Dylan Hannah : photo courtesy Jim Beam Surftag

Jim Beam Surftag Series Cronulla

Jim Beam Surftag Series
Cronulla Beach New South Wales
9 February 2008

CRONULLA WINS JIM BEAM SURFTAG NSW TITLE WITH THRILLING LAST MINUTE WAVE

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 February, 2008 : - - A last minute wave by Dylan Hayler has given Cronulla its maiden Jim Beam Surftag NSW Championship with a thrilling two-point victory over defending Champions North Steyne at Cronulla Beach today. Cronulla trailed North Steyne late in the final before Hayler grabbed a late wave to sneak past North Steyne and claim the title in tricky 1m waves.

Ironically the two teams went up against each other at every stage of the contest, surfing in the same heat, quarter final and semi final before they again locked horns in the final. The Cronulla team of Matt Griggs (11.8), Dylan Hannah (24.2), Kirk Flintoff (14.3), Dane Durbin (16.2) and Dylan Hayler (14.6) scored 81.1 points, to edge out North Steyne on 79.1, with Queenscliff finishing 3rd on 68 and North Narrabeen 4th on 56.3.

Cronulla, North Steyne, Queenscliff and North Narrabeen will be joined in the National Final on March 7 by Sandon Point, Elouera, Curl Curl and Ulladulla, who earlier bowed out at the semi final stage.

While Hayler was the star with his last minute heroics, Cronulla’s Kirk Flintoff was awesome throughout the two days, scoring 24.3 in the heats, 28.4 in the quarter finals and 22.4 in the semi finals before registering 14.3 under time pressures in the final.

His score of 8.8 out of 10 in the quarter finals also saw him take out the Oporto Powerwave contest. “This is amazing,” Flintoff said. “We have never won anything like this before. We always get through to finals but we have never been able to put it together but the last two days the boiys have surfed great.

“We were the underdogs here but we knew we had to step up on our beach and we went out there and surfed well and we’re stoked to win it. There’s no doubt we can back this up and smash it at the National Championships.” Cronulla thoroughly deserved their victory after posting the two highest team scores in the event in the heats and quarter finals.

While Queenscliff finished 3rd in the final it was a special two days for Sam Page, who made his return to competitive surfing, 12 months after he spent a week in a coma following a vicious bashing. Page spent three months out of the water after the incident and following the Jim Beam Surftag he will return to the WQS World Tour later this month, where he will resume his assault on the world’s best surfers.

“I had to take things slowly when I got back in the water but I’m now starting to get my confidence back,” Page said. “This is my first contest and I felt a little rusty in the heat but I’ve felt better and better each time I’ve been out there. “The Surftag has been a great way to get back into competitive surfing for me and I’ve really enjoyed surfing with my mates from Queenscliff and it has helped me prepare for the WQS tour, which starts in a few weeks.”

The eight clubs through to the National Final on March 7, to be held at North Narrabeen, are new NSW Champions Cronulla, defending National Champions North Narrabeen, Queenscliff, Sandon Point, Elouera, 2007 NSW Champions North Steyne, Curl Curl and Ulladulla.

They will join South Australia’s Seaford, Victoria’s Philip Island, WA teams Yallingup and Margaret River, Queensland trio of clubs Snapper Rocks, Kirra and Noosa as well as the far north coast’s Lennox Ballina, who all progressed through the first three qualifying events.

The 2008 Jim Beam Surftag Series sees Australia’s top surfers competing for their local clubs in pursuit of prizes and prizemoney of $100,000 and attracted a record field of 70 clubs from all over Australia.

