Bell-Warren and Brooks life membership headlines TBC presentation night

THE Torquay Boardriders Club wrapped up 2022 in style, crowning their aggregate champions and two new life members at Jan Juc’s Bird Rock.

Torquay Boardriders Club (TBC) inducted two long-serving club trailblazers to life-member status at the club’s 2022 presentation night, with former Championship Tour surfer Troy Brooks and local legend Cahill Bell-Warren joining the list of Torquay royalty.

Current life members cited both Brooks and Bell-Warren’s long-term commitment and efforts made them worthy nominees for life membership status.

A strong competitor and clubman, Cahill Bell-Warren chased the professional qualifying series around the world for over a decade, however always kept incredibly close ties to his home club.

 

Bell-Warren is currently the only male surfer at TBC to win five open titles and stakes claim to being the longest serving club president (six years) in its 45-year history.

Happily shedding some tears at the presentation, Bell-Warren thanked the club for all it’s done for him during his career.

 

“It still doesn’t feel right to have my name listed alongside my heroes, my role models, this town’s icons and those who’ve built the club that has given me so much,” he said.

“The TBC community has helped shaped me as a person and the life I lead, the least I can do is give my time back to show my gratitude.

“I’ve always wanted to do the club proud in and out of the water and am forever grateful for the support network it’s become for me through life’s highs but most importantly the inevitable dark lows.

“I wasn’t ready for the emotions that took over when I was inducted but feeling safe to cry in front of the club just sums up how amazing this group of people really is.”

 

 

Fellow inductee Troy Brooks has been an integral part of the club’s fabric both before and after his move to the Gold Coast to chase the professional circuit.

Brooks was the creator of the Hells Bells invitational event and the Bunjil creator spirit trophy and collected many accolades over his time at TBC.

The local icon became a two-time Open Men’s champion, five-time single fin champion and reliable team’s titles power surfer all whilst trying to chase the Qualifying and Championship Tour around the world.

Brooks said ‘he was over the moon’ to join the small list of less than 20 club life members.

 

On top of life membership awards, Torquay Boardriders also handed out their aggregate champion trophies.

Headlining the divisional awards were Harry Mann and Sara Hickson who won the Open Men’s and Women’s categories respectively.

For full aggregate results, head to https://liveheats.com/tbc