Torquay crowned as world’s best boardriders club

TORQUAY Boardriders has achieved its biggest feat in its near 50-year history, becoming the world’s best surf riding club for the first time.

The local surfing club was victorious at the Usher Cup World Club Championship at Snapper Rocks at the weekend.

The event brought together top boardriding clubs from around the world to compete for ultimate bragging rights and $60,000 in prize money.

Led by multiple time world tour competitor Xavier Huxtable, Torquay did not lose a heat on their way to the grand prize.

Top performances from 23-year-old Barwon Heads resident Ellie Harrison, former world tour surfer Troy Brooks and star junior Willis Droomer held the team in good stead for the entirety of the event.

 

Torquay scored a whopping 37.53 points in the event final to defeat San Clemente, Burleigh Heads and ASCC Portugal.

Brooks went near perfect in the marquee heat, nabbing a 9.53 to get his team off to a fine start.

Huxtable backed it up with a 9.40, followed by Harrison scoring an 8.60 and Droomer finishing off with a 7.00 ride.

The team said they were still in shock as what to they had achieved on Sunday afternoon.

“It’s pretty epic competing with the next generation of surfers and watching them grow in a club like Torquay,” Brooks said.

“Three years ago, no club from Victoria had made a final in national level, and now we are world champs!”

Harrison, who crossed over from 13th Beach Boardriders following her junior career, said she knew the team was on from the outset of the event final.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when Troy got spat out of the barrel and legit from then on, I was thinking we were on!

“It was just an amazing day, amazing support and we felt like the whole beach was backing us.”

President Tully Wylie and fellow club members staged a watch party at Jan Juc’s Bird Rock Cafe and reveled in the achievement.

He said the club was absolutely over the moon with the title.

“It’s pretty crazy to have finally won one after talking about it for so long. Every time we’ve showed up to an event in the past few years, we’ve just been edging closer and closer and there’s so much luck involved, too.

“It’s a huge credit to the surfers, members, committee and volunteers who have poured so much in.

“The energy among the team was just magical and and I hope they’ve really enjoyed it.”

Torquay will have to wait and see if they receive a last-minute wildcard into the Australian Boardriders Battle in New South Wales.