BIG-WAVE performer Jared Hickle topped some power surfers to win the NSW open title in demanding conditions on the central coast.
Not to be outdone, young Jay Brown cast aside his own hot competition to win the under-14 state title to give Cronulla two victories, and more prestige.
Hickle, still only 16, was one of the best performers in the recent national Boardriders Battle tag team finals at North Cronulla.
He revelled in the conditions at the notorious Shelly Beach "bombie" — a right-hand peak that breaks in big swells, about 200 metres out to sea.
Solid six-foot to eight-foot conditions had seen organisers move the final day of the HIF NSW open titles to Shelly Beach, giving all competitors the chance to put their power-surfing game to the test.
Hickle had to come from behind, but the powerful goofy-footer showed patience in choosing late waves. And it paid off handsomely.
He snagged a 12.43 heat total in the dying minutes of the final, to snatch the win away from Merewether's Jesse Adam.
"The waves were tricky, but if you could find one with a little bit of wall then you could definitely get a decent score," said Hickle.
"I'm so stoked to have claimed this title. I do love it when the swell is big. It was my goal to make it to the finals and get into the Australian titles. So to take it out is a dream come true."
He progresses to the national titles later in the winter. Like the other finalists, Hickle now gets an automatic invitation to compete in the Australian Surf Festival at Coffs Harbour in August.
"I can't wait to surf in the event in August," he said. "I've got a pro junior event in New Zealand in two weeks, which is the last event on the Australasian circuit, but that win also gets me into the WQS event in Newcastle next February."
Philippa Anderson (Merewether) fought a tight battle with Skye Burgess (Lake Heights) to win the Open Women's final with less than 0.04 points separating the two.
The NSW Open and Cadet Cup was a straight knockout format, with 50 percent progression across all event divisions.
The Cadet Cup component attracted more than 60 boys and girls in the under-16 and the under-14 division, where another Cronulla Boardriders Club goofy-footer, the talented Jay Brown (Lilli Pilli), shone.
Brown, together with Lennox Chell (Avoca), Zac Paterson (Avoca) and Keanu Miller (Bulli) all impressed the judges when they effortlessly managed to link together chains of turns in their heats.
In the final, Brown's powerful forehand carves proved to be his deadly weapon and he managed to negotiate the tricky line-up with relative ease, scoring a winning 9.57 total to beat closest rival Keanu Miller.