The inaugural Super Surf Teams League wrapped up over the weekend after four rounds of intense State vs State competition.
Chris King pictured above, (Elouera Surf Club) finished the series on a high after winning his third Super Surf Team League board race for the Sydney City Sharks. Nick Stoddart (Swansea-Belmont SLSC) kept the pressure on for the whole race, coming in second for the NSW Orcas.
Blake Drysdale (Newport Surf Life Saving Club) went head to head with NSW Dolphins Sam Zustovich (Mollymook Surf Life Saving Club Inc.) in the beach flags, securing the win for the Hunter Central Coast Orcas.
Zach Morris (Newport Surf Life Saving Club) had the added pressure of his debut for the 2019/20 Nutri-Grain IronMan Series looming but didn't let that affect his performance in the surf race, claiming the win for the NSW Rays.
"I just had to get past those potholes at the start. I’ve got longer legs than the majority of the field and I just used them to my advantage,” Morris said.
After a shaky start in the board race, Nicola Owen, (pictured below) quickly recovered and brought home the win for the NSW Orcas with a big sprint finish.
“I lost my board strap right off the start,” said Nicola. “I managed to just clear my head and keep going. I got out cleanly and paddled through the pack. Having the equipment malfunction at the start made the win that little bit sweeter.”
For Owen, The Super Surf Teams League was a great opportunity for the athletes who didn’t qualify for the Nutri-grain Iron Series to compete on the same day and at the same beach as the top athletes in the country.
“I really like the teams format and the racing,” said Owen. “It’s very similar to the vibe of Interbranch and Interstate events and is a good pathway into the representative teams.”
Many of the athletes from the weekend will regroup this weekend for the 2020 Australian Interstates Championship and Youth Pathways Cup at Alexandra Headland, QLD. The NSW team will be aiming for a third consecutive title and with a strong team.
The final round of the Super Surf Teams League will be broadcast on Fox Sports on Sunday February 2, from 2-4pm AEDT.
Monday 20 January 2020