Phillip Island scored 71.8 points to defeat Adelaide’s defending champion Seaford Boardriders (66.5) and win back the title that they had won in the 2008 season. Long-time Victorian powerhouse Torquay was third with 58.1.
Both Seaford and Torquay had won their first round heats to move straight into the final but it was underdogs Phillip Island who used their extra time in the testing conditions to their advantage in the end.
Cahill Bell-Warren sniffs the pit mid hack back. Photo: Robbie Warden
Fourth place went to 13th Beach, the Ocean Grove/Barwon Heads team rounding out the final with 45.4 points.
The top three teams progressed through to face the country’s best clubs in the Jim Beam Surftag Australian final.
The final is expected to witnesselite ASP World Tour surfers including two-time World Champion Mick Fanning, triple crown winner Joel Parkinson, Taj Burrow, Kai Otton and numerous other elite competitors lining up for their beloved clubsat Sydney’s North Narrabeen beach on February13/14.
The Phillip Island team were led in the final by experienced campaigners Simon McShane, who scored 20.1 to set up an early lead, and third surfer Glyndon Ringrose, who amassed the final’s highest individual score of 23.
That duo were aided by strong performances by second surfer Sandy Ryan (12.5), fourth surfer Jarvis Cinnas (11.2) and Adam Byverberg (2.0) who caught three shore breaks waves to ensure his team finished in the allotted hour and collected three bonus points as the second team finished.
After an exhaustive day that saw him contest four heats, Ringrose, who wasn’t in the victorious 2008 team, said the more his team surfed the better they got.
“It was very, very challenging out there and my first couple of rounds and our first couple of rounds as a team were pretty bad,” Ringrose said.
Glyndon Ringrose and his evergreen backhand snapski’s. Photo: Robbie Warden
“We really seemed to struggle early in the day to get things right but the more we surfed, the more we understood where to sit and what to do.
“It all came together in the final though and we all managed to get some good ones. Personally I was able to get three to the beach that I could get a few turns in on which was great.”
Ringrose said his team was now eager to take on the best clubs in Australia at the national final.
“I am confident we can match it with anyone as long as it comes together on the day,” he said.
“Having waves that suit us Victorians – on shore, chunky, nice faced waves would be great.”
For Seaford, brothers Clayton and Jarrad Howse were impressive, scoring 15.2 and 16.6 respectively in the final.
Torquay youngster Cahill Bell-Warrenwas on fire throughout the day, scoring the highest “powerwave” – a 9.0 in the first round – and taking home a Sanyo dual waterproof camera for his efforts.
Peninsula Boardriders Club entered two teams, with both outfits eliminated in the cut throat repechage round.
The Surftag format sees five-member teams given an hour in which each individual must catch three waves, with the second being a “powerwave” worth double points. All three waves for each surfer count in the scoring and bonus points are awarded for teams that finish before the 60 minute mark.
Another feature of the day’s action was the FCS Manufacturers Cup which was taken out by the Cory Surfboards team of Bell-Warren, Josh Johnson-Baxter, Tom Allan and Ben Collier.
Runner’s up Island Surfboards also progressed to the national Manufacturers Cup final in Sydney.
The next event in the series will be the men’s Western Australian Surftag event at Yallingup on January 9.
2010 Victorian Jim Beam Surftag Championships
1. Phillip Island* – $1500
2. Seaford* – $700
3. Torquay* – $600
4. 13th Beach – $500
* Qualified for National Final at North Narrabeen beach on February13/14
2010 Jim Beam Surftag Australian Series
23rd Oct Industry Challenge – Winner: Hurley
29th Nov Women’s Surftag – Winner: North Narrabeen
19th Dec VIC Qualifier – Phillip Island
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, Sanyo, Beever and Global Surftag.
For more info go to:www.globalsurftag.com
The Jim Beam Surftag lowdown 2009.
