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A group of Sydney surfers aged between 10 and 70 years of age competed in the first ever inter-generational ‘Wipeout Dementia’ at Queenscliff beach on Saturday to raise funds for research at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney.

Spokesman for and Wipeout Dementia Ambassador, Richard Grellman AM (Chairman of IPH Limited and FBR Limited and former Chairman of the Association of Surfing Professionals (International) Limited), announced that the May 2019 event sponsored by Morgans Financial, Kennards Hire, SkiJapan, Cunninghams and Colliers International Residential, raised over $90,000 for CHeBA’s research.

Morgans was represented by father-son duo Mark and Ben Gross, Colliers by Managing Director Peter Chittenden and his 14-year-old son Lachlan, SkiJapan by CEO Peter Murphy and 15-year-old son George. Cunninghams was represented by Managing Director John Cunningham and nephew Sam Wright as well as James Haywood and 13-year-old son Alby.

Mr Grellman, whose wife Suellen was diagnosed with young onset Alzheimer’s disease at 61, said he was thrilled the inter-generational event was such a success.

“My wife is now 68 and very much in need of intensive round-the-clock care,” said Mr Grellman.

“Given three in 10 Australians over the age of 85 and almost one in 10 over 65[1] have dementia, there is clearly a critical need for increased investment in research toward prevention of Alzheimer’s and other dementias,” said Mr Grellman.

“At the same time, our goals are is to advance knowledge across all generations to maintain physical activity from a young age throughout life and to reduce risk of dementia in late life,” he said.

In 2016, dementia became the leading cause of death among Australian females, surpassing heart disease which has been the leading cause of death for males and females since the early 20th century.

This was the ninth Wipeout Dementia run by CHeBA which saw Ambassador and 1978 World Surfing Champion Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew introduce 15-year-old son and surfer for Billabong, Keo, to the cause.

The May 2019 inter-generational event brought together 32 surfers in a bid to change the future of dementia incidence.

A 1980 retro Mark Richards ‘Gnarly Award’ for highest fundraiser was taken by Tony Holt and 16-year-old daughter Stella Holt, who raised over $14,000 in the event and incorporated outreach support from St Vincent’s School which Stella attends.

Special thanks go to Simon Liddy and 26-year-old daughter Eloise Liddy who were the other second highest fundraisers of this round of Wipeout Dementia; raising over $11,000 in this event and over $30,000 across a number of events.

A competition Mick Fanning DHD was awarded to Mark Gross (of sponsor Morgans and first-time captain of Mark’s Mavericks) and his 10-year-old son Ben Gross for their fundraising success and School outreach. Over a number of events Mark has raised close to $50,000 for the cause.

Other top fundraisers in this round were Richard and son Ben Grellman who raised close to $10,000, Rob Gillespie and Chris Clarke who raised over $5,000, Richard and 14-year-old daughter Eliza Gerahty who raised $4,500.

With the longest ride of the day and a skilful board headstand saw regular participant Heath Sims take home ‘Wave of the Day’ and fan favourite Tony Camphin took home Best Wipeout.

The tag team surf contest saw father-son, father-daughter duos competing in four 20-minute heats to start the event. Geoff and 16-year-old son Lachlan Nesbitt, Phillip and 13-year-old Hugh Waddington, Stephen Lennard (substitute for John Cunningham) and Sam Wright, and Richard and Ben Grellman made it to the semi-finals, along with finals surfers – Wayne “Rabbit” and Keo Bartholomew, Peter and George Murphy, Chris Clarke and Rob Gillespie and Ian Freestone and Heath Sims. It was Ambassador “Rabbit” and son Keo that took home the ultimate glory and led Grellman’s Evergreens to their first win since May 2015.

Both CHeBA Co-Directors, Professor Henry Brodaty and Professor Perminder Sachdev, attended the event and expressed their gratitude to Richard Grellman and all regular and new surfers for their incredible and generous support.

“Such community spirit is inspiring for us to continue our vision toward reduced dementia incidence in Australia and internationally,” said CHeBA Co-Directors.

1 The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Centre for Social and Economic Modelling NATSEM (2016) Economic Cost of Dementia in Australia 2016-2056

You can donate to the May 2019 Wipeout Dementia until the 1st of June:

and are the major sponsors for Wipeout Dementia May 2019. and and are secondary sponsors.

and provided major apparel and venue in-kind support.

Thank you to the following in-kind supporters who provided award and event bag inclusions: , , , , , , , , , , .

Judging was conducted by .

Photography by .