The Perfect Wave Support the SurfAid Cup

Manly Beach, September 23, 2016.
All Photos by Matt Dunbar.

Fifteen company surfing teams, including our very own The Perfect Wave team turned up at Queenscliff Beach at the northern end of Manly last Friday September 23, 2016.

Between all fifteen teams, over $120,000 was raised for humanitarian organization SurfAid. The Perfect Wave were proud contributors of over $5k.

The competitors enjoyed a fun sized south swell for the sixth annual SurfAid Cup. Highly surfable 2-3 foot lefts and rights, side/offshore SSW winds and sunshine were on the menu.

Asquire Boardriders edged out the team from Citi Frothers in an extremely tight final. The team from Blackrock were awarded the fundraising trophy. Charlie Lanchester, Jason Collins, Nick Corkill and Ryan Crewe-Brown from Blackrock raised over $27,800.

They were followed in second place by Westpac, and Perpetual closely in third.

All funds raised contribute to SurfAid’s mother and child health programs in remote areas of Indonesia including the Mentawai and Nias islands west of Sumatra and Sumbawa and Sumba in Eastern Indonesia. Places where hardly anyone but surfers go.

SurfAid founder, Dr. Dave Jenkins said, “The funds raised on Friday will provide clean water, access to basic health care and improved nutrition to some of the world’s most vulnerable people that live near iconic surf destinations. Days like Friday show that surfers can make a real difference and give back to the places they love.”

The competitive surfing involved a five-man tag team format. All of the teams picked a pro surfer or legend to join their fundraising team. This year’s line-up of talent included former World Champion Mark Occhilupo, Felicity Palmteer, Matt Bemrose, Paige Houden, Toby Martin, Nick Butler and Richie Lovett.

Very impressive surfing in the final by Nick James (Citi Frothers), Austin Ware and Christof Rosenberg (Asquire Boardriders) ensured they kept pace with “Occy” (Westpac.)

In the end, it came down to the final wave with the team from Asquire Boardriders emerging victorious. Citi Frothers were second followed by CoastalWatch/Surfing World in third and Westpac in fourth.

Newcomers to the SurfAid Cup, the Asquire Boardriders team members were Brent Backhouse, Marcos Rosenberg, Christof Rosenberg and Darcy Crumps. They selected former WQS surfer and pro surf coach, Austin Ware, as their fifth team member.

Supporting sponsors for the SurfAid Cup in Manly included Billabong, CoastalWatch, Surfing World, 4 Pines Brewery, Bacardi, the Queenscliff Surf Lifesaving Club, and Havaiianas.

SurfAid Cup Manly Placings:

1. Asquire Boardriders (55.87)

2. Citi Frothers (55.13)

3. CoastalWatch/Surfing World (47.63)

4. Westpac (38.93)

5. Salesforce

6. Surfing Lawyers

7. Perpetual

8. The Perfect Wave

9. The Paddlers

10. Allan Hall

11. BlackRock

12. ToyBell

13. Team Bell Potter

14. BWM Dentsu

15. OFX

SurfAid Cup Pro Roster

Jarrad Howse

Samson Coulter

Rob Bain

Jackson Carey

Paige Houden

Jesse Adam

Toby Martin

Beau Mitchell

Richie Lovett

Matt Bemrose

Mark “Occy” Occhilupo

Felicity Palmateer

Nick Butler

Ben Penny

Blake Levett

Austin Ware