Torquay Boardriders Club well represented in 50 Year Storm invitees and alternates

THE past, present and future of the Torquay Boardriders Club have been represented in the recently announced invitees and alternates list for the second year of the Bells Beach 50 Year Storm Invitational in memory of Shaun Brooks.

Shaun himself is one of the most talented to ever surf for the Bells Angels so it makes it even more special that so many members of the club are on the list.

Cahill Bell-Warren, Harry Mann, Jack Perry, Cody Robinson, Nic Muscroft, Troy Brooks and Todd Rosewall are among our current club representative squad who have been invited to surf in the second year of this very special event.

As the event has a very small window of opportunity, given the strict criteria of the conditions needed for the event to run, there is also a long list of alternates to fill the spots of anyone not available to compete.

Among the alternate list is also some of TBC’s finest, including Johnny Hawken, Andrew Flitton, Xavier Huxtable and Bella Wilson. The club is proud of Bella becoming the first female to make the list, who at only 15 years old has taken huge steps to prove herself in some of the biggest conditions Bells has has seen in recent years.

Some other club legends involved in the event are Nathan Edwards, Mick and Tony Ray, Jeff Rowley, Craig Stevenson, Greg Brown, Jeff Sweeney, Mark Rayner and Tim Hawken.

Despite not running the event in 2017, the 50 Year Storm committee raised $10,000 towards Mental Health charities and initiatives, including supporting the implementation of a Bolt Blowers initiated session for over 20 of TBC’s young males with an agency known as Tomorrow Architects, where the boys broke down the common stereotypes of being a “man”.

The main take away from the session was the building of “emotional muscle” to encourage and allow us to have those tough and open conversations with our mates, all in attendance really enjoyed and relished the opportunity.

The next major event on the TBC calendar is their annual Hells Bells event.

Scheduled for June 23 at Bells Beach, the invitation only competition sees 54 men and women do battle for the infamous Bunjil Trophy.

In an exciting addition to this year’s event, TBC’s best will compete against the rest, with our rival clubs being offered two positions in the draw each.

We invite the greater Surf Coast Shire community to join TBC in a celebration of surfing at Bells Beach, with a special focus on the incredible environmental values and indigenous heritage of the area.

For further updates on Hells Bells, stay tuned to Torquay Boardriders Club’s social channels.