MEREWETHER local Phillippa Anderson has become the first ever local surfer to win a final at Newcastle’s 24th annual Surfest competition.
The 17-year-old smashed a 23-year hoodoo that has never seen a local surfer win a main event at Newcastle when she edged out Sunshine Coast surfer Dimity Stoyle (Maroochydore) by less than one-and-a-half points.
In clean, one-metre waves at Merewether beach, the St Phillips Waratah High School student racked up a heat score of 15.10 to Stoyle’s 13.85 to have her name etched on the Maitland Toyota Open trophy.
Anderson, who came through the junior ranks of the Hunter Water Stars of the Future program at the Newcastle contest, will soon use her $US2500 prize money to buy a car.
And while she is yet to earn her P plates that will allow her to drive unaccompanied, she proved to the massive crowd of more than 5000 that she is no learner in the water.
The former Port Elizabeth, South African resident moved to Newcastle five years ago and has been a regular in the Merewether line-up ever since her arrival.
Today her knowledge of the Merewether break gave her confidence and assured her win.
“I was just sitting out the back going ‘please God don’t let her get a wave’ and she got one,” said Anderson.
“I saw her first big turn and I was like ‘no!’ but she didn’t get the score and I was just so stoked.”
“This is the biggest win for me ever and to top it off here at Merewether in front of my family is just so good.
“It’s such a great honour to have my name on the winner’s board - it’s just so good,” said Anderson.
