How Araldite and duct tape helped this surfer win his maiden national title

NSW South Coast based Dalmeny Surf Academy owner Matt Hoar won the over 35 men's division at the Australian Shortboard Titles - 2022 Australian Surf Championships at North Haven beach on the NSW North Coast on August 8.

The founder of Dalmeny Boardriders was in last position but with first priority for the final 10 minutes of the event. With three minutes to go, he picked a wave, committed, popped-up and immediately fell off.

He went from first priority - meaning other competitors had to let Hoar have the wave - to last priority, having to give way to other surfers.

His dream of winning the national championships was in tatters.

Dismayed, he paddled away from the other athletes. Christo Hall and Samba Mann in first and second were more concerned about each other, jostling for position and priority. No one paid attention to the south coast surfer.

With 90 seconds to go in the heat, Hoar saw a wave rolling in and gave it everything he had. He needed a 6.95 to take the lead.

He shredded on the wave.

As he turned and began paddling out again, with only five seconds of the heat remaining, he heard the judges score over the loudspeaker - a 7.00. He was in first place.

He had clinched victory in the dying moments of the heat, and was now national champion.

He finished on 11.95, just a 0.05 margin over Hall in second place.

Hoar said it was the greatest surfing achievement of his life.

It was made more incredible by the self-made board he was riding.

When Hoar gave up professional surfing in his mid-twenties, he lost sponsorships and found the boards available for sale at retail stores didn't match his needs. So he began creating his own.

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Hoar shaped his winning board himself more than a year ago.

Since then, makeshift repairs kept the board alive. Dings on the bottom of the board were patched with duct tape, the broken leash plug was jammed water-tight with Araldite.

"It's the magic board," Hoar said.

He rode it to victory in the 2021 state titles, and only brings it out for the best competitions.

"I don't know how much longer it has in it," he said.

A day later, on August 9, Hoar backed up his performance finishing fifth in the over 40s category.

Hoar hopes his achievement will inspire juniors on the south coast to pursue surfing without having to leave the area like he had too.