The Aquabumps Gallery team has taken out the BlackBerry SurfAid Cup with a commanding victory in 2-3 foot waves at Sydney’s Queenscliff Beach.

Aquabumps scored 55.53 points in the one-hour, tag team final with Shaw Brothers second on 40.93, defending champions CBA 2 third (30.80) and Australian Lawyers Surfing Association (ALSA) fourth (28.77).

Four former world champion surfers – Tom Carroll, Layne Beachley, Damien Hardman and Martin Potter – plus a string of top pros including ASP women’s number two Sally Fitzgibbons, Mark Mathews, Laura Enever, Matt Hoy, Simon Anderson and Matt Bemrose, joined with Sydney’s corporate world to fundraise for SurfAid.

Thirteen teams raised more than $70,000 for the humanitarian organisation and Perpetual won the fundraising trophy for the second year in a row by contributing more than $12,000.

Other corporate teams included: Citi, Toyota, Westpac, Adconion Media, KFC and brandsExclusive.

Each team fielded four surfers and then selected a pro surfer to join their team in order of their fundraising totals. Aquabumps had Paul Borrud, Matt Griggs, Mark Eymes and Eugene Tan and they selected former top pro Richie Lovett.

“We are stoked to win the BlackBerry SurfAid Cup and we’ll be back next year to defend our title,” Tan said. “Our team went on a Mentawai boat trip this year. It’s a great place and SurfAid do such a good job.”

Top fundraising team Perpetual included Sean Cunningham, Nick Corkill, Stuart Dunn and Charlie Lanchester. They picked 1989 world champion Martin Potter as their pro.

Lanchester, Perpetual’s Deputy Head of Australian Equities, said the team was delighted to take out the fundraising title again. “We would like to thank our colleagues, friends and family who were so generous with their donations,” Lanchester said. “It was such a privilege to surf with Pottz who really fired up the team. I can’t wait to get involved again next year.”

Coastalwatch and Surfing World publisher Doug Lees won the prestigious BlackBerry Wipeout Award for a spectacular re-entry that went wrong. “I made the reo but was so surprised that I made it, I fell off,” Lees said.

Contest director Steve Harrison said he was very impressed with the performances of Matt Hoy (ALSA) and Sally Fitzgibbons (Shaw Bros) who both helped carry their teams to the final.

“And Martin Potter’s 18.5 was an explosive performance in the solid five foot conditions in the morning,” Harrison said. “There was a really good vibe at the event. It was a good blend of legends and pros and corporate weekend warriors – just a great day all-up.”

SurfAid founder Dr Dave Jenkins said the event was a true reflection of how SurfAid has successfully saved and helped tens of thousands of people in the islands off Sumatra, Indonesia.

“It’s one of the most remote locations in the world and our work is all about partnerships and persistence, combined with the determined application of professionalism and the shared goal of saving children’s lives,” Dr Jenkins said.

“We would like to thank BlackBerry and the corporate teams on behalf of all the children and people of the Mentawai and nearby islands.”

With BlackBerry as presenting sponsor, supporting sponsors were: Manly Wine, Carlton Dry, Spectrum Healthcare,DeStress Express, Nando’s, Rockstar Energy Drink, Coastalwatch, Surfing World and Australasian Surf Business.

Photos: Murray Fraser | Sprout Daily