top-tier Championship Tour (CT) contest and backed it up with fifth at the Gold Coast Pro as a replacement for Callinan, who sat out the CT event due to the birth of his daughter Penelope. "It felt good," Cibilic said of Friday's heat. "A couple of waves came towards me this heat, so I was stoked and just put it together on the waves. I felt like I didn't really oversurf them and it was enough." The 25-year-old was mobbed by local kids on the beach after his heat and was lapping up the home-town support. "It's epic," Cibilic said. "It's so different to every other event. You walk two metres along the footpath and somebody is saying, 'Hey' to you, so it's unbelievable, and you come in and the froth levels are so high. It's so special. "And, just to be able to compete here with good waves, it doesn't get much better than that." Merewether's Philippa Anderson, however, was a round-of-32 casualty on Friday morning. The 33-year-old surfing instructor could not buy a decent wave in her heat, which was won by teenage prodigy Eden Walla. The 15-year-old American had the crowd in raptures with an 8.83-point tube ride to set up her heat-five win. "I was actually dropping in and thinking about going around the section and then I thought my brother would be really mad at me, so I better just pull in," Walla said. Walla posted a best-two-wave score of 13.10. Portugal's Franscisca Veselko (10.67) was second , Spain's Nadia Erostarbe (10.27) third and Anderson (5.30), the 2009 Surfest women's winner, fourth. Three-time Surfest winner and veteran world tour campaigner Sally Fitzgibbons also progressed to the round of 16 with victory in heat one. Central Coast surfer Macy Callaghan, the event's 2022 champion, failed to progress in heat four. Former CT surfer Josh Kerr, 41 and from Tweed Heads, continued his good form by winning a tight heat two and advancing to the next round on Saturday.
The Advertiser
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Shock exits: Baker, Wilson casualties in 'rogue' surf on mixed day for locals
Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday. Merewether's Jackson Baker and adopted Novocastrian Julian Wilson were big-name Surfest casualties on a mixed day for local competitors in tricky conditions at Merewether beach on Thursday. Merewether's Morgan Cibilic and Ryan Callinan both advanced in bumpy 1.2 to 1.8-metre waves and are now set to go head-to-head in the round-of-32 surfers. Cilbilic took a heat win while Callinan progressed after placing second in his heat as the opening event of the World Surf League Challenger Series (CS) was back in action on Thursday after two lay days. Callinan quickly got to work in heat 12, posting wave scores of 5.83 and 5.87 before locking in a 7.50-point effort to set up progression. "It was definitely pretty rogue and all over the place, and a lot of power but pretty fun," Callinan said of the conditions. "I was just happy to catch waves and ride waves. It felt like a kind of day where you could just sit and wait for one and not be any good anyway, so I just wanted to get my feet under me and ended up getting some really good scores. "It got very stressful at the end, but I was stoked to get through." American Nolan Rapoza won the heat with 13.50 points. Callinan (13.37) locked in second but Indonesian 21-year-old Bronson Meydi (13.17) closed right in on the heat leaders with seven minutes remaining, when he produced a spectacular 8.67-point ride that included a 360-degree air reverse. "I went the same wave but I went the other way," Callinan said. "Merewether, traditionally, is a right-hander. He went left and I was thinking, 'That's good, it's normally pretty bad the left, so that's good for me', and then I hear them say, 'Eight points' ... and there was still a lot of time left. "I only needed a six to get to first, so I kind of tried to focus on getting that but at the same time trying to block him on waves that were going to allow him to get it. "My year has kind of felt like I've had some good heats and they just haven't gone my way, and it was almost feeling a bit like that again, but I was stoked to squeak through." Former Championship Tour (CT) surfer Wilson, who grew up on the Gold Coast but now calls Newcastle home, is staging a professional comeback after several years out of the competitive limelight and arrived at Surfest after making the final of the top-tier Gold Coast Pro in early May as a trialist. The 36-year-old produced a commanding heat win when Surfest started on Monday but could not back it up in the second round on Thursday. Wilson, Surfest's 2020 winner, was unable to post a higher wave score than 4.17 points in tricky, wind-swept conditions in a stacked heat and ultimately finished fourth with a two-wave total of 4.94 points. Hawaiian Eli Hannerman was the heat-nine winner with 13.50 points, including a heat-high 7.67-point ride. Australian Liam O'Brien (12.93) was second and also progressed while Frenchman Charly Quivront (11.70) was third. "It's one of those things where you like to think you have a bit of local knowledge, but on a day like today, when it's breaking everywhere, it can be anyone's game," Callinan said. "Jules has been on such a roll and in such good form ... for him to not even get a score, that does show how hard it was." Baker was sitting second and looking as though he would progress in heat 13, only to be narrowly pipped on the buzzer by Brazilian Peterson Crisanto. Crisanto needed a wave score of 5.00 points or more to leap ahead of Baker and earned a 5.30 on his buzzer ride to finish with a two-wave heat score of 11.50. Baker, the 2022 Surfest champion, finished third with 11.20. Brazilian Samuel Pupo took a commanding win with a score of 15.24. Cibilic was the first local to advance to the round of 32, set to be surfed on Friday. The 25-year-old natural-footer hit the lead in heat 10 with 10 minutes remaining and won with a best two-wave score of 12.00 points. He edged Hawaiian Finn McGinn (11.60) in second while Australian Mikey (11.10) and Japan's Tenshi Iwami (9.23) were eliminated. "I'm frothing and stoked to get through," Cibilic said. "You don't really need local knowledge out there on a day like today, just fitness to get back out there and get in the right spot. "I feel like I took off on 15 waves and fell off on 13 of them, so I'm just stoked that I pulled off a couple. "In the off-season, I really worked on getting fit and trying to surf with a clear head, especially for conditions like this." Merewether's Philippa Anderson is through to the women's round of 32 after winning her opening round heat on Monday.
