Tuesday October 12 2010 (Sydney, NSW) - The Jim Beam Surftag will get underway this coming weekend with two speciality tag team events kicking off a nine event National Series. The ‘Industry Challenge' and all new ‘Trade Off' will be held at Curl Curl on Sydney's Northern Beaches.

The Industry Challenge on Friday 15th will see 24 Surf Industry heavyweights fight it out for top honours while the Trade Off event on Saturday 16th will feature 16 different trades going head to head for the first time ever.

Who surfs better? Plumbers or Teachers? Electricians or Musicians? Life Guards or Fire Fighters? Joining them will be Builders, Tilers, Lawn Mowers, Financial Advisers, Fashionistas, Hospitality, Personal Trainers and Transportation, all surfing it out in teams of four to determine once and for all Sydney's best surfing trade.

Australia's most famous beach boys from Bondi Rescue have submitted their team for the event with Ryan Clarke (Whippet) leading a group of fellow Surf Lifesavers including Luke Daniels, Dunstan Foss and former Australian Champion Max Ayshford.

"I think we'll be a good chance, we've got a couple of good blokes so if they can come through with the goods then hopefully we'll be there at the end of the day," said Clarke. "We spend a lot of time at the beach and if the comp was held in 2 foot slop with 300 beginners in the line-up like Bondi then I think we'd have an advantage for sure.

"I know the Fire Fighters get good time off and the builders are never shy of an sickie when the waves are good so it should be some tough competition."

"I think everyone will put in a good show on the day but if the transport guys are cabbies I don't know how many I've met that can navigate a car let alone a little right hander at South Curl Curl."

Former West Australian surfing champion Geremy Blake will captain a team of talented Fire Fighters for the Trade of event and believes the boy's from the beach wouldn't have it all their own way.

"Just because we are in the station doesn't mean we don't surf as much as the other blokes," said Geremy. "We work in shifts, so a lot of the time I'll be surfing gentleman hours after nine while most people are just heading into the office."

"It will be unreal to see who takes this out, not sure how the Real Estate agents and the Financiers are going to go though, could be some dodgy tactics going down.

"All of our blokes are pretty fit as well so we'll have an advantage in that department."

The winning team of the Trade Off will receive $1000 cash and bragging rights as the top surfing trade in Sydney.

The Industry Challenge scheduled for Friday 15th October will feature 24 teams of 4 surfers from a host of Australia's top surf brands and surf media affiliates. Defending champions Hurley will head a long list of surf industry including Billabong, Quiksilver, Volcom, Rip Curl, RVCA and O'Neill.

The country's top surf journalists and online swell forecasters have also entered teams with Waves Magazine, Tracks Magazine, Swellnet and Coastalwatch all out to secure year round bragging rights.

With the Australian industry littered with world champions, former professionals and impressive underground talent, a growing list of big names are lining up to surf for their respective affiliate brands.

Two time world champion Tom Carroll (Quiksilver), former world tour surfers Matt Hoy (Quiksilver), Todd Prestage (Hurley), Nathan Webster (RVCA), Ritchie Lovett (FCS) along with former WQS surfers Matt Bemrose (Volcom), Zahn Foxton (Volcom) and Christo Hall (Manly Surf School) are all earmarked to surf in the one day event.

The 2011 Jim Beam Surftag is proudly supported by FCS, Sanyo and O'Neill. Media partners for the series are Swellnet and Tracks surfing magazine.

Trade Off Teams

1. Builders x 2 teams

2. Plumbers

3. Tilers

4. Electricians

5. Lawn Mowers

6. Finance

7. Transport

8. Fire Brigade

9. Real Estate

10. Fashion

11. Hospitality

12. Lifeguards

13. Teachers x 2 teams

14. Miners

15. Personal trainers

16. Musicians

Industry Challenge (Final team list and heat draw TBC)

1. Hurley

2. Manly Surf School

3. O'Neill

4. Aloha Surf Manly

5. FCS

6. Gorilla Grip

7. Volcom

8. Quiksilver

9. Billabong

10. Rip Curl

11. RVCA

12. Tracks

13. Waves

14. Swellnet

15. Insight

16. SDS

17. Analog

18. Australian Surfer

19. O & E

20. Warner Surfboards

21. Creatures

22. Coastalwatch

23. Psilakis Surfboards

24. KEVN (Kustom,Element, Von Zipper, Nixon)

2010/11 Jim Beam Surftag Dates And Locations

Oct 15 Industry Challenge (Curl Curl)

Oct 16 Trade Off (Curl Curl)

Nov 13 Women's Surftag (Dee Why)

Dec 11 NSW North Surftag (Newcastle)

Dec 18 Victoria Surftag (TBC)

Jan 8 West Australia Surftag (TBC)

Jan 15 Queensland Surftag (Duranbah)

Jan 29/30 NSW South Surftag (Cronulla)

Feb 3/4/5 Surftag Australian Final (Northern Beaches, Sydney)