FCS Manufacturers Cup

NSW South Jim Beam Surftag round
Wanda Beach, New South Wales
30 - 31 January 2010

Zahn Foxton, Richie Lovett, Matt Bemrose, Dan Karen take team to top

Aloha surfboards has taken out the FCS Manufacturers Cup on the first day of the NSW South round of the Jim Beam Surftag in challenging one metre waves at Wanda beach today.

Led by a rampant Matt Bemrose who racked up the entire day’s highest individual score of 28.4, the Aloha team of Zahn Foxton (24.3), Bemrose, Dan Karen (16.9) and former world top ten surfer and recovering cancer sufferer Richie Lovett (11.0) combined to total 80.6 points to defeat  Stacey Surfboards (72.9),  Chilli (72.5) and Warner (69.6).

The top three teams from the NSW South event progressed to the national Manufacturers Cup final. The Manufacturers Cup, a competition for surfboard manufacturers, 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 to each catch three waves in relay style.

Bemrose, a former Australian open champion, was undoubtedly the star of the final but after the final he heaped praise on his team mates. “It’s good to get a win, especially having a boss of sorts like Rich Lovett in the team,” Bemrose said. “Especially considering what Rich has done in surfing and coming back from illness.

“Aloha is a great company and surfing with the other guys that represent it, guys the calibre of Zahn, Dan and Rich is awesome.”

Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro

ASP 4 Star Men's WQS event
Burleigh Heads, Queensland
17 - 21 February 2010

Mick Fanning & Mark Occhilupo Set To Go Head-To-Head At The Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro!

Gold Coast Queensland, Tuesday 19th January, 2010: In a major coup for Australian surfing, Breaka Flavoured Milk has announced that reigning World Champion Mick Fanning will headline February’s Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Qualifying Series (WQS) 4-Star, US$85,000 Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro.

In equally exciting news, 1999 World Champion Mark “Occy” Occhilupo has announced he will be coming out of retirement and returning to the professional arena for the Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro.  Occhilupo’s entry into the event marks a comeback for the legendary goofy-footer (right foot forward stance) who officially retired from the sport in 2007.

The showdown between the two Australian World Champions has an interesting twist, with the pair claiming respective world titles exactly 10 years apart – Fanning (2007 and 2009) while Occy secured his fairytale win in 1999.

Occhilupo and Fanning will be joined by a host of other current and former World Championship Tour competitors including current Pipeline Master Taj Burrow, former Hawaiian Triple Crown winner Bede Durbidge as well as Owen Wright, Dean Morrison, Jay Thompson, Nathan Hedge and Darren O’Rafferty just to name a few.

With one of the biggest events on the Australian surfing calendar, Breaka Flavoured Milk set the surfing world abuzz late last year, announcing that they will be returning professional surfing to its spiritual home at Burleigh Heads.

The February Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro will be the first standalone professional surfing event to be staged at the iconic point-break in almost 10 years and places the competition window in Queensland’s prime swell period, with the possibility of scoring an infamous Burleigh Barrel a hard prospect to refuse for the world’s best surfers.

ASP Australasia Tour Manger Dane Jordan said the event is a dream come true for many of the world’s best surfers.  “With current and two-time world champion Mick Fanning heading up 18 of the ASP World Tour top 45, the Breaka Burleigh Surf Pro has assembled potentially the strongest field ever seen for a 4-star World Qualifying Series event.”

“Add in former world champion Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo, top WQS contenders like Shaun Gossman, world-class juniors like Davey Cathels, free surfing stars like Julian Wilson and Mitch Coleborn, along with hard core locals and big wave chargers - the scene is set for a gladiatorial like battle at Burleigh,” said Jordan.

World Tour Competitors

Jim Beam Surftag 2010 

Queensland Jim Beam Surftag Championships
Duranbah, Queensland
15 January 2010

FANNING KICKS OFF THE YEAR WITH WINNING EFFORT FOR CLUB

Mick Fanning ended 2009 as a winner and the two-time world champion has begun this year in the same fashion, leading his Kirra Boardriders Club to victory in ideal one metre waves in the Queensland round of the Jim Beam Surftag at Duranbah beach today.

Fanning combined with a white hot Corey Ziems and team mates Asher Pacey, Alex Chacon and Matt Hurworth to help the defending champion Kirra squad to amass 105.7 points - outscoring surprise packets Noosa (102.3) and long time rivals Snapper Rocks (99.0). Cabarita, who were in great form all day, were fourth on 72.1.

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.

In the final, a patient Ziems upstaged his more decorated club mate, taking his time to get his three waves, ensuring Kirra got off to a great start. Ziems scored 26.1 to give his side a 0.1 advantage over Snapper, who’s first surfer was world number two Joel Parkinson.

Then Fanning hit the water and proceeded to rack up a 25.7 in quick time before Pacey (19.5), Chacon (20.1) and Hurworth (14.3) ensured the win.

Mick Fanning : photo Brad Nielson