Cole Houshmand Weaponizes Powerful Diff To Bank 18.97 Points In North Narra Final - Stab Mag

Live Now — Episode 3 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

482 Views
Cole, diff engaged. Photo by WSL

Cole Houshmand Weaponizes Powerful Diff To Bank 18.97 Points In North Narra Final

Issy Nichols gets a w, Aussies lead the Challenger Series.

news // May 22, 2023
Words by Ethan Davis
Reading Time: 3 minutes

I was trying to mind surf North Narrabeen this morning and couldn’t figure out what to do. And I rip at mind-surfing. 

Pretty classic conditions for a Sydney beachy in a South swell. Punchy and disorganized with the odd diamond in the rough. Cole Houshmand managed to pocket two diamonds in the final, posting 18.97 points to combo Jacob Willcox and win his first ever Challenger Series event. Took seven 2%ers taking turns to carry his muscly diff up the berm. Outstanding.

Kolohe, Cros and some heavy cargo. Photo by Matt Dunbar/World Surf League

TLDR

  • Cole Houshmand posts 18.97 heat total in final, claims maiden CS victory
  • Issy Nichols defeats Sally Fitzgibbons in all-Aussie final
  • Jacob Willcox and India Robinson lead the CS rankings
  • Jett Schilling and Cole Houshmand earn wildcards in Lemoore CT

Men’s semi-final

Only four forty minute heats today. A quick one. 

Jackson Baker vs Cole Houshmand got SF1 started at the highly specific time of 10:17. Two powerful surfers with opposed stances. Goofs had the advantage with their face to the wall, lots of tricky sections/unpredictable angles you wanted to keep an eye on.

Jacko found two scores in the mid-six range, neither had quite the same venom Cole struck with. “Stoked to get a third after giving these guys a head start in Snapper. Looking forward to requalifying for the CT where I feel I belong,” said the Bakehouse post heat. 

Marco Mignot looked out of sorts against Jacob Willcox in SF2. The Frenchman picked a few duds and his turns were a little weak and two-staged. Tough gig trying to beat the West Australian in anything over four feet. The 7.87 to 13.13 heat totals reflected that. 

Women’s final

Going into the lip proved to be the unlock in the women’s final. Issy Nichols was awarded an 8.17 for a downcarve to lip bash that sealed the heat. Sal opted for mid-face turns on foamy mid-size sets with a compressed stance. Post-victory Issy told Stace, “Came into this event in a bad headspace honestly. I Wasn’t sure if i was going to surf. But I’ve hung around good people this week who lifted me up.” 

Sal and Issy now sit at #2 and #3 respectively on the Challenger Series rankings. 

Irukanji cheer. Photo by Matt Dunbar/World Surf League

Men’s final

The men’s final was the best heat of the day by a mile. Cole immediately struck gold finding a six foot left that allowed him to squeeze in four turns. The 6’3” San Clemente didn’t leave any meat on the bone and was rewarded with a 9.17 within the opening five minutes. 

Jacob responded with two waves in the mid-six range, the first for a big single turn, the second for a short but critical tube. After picking off a closeout he handed priority over to Cole, who completed two Gabriel Medina spec finners on a dredging left. 

One judge went as far as giving him a perfect 10. It averaged out to a 9.8. 

Heat over.

CS Rankings update

  • Aussies currently hold the number #1 spot on the men’s and women’s Challenger Series.
  • Australian females hold top 3 positions
  • Ladybird Bella Kenworthy sits just outside bubble in 7th
  • Three 2%ers sit inside top 10 on men’s rankings

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Correction: J-Bay All Foreplay, No Climax

Slim pickings on Day 1 of the Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025.

Jul 11, 2025

What Do Hollywood, Surf Lessons, Michael Jackson And Traction Pads Have In Common?

A Stab Interview with Teva Dexter, the man behind surfing's hardest new hardware brand —…

Jul 10, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 3

"The tribe has spoken," Dane Reynolds pronounced, and a surfer's torch was snuffed.

Jul 10, 2025

How Josh Ku Nearly Died Trying To Cross From Ulus to G Land by Hydrofoil

“If someone finds me dead at least they can find my phone and know what…

Jul 10, 2025

Expect No Kiss, All Climax At The “World’s Most Perfect Pointbreak”

A Corona Cero Open J-Bay 2025 preview.

Jul 9, 2025

SEOTY: Liam O’Brien stars in ‘Friction of Perception’

"Hopefully I don’t come across like too much of a peanut."

Jul 8, 2025

10 Shapers To Watch In The Next 10 Years — Part One

“It’s like a drug empire, man. Cut the head off the snakes, and more will…

Jul 7, 2025

Mason Ho Joins Ritual Vision, Releases Remix Of Greatest Hits

Dion Agius riffs on the eyewear brand’s U.S. expansion, Ritualistic Tendencies, and the new stars…

Jul 7, 2025

Is It Time For A New Judging Format?

We have a modest proposal — a WSL head judge disagrees.

Jul 7, 2025

Luke Thompson Turns Last Year’s Priority Disaster Into Ballito Gold

+ earns himself a wildcard into Jbay.

Jul 7, 2025

Fiji Has Its First Professional Surfer, And He’s Unbelievable

16-year-old James Kusitino’s incomprehensible tube lounging leads to a deal with Former.

Jul 6, 2025

Laird Hamilton on The Limitations of Being a Purist, Invention vs. Ownership + Why He Never Had a Sticker Deal 

Untold stories from his How Surfers Get Paid interview.

Jul 4, 2025

When Surfer’s Eye Is Actually Cancer

Erin Campbell's brutal journey from surf camp dreams to chemo drops, cryotherapy, and surgical horror.

Jul 3, 2025

Surfing’s 2025 Q2 Report

An assessment of surfing's vital signs throughout the second quarter of 2025.

Jul 2, 2025

What Actually Happened to Occy’s Mad Max Plunger Pool In Yeppoon?

Surf Lakes’ brass talks: internet hecklers, the unplugging of the plunger, and the Tom Curren…

Jul 2, 2025

Poor Goofy Foots 

Data shows that the world is stacked against goofs — they even make 15% less money than…

Jul 1, 2025

Britain’s First Wavepool Has Closed — What Really Happened?

Bankruptcy, social media hackings, debts unpaid — and yet, reopening looms.

Jul 1, 2025

Watch: Was Matt Meola’s Air Actually Better Than Hughie’s?

Watch the full Swatch Nines highlight reel and decide.

Jun 30, 2025
Advertisement