Riding the Winter Classic Fundraising Wave

SURFCOAST Longboarders Club’s Winter Classic surf contest and charity fundraiser has gone down as a major success, raising more than $5,000 for beneficiary Torquay Marine Rescue.

The event which ran on Saturday at Torquay front beach featured the best longboard surfers from across the state, bringing them together for a day of laughs, surfing and fundraising.

 

 

Whilst the action was mesmerizing in the water, with world tour calibre surfers Ben Considine and Bea Conroy taking out the premier Open Men’s and Open Women’s divisions respectively, the highlight of proceedings was the funds raised at the club’s silent auction and fundraising night, held inside the four walls of the Torquay Surf Life Saving Club.

The club were thrilled to secure a huge range of raffle and silent auction items from 25+ businesses across the region, who donated gift packages, sunglasses, food vouchers, surfing equipment and much more.

Surfcoast Longboarders Club president Penny Andrews said the show of support from the community made for an outstanding event both in and out of the water.

 

“The day was an amazing success in terms of the surfing on show and the fundraising,” Andrews said.

“To be able to raise more than $5,000 for Torquay Marine Rescue is a huge effort and we can’t thank the sponsors enough for their involvement.

“We successfully auctioned off and sold everything on the evening, with the Johanna Seaside Cottage stay, the XTM gear and the print by Romy Roache making up some of the more popular items on the night.

“To say we have donated over $50,000 back into the community over the last ten or so years through the Winter Classic is pretty remarkable.”

Other sponsors and donations on the night came from businesses like Need Essentials, Glide Fins, Ginger Monkey, Ben and Lee Considine Surf Coaching, amongst others.

Andrews also extended her gratitude to the local surfing community who let the club take over Torquay beach, allowing for competitors to surf their heats safely without free surfers in the contest zone.

 

Torquay Marine Rescue captain Adam Stevens said the show of support from the surfing club would go a long way to assisting in protecting our ocean enthusiasts.

With the funds, the Torquay Marine Rescue will continue to implement programs to promote ocean awareness in the community, whilst upping their resources for ocean rescues and call outs in the region.

For full surfing results on the Winter Classic, go to liveheats.com/events/23543