ALMOST 200 athletes, their families, and hundreds more spectators and passers-by witnessed a wonderful start to the Surf Coast event calendar at the 2022 Surf Coast Times Jim Wall Iron Man on Sunday morning.

Local Torquay SLSC athlete Sophie Thomas and Burleigh Heads’ Matt Gilling were crowned the Jim Wall winners at the conclusion of the 61st edition of the day.

Thomas made her first trip to the podium in front of a home crowd, while Gilling cemented his Jim Wall dynasty earning his third win in four years.

“I could not be prouder of the club’s efforts on the day,” Torquay SLSC president Tiffany Quinlan said.

“All the volunteers and the other clubs that have supported us run this event for a long time, we have all worked really hard to build this event up.

“We were starved of carnivals last year, so we were stoked to kick this year off on the right foot and it was a bit of a risky move bringing the event earlier in the day, but we really pulled it off so we might see next year’s event start at the same time as well.”

A total of 188 participants, with a handful of late entrants, filled the event lists with five interstate competitors amongst the ranks originating from Surfers Paradise and Burleigh Heads.

The Open Male and Female Surf races begun the day at 9am sharp with club tents and spectators from all over the state lining Torquay Surf Beach and the 32 staggered events rolled on without a cloud in the sky.

The day’s revised format saw plenty of tight finishes and shoulder to shoulder jostling, creating for a day filled with adrenaline and excitement.

Full Surf Coast Times story here.