Going into the tag team heats, Torquay trailed Phillip Island, meaning we had to win both of the tag heats to take victory. A stacked Phillip Island team comfortably took victory in the first tag, with Torquay taking second, Penninsuala third and 13th Beach in fourth.
Morale in the TBC camp was down and arrangements were being made for what appeared to be an impending bus trip to Phillip Island in 2010. With nothing to loose, TBC took to the final tag heat with confidence. Harry Mann led the troops, nailing a risky reverse on the inside section on his first wave and executing a series of cracks on his second. One surfer in and we were in the lead. Torquay stalwart Tim Hawken hit the water second, no stranger to teams events Tim took no time to lock down two solid scores. I tagged with Tim and motored out to the lineup. Sitting with Phillip Island's second surfer, Eli Curry, I took my time to select my opening ride. After what seemed to me to be eternity I stroked into my first wave, throwing down a series of turns to the beach. I looked to the Torquay camp positioned on the beach and received the signal to claim the wave, the double whammy score. Up went my two arms, followed by a tension releasing fist pump as the boys on the hill went mad, it was a 7.43 which would add 14.86 to the team total. My second score was a around a 6 and I tagged TBC president Dave "Disco" Matthews on the shore. Upon returning to the cliff top, where the club was positioned, I was informed of the heat situation. We were way out in front, with Penninsula, 13th that Phillip Island battling it out for second.
Club legend Stewy Hawken had done the maths:
If we were to win the second tag and the Island finish second, PI would win the teams titles.
If we won and PI finished third, it would come down to a surf off.
And finally if we were to win and PI finish 4th, we would take the victory.
The tension in the TBC tent atop the Jan Juc cliffs was registering at an all time high, it wasn't a case of us wanting PI to fall, more a situation where we needed 13th and Penninsula to lift their performance level. Our final surfer was current U/13 Womens ratings leader Zoe Clarke. Zoe nailed two great waves and made her way to the beach with time to spare.
All we could do is wait.
Beers were cracked, ready for the presentation.
As Surfing Victoria Operations manager Pete Murphy read the results, we could sense victory.
"Taking out the Victorian Teams Title for 2009, Torquay Boardriders Club"
Check the photos below for what happened soon after....
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