Winning team Bilbie Dan Solicitors. All Pics: Jack Taylor.

The team from Bilbie Dan Solicitors has won the Lawler SurfAid Cup in solid 6-8 foot (2.5m) surf at Newcastle’s Stockton Beach. The charity event, which is part of Surfest Newcastle, was moved from the original venue of Dixon Park due to dangerous surf conditions.

Bilbie Dan scored 52.07 in the tag team final, with Sanbah second on 47.77, Beilby Consulting third (24.87) and People Fusion fourth (18.00).

City of Newcastle and Lawler Financial placed equal fifth; Hunter Readymix and Lawler Partners were equal seventh; Michillis, Mullane, Perpetual and Coffey Projects equal ninth; and BT Financial, NIB Health, Maccas and Bennelong Boardriders equal 13^th.

Sixteen teams raised more than $56,000 for humanitarian organisation SurfAid. The Bennelong Boardriders team won the fundraising trophy by raising $7,410.

You can support the teams here:  http://www.everydayhero.com.au/surfaid_cup_newcastle_2013

A Surfest charity breakfast held on the same morning, sponsored by PRD Nationwide, and presented by the Hunter Business Boardriders, raised more than $16,000 – with Newcastle raising a total of more than $73,000 for SurfAid on the day.

Jye Byrnes was the pro surfer for Coffey Projects

Charlie Lanchester, a board member of SurfAid, and the Deputy Head of Australian Equities at Perpetual, said it was a great day.

“It was a privilege to take part in the PRD Nationwide breakfast and also the Lawler SurfAid Cup all on the one day,” Lanchester said.

“The broad support from the Newcastle community for both events was amazing. Surf culture clearly runs deep in the city of Newcastle. The ongoing support from everyone who attended these events is a critical part of SurfAid’s success in saving lives in the remote surfing locations of Indonesia.”

All teams in the Lawler SurfAid Cup had the pick of a pro surfer and Drew Courtney was outstanding for Bilbie Dan in the final as he consistently attacked the lip in the heavy conditions, scoring 26.67 out of 30 points for his team.  Other winning team members were Rob Faraday, Luke Sessions, Brad Garrard and Heath Podmore.

Pros who donated their skills to compete included 1989 world champion Martin Potter, Luke Egan, Simon Law, Craig Anderson, Jake Sylvester, Travis Lynch, Craig McMillan, Ryan Callinan, Jye Byrnes, Jackson Baker, Louis Stackhouse, Luke Hamilton and Simon Le Rougetel.

Big wave rider Mark Yazbeck was the proud winner of the Lawler Best Wipeout Award for a committed backhand floater on a solid wave that ended in a faceplant on the flats.

Rob Faraday-Bensley, a Partner with Bilbie Dan Solicitors and Attorneys, said it was a great day.

“It was fantastic to score some decent-sized waves and to get the chance to surf alongside some amazing surfers, in particular our allocated pro Drew Courtney who absolutely ripped,” Faraday-Bensley said.

“Thanks again to SurfAid and the committee of Hunter Business Boardriders. Seeing Luke Sessions carve it up was also a unique thrill for all of our team. We can’t wait for next year. “

Ben Hainsworth tags Craig Anderson for Beilby Consulting.

Tim Bolger, Director Distribution, Bennelong Funds Management, said they were proud to win the fundraising component by raising $7,410.

“Bennelong Funds Management and our boutique asset management teams, Avoca Investment Management and Bennelong Australian Equity Partners, were very pleased to be a part of the Lawler SurfAid Cup,” Bolger said.

“We were particularly pleased that donations from our personal and professional networks, along with a generous donation from the Bennelong Foundation, resulted in the Bennelong Boardriders taking out the fundraising prize.

“SurfAid is an inspiring organisation, and we admire the passion and enthusiasm that Dr Dave and the rest of the SurfAid crew bring to their work with Indonesian communities. We look forward to sharing a wave and a laugh with the SurfAid crew in the future, in support of a very worthy cause.”

Chris Davis, the head of wealth protection at Lawler Financial Services, said Lawler Financial Services were extremely proud to partner with SurfAid and Surfest to make the event happen.

“We want to thank all the teams involved in the first SurfAid Cup in Newcastle. The waves were ordinary, the weather was worse but everyone had a great time. We are already looking forward to another huge fundraising event next year,” Davis said.

With Lawler Financial Services as presenting sponsor, supporting sponsors for the Lawler SurfAid Cup were:  Surfest, Sanbah, Beach Hotel, Subway, Coastalwatch and Surfing World.

For further information:

Kirk Willcox

E: [email protected]

www.surfaid.org

All photos by Jack Taylor.