SOSL 4
Summer of Surf League
3/10/2020
Surfers vs Mermaid
Earlier this month the 2 bottom dwelling clubs of the Summer of surf league went to head-to-head to try and post their first win for the season. Both Surfers Paradise and Mermaid Beach are coming off convincing losses and were looking to bounce-back in some tricky conditions against desperate opposition.
With a bolstered reserve grade team, the boys from Surfers looked tough to beat on paper. It didn’t take long before team captain Zachary Orchard fired the first warning shot, after smashing the board race and setting the tone for the rest of the day. The Surfers team went on to claim the reserve grade clash with 4 wins from a possible 6 races with “The Swiss Army Knife of Surf Sports” Zachary Orchard having a career day, claiming wins in the board race, board rescue and surf race to ensure that his Surfers Paradise club now sit firmly atop of the Reserve Grade ladder.
The First Grade Women’s was a similar story, with Surfers Paradises newest recruit and ironwoman legend Courtney Hancock making her first appearance in the Surf of Surf League. The Mermaid girls fought valiantly against a class Surfers outfit, managing numerous podiums across the day and winning the ski race through a huge upset performance from kiwi import Amy Baron. Eventually it was the experience and depth that saw the Surfers girls take maximum points and cement themselves as serious contender in the SOSL.
The First Grade Men’s racing was some of the fastest and closest we have seen so far in the SOSL. Both teams were trading blows all day, and neither could manage a meaningful lead. The Merman then secured back-to-back wins in the surf race and board rescue, and it looked all but over, leaving Surfers Paradise needing a quinella finish in the Ironman, and a win in the Taplin to steal the unlikely victory. With huge Ironman performances from Surfers pairing Taddy McDonell and Finn Askew they claimed maximum points and gave their team a fighting chance going into the last event.
After 6 lead changes it all came down to a footrace between the 2 ski paddlers, Hamish Chapman and Taddy McDonell. As the expression goes “cometh the man, cometh the hour”, after an 18-month sabbatical away from the sport, Taddy McDonnell made an emphatic return, with an electric dismount from his ski Taddy streaked away to claim the Taplin and thus giving Surfers Paradise the win across all 3 divisions.
The attention will now turn to BMD Northcliffe vs Burleigh Heads. The 2 powerhouse clubs have a score to settle with unbeaten records at the top of the SOSL ladder.
Only problem, Northcliffe wont pick up the phone? Are the running scared? Time will tell.
