Former World Champion and surfing legend Mark Occhilupo will make a return to competitive surfing when he paddles out for Snapper Rocks in the Queensland Qualifying event of the $100,000 Jim Beam Surftag Series, to be held at Duranbah on Friday (January 18).

“Occy” retired from the ASP Tour at the end of the 2007 season as one of the true legends of surfing and he will be making his debut in the Jim Beam Surftag Series on Friday.

After starting his professional career in 1983 Occhilupo stunned the world when he walked away from the sport while at his peak. He returned to the tour a decade later and two years after he stunned the world again, this time crowning his comeback by winning the World Title many thought would be his destiny.

Occy will join a Snapper Rocks team can also call on the likes of World No.4 Joel Parkinson, World No.9 Dean Morrison and World No.34 Josh Kerr, as well as Young Guns Luke and Brent Dorrington for the unique teams event.

Snapper Rocks Team Manager Shane Bevan, himself a competitor on the Snapper Rocks team, will help launch the 2008 Jim Beam Queensland Qualifying event at 12 noon on Thursday (January 18) at Greenmount Point (outside the Coolangatta Hotel).

WHAT: Mark Occhilupo returns to competitive surfing in Jim Beam Surftag Series
WHO: Snapper Rocks Team Manager Shane Bevan will speak about Occy’s return
WHEN: Thursday January 17
TIME: 12 noon
WHERE: Greenmount Point (outside Coolangatta Hotel)

The 2008 Jim Beam Surftag Series will carry prizes and prizemoney of $100,000 and has attracted a record field of 70 clubs from all over Australia, all vying to claim the 7th National Surftag title.

Surfing gets underway at Duranbah on Friday morning at 8.00am (Queensland time) with Snapper Rocks due to compete in its heat at 11.00am and the final due at 2.15pm.


HOW SURFTAG WORKS

Surftag is a team's event where each team (Boardriding Club) has five competitors. All competitors must be over the age of 18 and one surfer must be over 30.

Each heat goes for one hour with surfers required to catch three waves before coming to shore and tagging their next team mate.

All three waves are scored by judges with the second wave of each competitor deemed a "Power Wave" and worth double points.

Teams also receive bonus points for finishing within the one hour time limit with four points (4) for the first team to finish, three points for the 2nd team, two points for the 3rd team and one point for the final team to finish inside the limit.

The point scores from all five surfers plus any bonus points are tallied to find the winner.

The 2008 Jim Beam Surftag National Series is proudly supported by Jim Beam, Oneill, Oporto, Vmoto, Mizone, Tracks and Coastalwatch.

Further information:

Jim Beam Surftag Contest Director
Steve Harrison
0403 180 787
steve@globalsurftag.com

Jim Beam Surftag media contact
Dave Mason
0438 243 195