No Bells on for Torquay Boardriders Club

Torquay Boardriders Club hope that Hells Bells will be back in 2023. Photo: SUPPLIED

IT was second time ‘unlucky’ for the Torquay Boardriders Club this past weekend as their prestigious Hells Bells event was once again called off due to small swell forecasts.

The postponement was the second time the club has had to make the tough decision to move the winter event, after the earlier scheduled date was also shut down due to a tiny unsurfable swell.

In an official statement published last Wednesday, the club said, “TBC has had to make the challenging call to call off Hells Bells for 2022”.

“Hells Bells is Torquay Boardriders’ premiere event and unfortunately the Victorian ocean isn’t going to produce conditions worthy of lifting the most notorious TBC trophy the Bunjil this Saturday.”

Torquay Boardriders President Harry Mann said the club was disappointed to cancel the event, however felt it was the right decision given the reputation of the event.

“We haven’t had the greatest luck this year with the surf forecasts, often they haven’t lined up with when we have had our events scheduled which can be somewhat frustrating,” Mann said.

“For an event as reputable as Hells Bells it’s important to not force the running of the event and rather have great conditions that give everyone a fair opportunity to win.

“Because it’s a big draw of men and women of all ages, it’s important that the waves are good from first light to last light, unfortunately this weekend just wasn’t going to provide that equal and contestable opportunity.”

For the first time in Hells Bells history, the event in 2022 was set to feature equal prize money across the main draw and a new women’s division, while $500 was also up for grabs for the winning boardriders club on the day.

Surfers were set to make their way from Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula, Point Lonsdale and URBNSURF in Melbourne to participate.

Torquay Boardriders will now set their sights on planning for the 2023 running of Hells Bells.

To stay up to date with TBC’s event schedule and news, head to facebook.com/torquayboardriders.