When the action gets underway in the Jim Beam Surftag Industry Challenge at Sydney’s Curl Curl beach this Friday all those entered will be happy to be out of the office, in the water and doing what they love most – surfing.

Happiest of all will no doubt be former world top ten surfer Richie Lovett – not because Lovett doesn’t enjoy working but because he is able to compete at all.

When the affable northern beaches local paddles out to surf for his team, accessory company FCS, he will be in a competition singlet for the first time since his life was changed forever in December 2005.

That was when he was diagnosed with Clear Cell Chondrosarcoma in his right leg, a malignant type of cancer that if left untreated would prove to be fatal. Several operations and months and months of specialist treatment in the USA followed before Lovett could even return home.

From that point on surfing as he knew it, and his ten-year career at the sport’s highest level, was over. But the sport has remained in his blood and just as he had to learn to walk properly again with the almost foot long prosthesis in place of the top half of his femur, Lovett learned to surf again.

“There was a time when the doctors said I’d never surf again,” Lovett recalls.

“Athletically, I know I’ll never be able to compete professionally again but the Jim Beam Surftag Industry Challenge is about getting out there with my mates and putting in.

Pic: Rik Love hawking the front foot leggie vibe.

“As tough as the past four years have been, it’s great because I now see the world through new eyes.”

Lovett and his colleagues from FCS will be one of 20 teams competing in the daylong event that will launch the summer of 2010 Jim Beam Surftag Australian Series.

Each four-man team will be made up of employees representing the company they work for in the surfing industry.

Heats will be 45 minutes long and begin at 8am with a winner expected to be crowned by 3pm.

The Surftag series is the premier teams surfing event in Australia and will feature many of the world’s best men and women surfers competing for their local clubs in the various state rounds before the three day final weekend in February next year.

2010 Jim Beam Surftag Australian Series

23rd Oct            Industry Challenge

29th Nov            Women’s Surftag

19th Dec           VIC Qualifier

9th Jan              WA Qualifier

15th Jan            QLD Qualifier

23rd Jan            NSW North Qualifier

30/31 Jan          NSW South Qualifier

12/13/14 Feb    Australian Final

The 2010 Jim Beam Surftag Australian Series is proudly supported by FCS, Tracks, Swellnet and Global Surftag.