North End Boardriders win Cleanwater Teams Challenge

Gold Coast City Council Cleanwater Teams Challenge 2005

Surfing Queensland
Mobile Northern Gold Coast
15 January 2005

North End Boardriders win 3rd consecutive Cleanwater Teams Challenge.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 January 2005: - - North End Boardriders today not only overcame strong opposition from clubs from Northern NSW to Noosa but huge surf stirred up by Cyclone Kerry to win their 3rd consecutive Gold Coast City Council Cleanwater Teams Challenge.

Dangerous conditions forced organizers to move the event from Mainbeach to flat rock between Currumbin and Tugun on the southern Gold Coast after the beaches at the northern end of the Gold Coast were deemed unsafe and unsurfable.

2-3m sets were on offer at Flat Rock, some perfect but huge waves coming through the event area, testing even the most experienced of competitors.

Near perfect conditions were on offer in the early heats, with some huge barrels on offer and massive wave faces to display the best in high performance surfing.

The final came down to an exciting battle between 2 Gold Coast boardriding clubs, North End and Palm Beach; Noosa and Byron Bay the other two clubs to qualify for the final using the exciting Circuit Surfing team format.

Noosa started the final in fine form, Australian Open Men’s Champion Luke Jory opening the scoring with a 6.0 wave, 5 minutes into the 60 minute match, while Damon Nichols of North End Boardriders was pounded for 10 minutes by 2 metre sets. Noosa built their lead with Ryan Campbell scoring his wave as the surfers from the other teams were just getting their first wave.

Byron Bay Boardriders then hit their straps and took their lead with an 8.5 from Craig Warton and a 4.0 from Yerin Brown, but Noosa with the time advantage looked to be in the box seat to take out the final.

Then at the halfway point of the final North End turned the tables, Shannon Pollard scoring an 8.5, and then followed by their junior surfer Adam Bennetts scoring a 5.83 for the Northern Gold Coast Club to take the lead. At the same time the Palm Beach Boardriders were closing in with club president Dan Purkis scoring a 6.73 to bring the Palmy Army back into contention.

With ten minutes remaining the experience of North End showed with Scott Wildin scoring a set wave and attacking it until the shoreline, to almost seal the final, scoring an 8.17.

It came down to the wire as the power surfers for each club hit the water. Even though Noosa had the time advantage, Luke Jory could not find the wave to grab the win. North End’s Damon Nichols sealed the deal for his club, with his final wave, Palm Beach picked up second on the shoulders of power surfer James Brydon, and Byron Bay although the form club all day could only manage 3rd, and although starting on fire, Noosa without scoring a power wave were relegated to 4th.
Once again the exciting Circuit Surfing format left the result right to the last second of the heat, and keeping spectators and supporters on the edge of their seats.

Results: Gold Coast City Council Cleanwater Teams Challenge

1st North End Boardriders $2,500.00
2nd Palm Beach Boardriders $1,000.00
3rd Byron Bay Boardriders $800.00
4th Noosa Boardriders $600.00

Equal 5th
Mermaid/Nobbys/Miami (MNM) Boardriders $400.00
Snapper Rocks Surfriders $400.00

Equal 7th
Mudjimba Boardriders $250.00
Kirra Surfriders $250.00
North Shore Boardriders $250.00

The Gold City Council Cleanwater Teams Challenge is about celebrating and promoting the clean and pristine beaches, surfbreaks, and waterways of the always changing ever amazing Gold Coast.

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Terry “Tappa” Teece
Surfing Queensland
tappa@bigpond.com

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