REDHEAD’S Justin Lee has been crowned the short board over-35 champion at the Lake Mac Festival of Surfing for the second year running.

Lee won both the over-35 and over-40 divisions last year but couldn’t make it a double this year.

“I knew I had a shocker in the over-40s,” he said.

“I was sitting in the wrong spot in the rip. I changed take-off spots in the next final and it paid off.”

The festival, which is only in its second year as part of the Hunter’s iconic Surfest event, returned to Redhead Beach last weekend.

It was moved to Catherine Hill Bay Beach on the second day of competition due to heavy surf conditions, however, the festival still drew large numbers.

The festival has grown since last year’s inaugural event with the inclusion of the Lake Macquarie Boardriders’ Challenge, which saw local teams compete for a wildcard entry in the Orica Team Challenge at Stockton Beach on February 12.

Frenchman’s Boardriders were the favourite to win but Redhead Boardriders outdid them in a dominant and consistent display of junior and experienced talent.

In the stand-up paddleboard open, 17-year-old Harry Maskell from Terrigal and reigning 2015 champion dominated the event again, without losing a heat over the two days of competition.

Maskell’s versatility shone through when he came a close second in the open longboard final, but it was Caves Beach native Shane Baker who bested him.

Short board masters Over 35

1st Justin Lee

2nd Dale Thomas

3rd Bryden Galbraith

4th Luke Bartlett

Short board masters Over 40

1st Bryden Galbraith

2nd Simon Hasson

3rd Paul Snow

4th Justin Lee

Longboard Open

1st Shane Baker

2nd Harry Maskell

3rd Matt Rawson

4th Dean Wilson

Longboard Over 40

1st Jeremy Smith

2nd Tony Rae

3rd Matt Rawson

4th Shane Ross

 Longboard Over 50

1st Tony Rae

2nd Mike Pimm

3rd Michael Howe

Stand-up Paddleboard Open

1st Harry Maskell

2nd Glen Turner

3rd Andrew Cassidy

4th Blair Moore

Stand-up Paddleboard Over 40

1st Andrew Cassidy

2nd Jeremy Smith

3rd Matt Rawson

4th Gareth Grant

Stand-up Paddleboard Over 50

1st David Stretton

2nd Hugo Simpson

3rd Harry Goldstein

Lake Mac Board Club Team Challenge

1st Redhead Boardriders