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USC wins University Games surfing event
The University of the Sunshine Coast has broken the NSW stranglehold on the Tag Teams Challenge trophy at the recent Australian University Games Surfing competition at Narrowneck on the Gold Coast.
The USC team, comprising captain Kristen Veltmeyer, Kari Martin, Kelli Anderson, Stephanie Holliday and Junior Pro circuit competitor Joe Schwarz, staged an upset victory over their more fancied rivals.
It is only the second time since the Tag Teams Challenge began in 1968 that a university in Queensland has won the trophy, with Griffith University claiming it as far back as 1993.
In the event, each competitor surfs for 12 minutes before tagging their next team mate. Each team can nominate a power surfer, who can indicate after a wave to claim a “double whammy”, or double points, for that ride.
The USC victory hinged on the performance of Joe Schwarz who competed in the team event shortly after winning the blue ribbon Mens Shortboard division at the Games.
Kristen said Joe turned his best ride in the Tag Teams Challenge, a ride which scored 8.25, into his “double whammy” score to steal victory from favourites, the University of Wollongong.
“At risk of it sounding like the ‘Joe Show’, it was his superb wave selection that saw our team sneak from behind to take a shock win in the Tag Teams Challenge,” she said.
“There we were, shaking our heads in defeat. They started counting down the winners, and when Wollongong – who had won it several years running – came second, we stared at each other in confusion.”
“Utterly gobsmacked, we posed with a huge trophy and massive grins on our faces. It was a great end to an eventful week and we were stoked. We're looking forward to defending our title next year."
Kristen thanked USC’s Student Activities and Clubs Officer Jordan Hougan for her help in organising the team and all the students who participated in the surfing competition.
– Terry Walsh