Longboard SUP Revolution Cosmic Bali Event Wraps Up in Epic Swell

Press Release Asian Surf Co (ASC)
Photos by Australian SUP Life (Michael Williams & Tim Hain

On the 2nd of April in Sanur, Bali, the Longboard SUP Experience concluded its five-day competition in stellar wave conditions at Oka’s Point for finals day, then everyone celebrated together back on Sanur Beach. The event brought together 77 SUP surfers from various countries, including France, America, New Zealand, Germany, Hawaii, Thailand, Australia, Japan, and Indonesia for an exhilarating contest and a vibrant celebration of the SUP Longboard community.

Over the five days of the Longboard SUP Experience, the event encountered a mixed bag of wave and weather conditions. Day 1 commenced with all contestants gathering in front of Rip Curl School of Surf for an event briefing and to review the judging criteria. However, due to small wave conditions officials were forced to postpone the competition for the day. The waves picked up slightly on Day 2, allowing officials to call the competition on at Serangan Point, starting with the Over 60’s Division, followed by the Weekend Warriors and Elite Men’s Divisions. Days 3 to 5 saw significantly improved conditions, with double overhead waves and consistent sets rolling in to Oka’s Point. These conditions provided the SUP athletes with ample opportunity to showcase their skills to the fullest.

The highlight of the day had to be the Men’s Elite Division Final, which saw Benoit Carpentier wowing the spectators and impressing the judging panel with his dynamic and powerful surfing, besting several of the world’s top SUP surfers namely Zane Kekoa, Beau Nixon, Kai Bates, Riko Horikoshi, and Trevor Tunnington. Hailing from France, Carpentier was over the moon with his win, saying,

“It’s amazing to finally win this event. I’ve been giving so much energy and putting in a lot of training, and finally, it’s paid off. Thanks to Starboard and all my sponsors for making this happen.” Following in his footsteps, his brother Mathieu Carpentier also made his mark by securing a win in the Weekend Warrior Men’s Division.

In the Over 60’s Division, Richard Wains emerged as the champion, marking his second consecutive victory in this competition, having won last year as well. Despite his age Richard showed no fear as he charged the double to triple overhead sets while executing critical turns within the lip of the waves, scoring an excellent 8.17 points (out of a possible 10) during the Semifinals, and going on to win the final. ” This event is so awesome, and winning back-to-back amazing. Thanks to Johnny, Michael, and everyone who made this happen,” said Richard.

The women’s divisions also featured very impressive surfing, with both the Weekend Warriors and Elite divisions competing fiercely. Dimity Faulkner and Camille Dubrana were the standout performers in their divisions, showing consistently high skills throughout. Dimity did exceptionally well in her final heat, besting Storm Wheatley who had been on a tear in the runup to the finals.

In the Elite Women’s Division, there were just four surfers competing, so the winner was decided based on consistency from Round 1.  In the end, it was Camille Dubrana wing the title in her first Bali competition. Reflected on her experience, she said, “It’s my first time in Bali, and the experience has been really positive. Coming from France with my boyfriend Michael, it’s been a dream come true to come here and have the chance to compete with all the amazing SUP athletes, and then to win the event. Huge thanks to Starboard for making this happen.”

A special mention and thanks goes out to Rip Curl School of Surf’s Jonni Morrison Deaker, who ensured the safety of the athletes both in and out of the water, fearlessly darting around on his Jetski, ensuring everyone’s safety during the big swell hitting Oka’s Point on Days 3 and 4. His quick actions saved contestants who were washed away by strong rips and he helped recover those whose leg ropes or SUPs broke during their heats.

Michael Jenkins, the pioneer of the Longboard SUP Revolution was all smiles, saying,

“I am thrilled to see these elite international-level SUP surfers from all corners of the globe participating in the event. Since the inception of this movement, I’ve dreamed of this moment. This event has always been about inclusiveness within our community, and I am pleasantly surprised to see everyone embracing my vision and mission.”

The Longboard SUP Revolution 2024 is a pivotal event that facilitates the exchange of knowledge, expertise, and best practices across countries, enriching participants with fresh ideas and perspectives.

Running the technical side of the event were judges and scoring crew from the Asian Surf Cooperative (ASC), who has been organizing and assisting in surfing events in Bali and all around Asia for almost two decades now.  “The ASC is delighted to extend its expertise to the SUP community,” says Technical Manager Alex Hontoria. “We first ran this event last year, and now in the second year we can already see an amazing increase in interest and participation.  You really have to see these competitors in action out here on big waves to really appreciate their amazing skill level.  It was super impressive!  As many are aware, the Asian Surf Co has been a steadfast supporter of water sports since 2004, and this is a great opportunity to help nurture Stand Up Paddle talent and foster the growth of the community.”

The Longboard SUP Experience extends a warm thank you to its sponsors for their generous support, which has been vital in making the event a success. Major sponsors including Longboard SUP Revolution, Smik, Starboard, and Rip Curl School of Surfing have been instrumental in bringing the event to life, reflecting their commitment to the sport and community. Additionally, raffle sponsors Wavechaser, Priority, Travel with a Paddle, Sunova, NSP, Bladeclothing, Rip Curl, Drift Hideaway Resort Lombok, and Blue Water Orchid Resort Lombok have enhanced the event experience for all.

Winners by Division:

Over 60’s: (18 participants)

1. Richard Wain
2. Jamie Ralston
3. Michael Jenkins
4. Jason McManus

Weekend Warrior’s Men (38 participants)

1. Mathieu Carpentier
2. Trafford Harris
3. Richard Feeney
4. Andrew Cassidy

Weekend Warrior’s Women (7 participants)

1. Dimity Faulkner
2. Storm Wheatley
3. Madeline Rayner
4. Jayne Ryeland

Elite Women’s (4 participants)

1. Camille Dubrana
2. Skyla Rayner
3. Ke’ale Dorries
4. Nancy Salter

Elite Men’s (12 participants)

1. Benoit Carpentier
2. Zane Kekoa Schweitzer
3. Beau Nixon
4. Kai Bates

About the Asian Surf Cooperative:

The Asian Surf Cooperative is a professional surfing organisation with two decades of experience in organising, managing and supporting surfing events around the Asian region, from local boardriders club competitions to WSL World Championship Tour events. The Asian Surf Cooperative provides event management, live scoring, ISA certified judges, contest directors, digital photography and videography, event media packages, rankings, media coverage and distribution, and also assists the ISA in organising Surf and SUP Instructor and International Judging courses.

About The Longboard SUP Revolution:

The LSR is a movement that started in Australia with a mission to promote and add a 10ft SUP longboard division to all SUP competitions throughout the country. Michael Jenkins is the brainchild behind the LSR movement and is always speaking with surfing organisations, clubs and communities to push this category of SUP forward. His unwavering devotion to the cause has seen its success throughout Australia. There are now 10ft divisions at the club level right through to the national titles, with multiple age categories for both men and women. The Facebook group has a strong following with over 6,000 members from across the world.