Jim Beam Surftag Who's Who in Jim Beam Surftag Final

In: Jim Beam Surftag by Stu Nettle Mon 8th Feb '10

Tags: jim beam surftag , joel parkinson , Dean Morrison , Chris Davidson , Adrian Buchan , Matt Wilkinson , Adam Melling , Kai Otton , Mick Fanning , Taj Burrow , mick campbell , owen wright

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The who's who of Australian surfing will converge on Sydney this weekend for the Jim Beam Surftag Australian Championship at North Narrabeen beach.

The country's best 24 Surftag teams including powerhouses Kirra, Snapper Rocks, Margaret River, Merewether, North Narrabeen and North Steyne will battle it out for the more than $40,000 on offer.

Clubs that have spawned many of the planet's best have qualified for the event with world champion Mick Fanning, world number two Joel Parkinson, number four Taj Burrow and fellow world championship tour surfers Dean Morrison, Mick Campbell, Chris Davidson, Adrian Buchan, Matt Wilkinson, Adam Melling, Owen Wright and Kai Otton all eligible to compete.

There is no doubt the field is the strongest in Australian club surfing history and with all the individual talent on show a rare opportunity to see the best of the best in action outside the world championship tour.

Contest director Steven Harrison believes the lure of helping their club win a national title meant the event was strengthened by the best surfers in the nation.

"The Jim Beam Surftag has been running for nine seasons and this is most definitely the strongest contest we have had," Harrison said.

"The world's best like Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson and Taj Burrow helped their clubs qualify for the national final through their respective state championships and that demonstrates the respect the top guys and their clubs have for the club surfing culture.

"This event gives the best club surfers the opportunity to take to the waves against guys that have won or might win world titles and that is something that we are very proud of and something we know makes this competition very special."

There are several mouth watering clashes right from the first round, highlighted by heat six between Kirra, North Narrabeen A, Margaret River B and Cabarita that has been dubbed the ‘group of death'.

The event 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.

Also on the three-day event's program will be the FCS Manufacturers Cup for surfboard shaping companies and the Jim Beam Boardriders Cup for the club champions from more than 60 clubs around the coastline.

The Manufacturers Cup is run to a similar format to the Surftag series. Four man teams, made up of two factory employees and two team riders have 45 minutes collectively to get their individual quota of three waves.

The individual Boardriders Cup has a $5000 prize pool up for grabs.

EVENT PROGRAM

Friday:  Jim Beam Boardriders Cup from 7:30am

Saturday:  Jim Beam Surftag NSW final, FCS Manufacturers Cup, Jim Beam Surftag National Final Round 1 from 7:30am -  5pm

Sunday:  Jim Beam Surftag National Final quarters, Semis and final from 8am -  2pm

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