Aussies shine in International Surfing Cup

MANILA, Philippines — Australian surfers dominated the 2024 Siargao International Surfing Cup that concluded on Saturday.

Oscar Berry and Sierra Kerr finished on top of the men’s and women’s division of the World Surf League Qualifying Series 5000 despite tricky conditions on the Finals day.

Berry defeated Japan’s Tenshi Iwami in the semifinals with a total score of 14.77 compared to the latter’s 11.50 to punch his ticket to the finals.

Xavier Huxtable (11.40) then triumphed over the Philippines’ John Mark Tokong (9.34) to set up the championship round.

In the championship round, Berry tallied a score of 11.90, while his compatriot managed just 11.56 to grab the title.

"I'm pretty over the moon. It was a kind of crazy way to win it, with a wave in the last three minutes. I just can't believe it, I feel like it's been such a long time coming and I'm frothing. I feel like the whole week anyone could have got through heats, so I was just lucky to be on some really good waves,” Berry said after his win.

“We had some amazing conditions. To get through that, and when I saw that Finals Day was maybe going to be a bit windy and a little bit smaller, I was pretty frothing because I know that I can get it done on the rail and in the air. I'm just so frothing,” he added.

In the women’s division, Kerr defeated Australia’s Charli Hately in the finals after dazzling on the board. She was able to grab a 17.90 score compared to Hately’s 8.07.

"I'm pretty happy, but it just doesn't really feel real right now. II think that heat went through four seasons. It was pouring rain, where you couldn't even see in the beginning, and then it was onshore, but then like, lighter onshore, then sunny,” the 17-year-old Kerr said.

“So I was trying turns and there was so many steps in the wave and I was like, oh, this isn't working, I'll just try and do an air off one of these and then it worked the first time, so I just kept going with it."

The Siargao international Surfing Championship is the first QS5000 competition in the Philippines.