Stab High Sydney Presented by Monster Energy Is Landing In October

36 Pro Men, 10 Ladybirds, 10 Bottle Rockets and the Pro Women return with a brand new air section.

news // Sep 3, 2025

Words by Stab

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Buy tickets to Stab High Sydney on October 10 + 11 here.

Stab’s first printed issue was hurled off a Bondi Road rooftop, fronted by Taj Burrow frozen mid-flight in a spray of glittering salt and sunlight, while a daring ex-Vietnam chopper pilot hovered metres above, dangling lensman Dustin Humphrey out its cabin door.

We called it The Angle of God: earnest, grandiose, and for the time, genuinely progressive. Now? You can order a drone of Wish and get roughly the same effect, minus the PTSD and a $15,000 charge on your credit card.

A lot has changed since then. Taj’s air reverse for instance, would likely only have Nate Fletch lifting his 5-point paddle. Still, some things have remained unviolated by the passage of time.

Notably: we still like to see boundaries pushed by extraordinary aerial surfing.

Which is basically the whole purpose of our competition: Stab High, a surf contest in a swimming pool, which will be landing back where it all started in Sydney on October 10/11.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Hughie Vaughan’s winning backside indy full rote from Japan. Photo by Nate Lawrence.

Stab High Sydney 2025, Presented by Monster Energy, is a surf contest focused on flight. Instead of connecting standard directional turns, the emphasis is on single, explosive aerial maneuvers.

Past winners include Noa Deane, Chippa Wilson, Sierra Kerr, Ian Crane, Caity Simmers, Erin Brooks, Matt Meola, Eithan Osborne, Kiara Gold, Lucas Cassity, Loci Cullen, and Hughie Vaughan.

All four divisions are back: Pro Mens, Pro Womens, Ladybirds (15-and-under girls), and Bottle Rockets (15-and-under boys). Additionally, the Monster Air will be won by the surfer who performs the most impactful air of the event, regardless of division.

Competitors will have multiple chances to land their best airs on URBNSURF’s newly minted air section. Expect a variety of grabs, rotations, and altitudes, all dissected by a pedantic, clipboard-wielding panel fluent in aerial surfing.

Surf sommeliers. Photo by Nate Lawrence.

The Qualifying Rounds will be held on Friday, October 10 from 8AM – 5PM (local time) and the Main Event will be held on Saturday, October 11 from 8AM – 2PM (local time).

Both days will be broadcast worldwide via stabmag.com with a start time of 12PM in Honolulu, 3pm in Los Angeles, 6PM in New York, 12AM in Paris. (note the date shift for the Americas — Thursday & Friday instead of Friday & Saturday)

If you’re in Sydney, show up. If not, grab your friends and watch the live webcast on Stab Premium.

Stab High Sydney 2025, Presented by Monster Energy, is supported by Sun Bum, Quiksilver, FCS, I-Sea, Skullcandy, Tudor and White Claw.