Gold Coast, 17th February 2007 - Le Ba boardriders club have halted the Championship run of National title holder Snapper Rocks by taking out the final of the QLD Jim Beam Surftag at Duranbah on the Gold Coast today.

The Jim Beam Surftag is the nation’s premier club surfing competition and unheralded 27-year-old Marcus Aboody led his Le Ba (Lennox/Ballina) team mates from the front - literally.

Aboody scored the highest score of the day surfing first in the final to help Le Ba (89.4) to victory over North End (86.6), two-time defending champions Snapper (79.9) and Cabarita (49).

Importantly all four finalists won through to the 2007 Jim Beam Surftag National Final, that will be held in Sydney on March 2 and 3.

Aboody was the standout surfer on a day that was littered with high scores from an array of World Qualifying Series surfers and rising young stars alike.

In his club’s quarter final win Aboody posted a 23.1 before repeating his slashing form in the semi finals with a 23.5, again getting his team an early lead that was never cut down.

“I just tried to stay consistent and get clean waves and get as many turns as possible in without falling off,” Aboody said.

“I was stoked to be surfing first and I am happy I was able to get us off to a good start in all three of our heats. It’s been a great day.”

Aboody was not on his own by scoring highly for the northern NSW based club with WQS trio Jock Barnes (20.6 in the final), Adam Melling (17.7) and James Wood ably supported by Glen Curtis.

The top 16 clubs in the country will now focus their attention on snatching the National Surftag crown back from Snapper Rocks who took out last year’s final by defeating Curl Curl, Noosa and Cronulla.

Aboody says he and his club mates are looking forward to the challenge of facing the best clubs in the nation as well as a much anticipated rematch with Snapper in two weeks time.

“We are amped for the final because we have a really good team this year and we are very excited,” Aboody said.

Sydney club Narrabeen will be boosted by the availability of former WCT surfers Nathan Hedge and Chris Davidson and look to be the big improvers while NSW champions North Steyne and runner’s up Curl Curl will also be confident of a top showing on their home beach.

The Jim Beam Surftag National Series is run under the popular tag team format with each club being represented by five surfers. In relay style each surfer catches three waves and then returns to the beach to tag the next surfer. All three waves ridden count towards the team’s final score with each surfer’s second wave worth double points “Powerwave”. Bonus points are also on offer for each team’s fifth surfer returning to the tag area before the one hour time limit.

The 2007 Jim Beam Surftag National Series is proudly supported by Jim Beam, Face of Australia Sunscreen, Mentawai Resorts, vmoto, Oporto, Coastalwatch and Australia’s Surfing Life.

Full Results
Jim Beam Surftag QLD Qualifying Round

Quarter 1 - Snapper 90.4 Byron Bay 74.8 Palm Beach 59.4
Quarter 2 - North End 69.9 MNM 65.7 Alley 50.9 Kingscliff 50.7
Quarter 3 - Burleigh 68.9 Cabarita 66 Kirra 64.7
Quarter 4 - Le Ba (Lennox Ballina) 82.7 Noosa 71.3 Mudjimba 51.2
Semi 1 - Snapper 79.4 North End 74.7 Byron bay 62.8 MNM 53.4
Semi 2 - Le Ba (Lennox Ballina) 93.2 Cabarita 79.3 Noosa 68.7 Burleigh 40.9
Final - Le Ba (Lennox Ballina) 89.4 North End 86.6 Snapper 79.9 Cabarita 49

Oporto Powerwave - Shaun Gossman (Snapper)

Qualifiers for Jim Beam Surftag National Final, Sydney March 2-3

Le Ba (Lennox Ballina), North End, Snapper, Cabarita