A little ‘Moonshine Magic’ at 2025 Whalebone Classic | Photos

Finals day at the 2025 Lavan Whalebone Longboard Classic delivered the best conditions seen in years at Cottesloe’s spiritual home of longboarding.

Jack Medland (Dunsborough) claimed back-to-back titles in a standout final, going wave-for-wave with close friend and fellow Moonshine Surfboards owner Evan Ledger (Yallingup).

Medland opened strong, but Ledger hit back to take the lead midway through the heat. Ryan Clark (Dunsborough) entered the mix with two stylish rides, but Medland surged ahead.

“It was a great heat,” said Medland. “The conditions were beautiful – clean, offshore, and really contestable. That gives you the confidence to go a bit bigger.”

He credited his performance in part to the board design he helped develop with Ledger:

“It’s a bit wider with concave underneath to give more lift. Evan was on the same model and absolutely ripped. It’s the Moonshine magic.”

Ledger finished runner-up with a 7.67 and 6.83, Clark placed third, and Jock Bahen (Cowaramup) placed fourth after a strong start to the event.

Ledger was in peak form, kicking things off with a powerful win in the Open Men’s Logger.

“I was just out there surfing with some of my closest mates, it doesn’t get better than that,” said Ledger. “We were chatting the whole final, just having a laugh. That’s the best kind of surfing.”

Runner-up Ryan Clark pulled off an impressive cover-up to earn a 7.60, then following it with a 7.87. Medland was close behind in third, while Bahen and Jacob McIvor (Rockingham) also posted high scores.

Ledger followed it up with a second consecutive Nose Rider title, winning the specialist division judged purely on time spent perched on the nose.

Jack Medland proved his versatility once again, taking out the Old Mal division on a classic pre-1967 log in one of the most entertaining heats of the weekend.

Clark kept the pressure on with a 7.17 and 7.63, putting him briefly in striking distance during the final exchange.

Scott Trew (Gabbadah) placed third, while Bahen scored a solid 7.67 to finish fourth.

The Over-65 Men’s saw Steve Becker (Mandurah) finally break through after 15 years, taking the win over reigning State Champion Bill Gibson (Margaret River).

Shae Sheridan (Dunsborough) claimed her third Whalebone title in Over-40 Women’s while riding a borrowed board. Bahen won the Over-40 Men’s, while Doug Carruthers (Margaret River) took out the Over-60 Men’s final.

State Champion Amanda Curley (Margaret River) dominated Over-50 divisions, taking honours in both Longboard and Logger.