Longboarding event draws international field

THE world’s best longboarders turned out to support the Surf Coast Longboarders Club at its Winter Classic fundraising event over the weekend.

More than 80 surfers competed in the event across more than 15 age divisions, helping to raise in excess of $8,000 for a local family in need.

The 15th edition of the Winter Classic was highlighted by a charity auction night which took place on Saturday at the Torquay Angling Club.

Thirty local businesses donated prizes to the auction, contributing to a hugely successful night.

Out in the water, the performances of world tour surfers Taka Inoue (Japan), Kevin Skvarna (United States), Rogelio Jr Esquievel (Phillipines), Sam Christenson (South Africa), Jack Tyro (New Zealand) and Chloe Coleman (United States) stood out.

In the premiere open men’s and open women’s divisions, Japanese brother-sister duo Taka and Sakura Inoue took the win.

The pair both put up excellent scores throughout the event and stood out for their incredible nose-riding and precise turning.

Surf Coast Longboarders Club president Penny Andrews said the event would go down as the best one yet.

“It was just amazing; we are stoked with how it all went.

“To have 85 entrants, including WSL competitors, support the event and contribute to the fundraising was amazing.

“More than $8,000 to our local family in need is just an awesome result. It makes us very proud that we can help them in this way.”

Ms Andrews said the action in the water itself was just as incredible as the fundraising efforts.

“The surfing was mind-blowing. It was the biggest field of surfers we’d ever had at the Winter Classic.

“Phenomenal performances were had by not only our world tour surfers, but our locals as well who really took it up to them.

“The judges did such a good job too. More than 20-30 waves were being ridden every heat. Kudos to them.”

For full results, head to liveheats.com/sclb