Margaret River win Surf Boardroom comp

Matt Baldock © Surfing WA / Woolacott

Surf Boardroom Surf League
Presented By Rip Curl

Surfing Western Australia
Scarborough Beach, Western Australia
6 October 2012

Margaret River Boardriders 2012 Surf League Champions

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 8 October, 2012 : - - Western Australia’s longest running and most prestigious inter-club surfing event, The Surfboard Room Surf League Presented by Rip Curl, put the spotlight back on grassroots surfing on Saturday at Scarborough Beach. Eight of the best boardring clubs in the state including metropolitan based Contacio Boardriders, City Beach Surfriders, Cottesloe Boardriders, and defending champions Trigg Point, as well as regional clubs Geraldton Boardriders, Surf Beach Boardiders, Yallingup Boardriers and Margaret River Boardriders battled it out in small but highly contestable 1-2 feet (1.0 metre) waves.

Boardriding club passion runs deeper every year and this event epitomises the strength of the local and regional clubs from around the state with one of the highest levels of competition in recent history. Running since 1986 and one of the most iconic events on the Surfing Western Australia competition calendar, Surf League creates a truly unique atmosphere of team spirit, mateship, excitement and club pride.

The unique Surf League format of six surfers per club (one junior, one senior and four open) with one nominated power surfer made for non stop action in the water. The tag team system saw each surfer after their time in the wataer tag a fellow team member with a clean slap of the hands in a special holding area on the beach before the next surfer is allowed to enter the water.

The Surf League forms an integral part of the surfing scene in WA and 2012 celebrated the 20th anniversary of local surf retailer the Surf Boardroom's support of the event. Defending champions Trigg Point Boardriders were out to make history, aiming for a record seventh straight win and the long standing rivalry between Margaret River Boardriders and Trigg Point intensified in 2012 with Margaret River desperate to snatch a victory from the dominant Trigg Point.

From the opening heats of the day the class outfit from Margaret River made their intentions very clear, posting the highest combined totals of the day and winning all of their heats on route to the final. Margaret River's consistency across all six surfers was their strength with a polished display from all that pulled on the coloured rash vest. The Margaret River Boardriders team consisting of Tom Innes, Jerome Forrest, Matt Bladock, Creed McTaggart, Jethro Hedstrom and Josh Burke shone, stamped their authority on the Surf League with the club’s first victory since 2005.

Margaret River and Trigg are the only clubs to have their names engraved on the perpetual Surf League trophy, and have had many head to head battles over the years with a narrow margin typical in the result. Trigg and Margaret River were to be joined by Yallingup and Gerladton in the 90 minute final, with each surfer allowed 15 minutes to catch a maximum of four waves.

Matt Bladock was the difference in a nail bitting final with the talented goofy footer posting two excellent scores of 8.50 and 9.00 (both from a possible ten). Baldock's fast, committed and controlled surfing was rewarded with the Perry Hatchett Medal, an award reserved for the best surfer in the final that was conceived in 2003 in the name of West Australian surfing legend and former ASP World Tour Head Judge Perry Hatchett who grew up surfing the beach breaks of Scarborough. Bladock joined a list of distinguished past winners including; James Catto (Trigg), Chris Ross (Margaret River), Jake Molloy (Geraldton), Tom Innes (Margaret River), Luke Campbell (Trigg), and Marc Lee (Trigg).

Baldock's performance put the momentum in Margaret River's favour with the teams combined total of 98.5 points blowing all other out of the water. Trigg Point performed well, but had to settle for second with a 78.30 combined total. Yallingup posted their best Surf League result to date with a third place finish and a 62.05 combined total. Geraldton Boardriders were stoked to finish fourth with a 55.05 combined team total.

Margaret River Boardriders stalwart and team captain Andrew Sheridan was clearly elated with the win and called upon the entourage of surfers and supporters to celebrate the win. "We've waited a very long time to take this one and this is a great feeling." Sheridan said. "Thanks to the Boardroom and all the clubs here today, to the boys who surfed to those that supported us this one is for you," he said.

Neil Atkinson and Geoff Counsel from the Surf Boardroom were on hand to provide the winners cheques and the perpetual trophy to Margaret River and spoke of the importance of the event from their perspective: "We've been involved in the Surf League since 1993, so to be a part of an event for twenty years that supports WA boardriding clubs is something pretty special. We thank all the teams that have made it here today and congratulate Margaret River on a gutsy hard fought win." Counsel said. “The Surf League is an awesome concept that we’ll continue to support because it supports clubs which supports surfers on local beaches everywhere.” Atkinson said.

The Surf Boardroom Surf League presented by Rip Curl and proudly supported by SunSmart, Creatures of Leisure, Firewire Surfboards, Otis Eyewear, Department of Sport and Recreation, Ocean One, and Surfing WA.

FINAL RESULTS
1st Place ($1200) Margaret River Boardriders Club – 98.50 Points
2nd Place ($800) Trigg Point Boardriders – 78.30 Points
3rd Place ($500) Yallingup Boardriders – 61.20 Points
4th Place ($400) Geraldton Boardriders – 55.05 Points

5th Place – City Beach Surfriders
6th Place - Cottesloe Boardriders
7th Place – Surf Beach Boardriders
8th Place - Contacio Boardriders

Most Supportive Club ($100) > Trigg Point Boardriders

SPECIALTY AWARDS
Perry Hatch Award (Best Surfer In Final) > Matt Baldock (Margaret River)
Creatures Cream Of The Crop (Best Individual Move) > Mitch Taylor (Trigg)
Rip Curl Best Tube (Best Tube / Cover Up) > Michael Orr (Surf Beach)
Otis Eyewear Best Air (Best Aerial Move) > Mitch Taylor (Trigg Point)
Rip Curl Ripper Award (Highest Combined Scores) > Matt Baldock (Margaret River)
Creatures Best Coach > Leon Norris (Gerladton
Otis Eyewear Cover Your Eyes (Best Wipeout) > Ryan Boekman (Cottesloe)
Boardroom Baywatch Award (Best Run / Tag) > Jake & Jesse Molloy (Gerladton)
Rip Curl Falling Star (Best Senior Surfer) > Ian Darby (Contacio)
Creatures Most Entertaining Surfer > Jake Molloy (Gerladton)
Creatures Powerhouse (Best Power Surfer) > Cameron Young (City Beach)
Firwire Freaky Talent (Best Junior Sufer) > Duke Nagtzaam (Yallingup)

www.surfboardroom.com.au