Jim Beam Surftag NSW Championships Cronulla Beach

Results
Heat 1: 1. Garie Beach (68), 2. North Narrabeen “A” (63), 3. MacMasters Beach (46.3), 4. Wamberal (37.7).
Heat 2: 1. Scarborough (69.2), 2. Queenscliff “B” (65.9), 3. Catherine Hill (59.2), 4. Freshwater (53.9).
Heat 3: 1. Long Reef “A” (61.2), 2. Sandon Point (60.4), 3. South Maroubra (51.9), 4. Norah Head (43.8).
Heat 4: 1. 1. Dee Why (74.6), 2. Elouera (69.9), 3. Queenscliff “A” (48.4), 4. North Steyne “B” (48).
Heat 5: 1. Long Reef “B” (60.4), 2. Avoca (60.2), 3. Werri Beach (52.3), 4. Woonona (45.9).
Heat 6: 1. Cronulla (95.1), 2. North Steyne “A” (67.1), 3. Merewether (56.8), 4. East Corrimal (37.3).
Heat 7: 1. North Narrabeen “B” (80.6), 2. Ulludulla (60), 3. Maroubra (43.6), 4. Newport (31.9).
Heat 8: 1. Avalon (79.4), 2. Curl Curl (74.4), 3. North Narrabeen “C” (64.6), 4. Umina (64).

Quarter final 1: 1. North Narrabeen “A” (71.6), 2. Queenscliff (68.4), 3. Scarborough (58.4), 4. Garie 54.1.
Quarter final 2: 1. Sandon Point (80.7), 2. Elouera (77.6), 3. Dee Why (64.9), 4. Long Reef “A” (48.5).
Quarter final 3: 1. Cronulla (98.5), 2. North Steyne (83.2), 3. Avoca (80.1), 4. Long Reef “B” (62.3).
Quarter final 4: 1. Curl Curl (85.6), 2. Ulladulla (81.4), 3. Avalon (59.9), 4. North Narrabeen “B” (39.1).

Semi final 1: 1. North Narrabeen (78.7), 2. Queenscliff (74.2), 3. Sandon Point (52.1), 4. Elouera (48).
Semi final 2: 1. North Steyne (90.1), 2. Cronulla (88.7), 3. Ulludulla (77.2), 4. Curl Curl (69.6).

Final:
1. Cronulla 81.1 (Matt Griggs 11.8, Dylan Hannah 24.2, Kirk Flintoff 14.3, Dane Durbin 16.2, Dylan Hayler 14.6)
2. North Steyne 79.1 (Beau Mitchell 24.5, Kai Otton 18.9, Dayyan Neve 17.4, Paul Evans 16.5, Andrew Froggat 1.8)
3. Queenscliff 68 (Luke Cheadle 23.4, Sam Page 17.8, Nick Riley 13.7, Matt Toghill 13.1)
4. North Narrabeen 56.3 (Nathan Webster 24, Christo Hall 16.2, Chris Davidson 15.1, Ben Short 1)

Teams qualified for the National Final on March 7 at North Narrabeen Beach: North Narrabeen, Queenscliff, Sandon Point, Elouera, Cronulla, North Steyne, Curl Curl and Ulladulla.

HOW SURFTAG WORKS
Surftag is a team’s event where each team (Boardriding Club) has five competitors. All competitors must be over the age of 18 and one surfer must be over 30. Each heat goes for one hour with surfers required to catch three waves before coming to shore and tagging their next team mate. All three waves are scored by judges with the second wave of each competitor deemed a “Power Wave” and worth double points.

Teams also receive bonus points for finishing within the one hour time limit with four points (4) for the first team to finish, three points for the 2nd team, two points for the 3rd team and one point for the final team to finish inside the limit. The point scores from all five surfers plus any bonus points are tallied to find the winner.

The 2008 Jim Beam Surftag National Series is proudly supported by Jim Beam, Oneill, Oporto, Vmoto, Mizone, Tracks and Coastalwatch. Qualified for National Final on March 7: Philip Island (Vic) and Seaford (SA). The 2008 Jim Beam Surftag National Series is proudly supported by Jim Beam, Oneill, Oporto, Vmoto, Mizone, Tracks and Coastalwatch.

www.globalsurftag.com

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