Boardriding teams comprised of amateur and pros competed for cash prizes in relay contest

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of surfers from Carlsbad, Calif., won the inaugural Jim Beam® Surftag® U.S. National Series on Saturday. Team Reef bested 22 other crews from boardriding clubs around California, all vying for the title of "No. 1 Surf Club in California" and cash prizes.

"The Jim Beam Surftag event is awesome," said Sean Marceron of the winning Team Reef. "There's not really anything like it, where you can link up with your good buddies and get all riled up!"

Surftag® is a relay competition in which five members of each team must catch three waves and then return to the beach to tag the next team member. The culmination of three qualifying rounds held in the past two months on California beaches, the finals were held Friday Nov. 13 and Saturday Nov. 14 off Huntington Beach.

"Our first Surftag event on U.S. shores was a huge success," said Paige Guzman, category lead, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. "The competitors represented some of the most talented surfers in the world, giving fans the perfect introduction to this exciting team format. Jim Beam is honored to bring Surftag to the U.S. and we look forward to continuing this mutually beneficial partnership."

Each round of the finals was fiercely contested, with bonus points playing a key role in deciding the top finishers. Happy Endings, led by Yves Bright, won two of the three qualifying events, but fell three-tenths of a point short in the semifinals and failed to advance to the championship heat. Team Lost, led by Ryan Simmons, chose the right waves in challenging conditions and put up huge scores to beat Man Sandwich to join the FCS Chargers, Plus One Surfboards, Lost and Reef teams in the final heat.

With Team Reef fighting the clock, the FCS Chargers and Plus One Surfboards turned it on at the end to grab bonus points. However, Chris Abad, Team Reef's anchor man, caught three waves in less than eight minutes and secured the win.

In addition to the $2,000 cash prize, Jim Beam® will salute Team Reef with a mobile billboard featuring their names and team photo. The billboard route will focus on Team Reef's

hometown and break. Jim Beam® Surftag® awarded $25,000 in cash prizes throughout the series.

Jim Beam® supports surfers around the globe. Jim Beam® Surftag® started in Australia in 2001 and has grown into the country's largest team boardriding competition. The U.S. version attracted dozens of competitors and fans to each venue along the California coastline.

Jim Beam®, the world's No. 1-selling Bourbon, launched the first Surftag® U.S. Nationals competition in partnership with IMG Sports & Entertainment.

CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS:

1st PLACE - Reef

Total Points 102 - Teddy Navarro 20pts; Sean Marceron 28pts; Chris Waring 17.8pts; Nick Rosza 17.8pts; Chris Abad 16.4pts.

2nd PLACE - Plus One Surfboards

Total Points 85.6 - Lane Harrison 10pts; Shane Valiere 16.5pts; Adam Instone 23.3pts; Rodger Eales 19.8pts; Drew Irons 13pts.

3rd PLACE - FCS Chargers

Total Points 85.6 - Jamie Meistrell 13pts; Kyle Knox 20pts; Ricky Whitlock 13.8pts; Che Stang 23.2 pts; Justin Swartz 11.6pts.

4th PLACE - Lost

Total Points 61.3 - Ryan Simmons 18.6 pts; Jason Miller 17.2 pts; Mike Maurer 6.2pts; Brandon Ragenovich 16.7pts; Chuckilupo 7.1pts.

Please visit www.jimbeamsurftag.com or www.surfline.com/jimbeamsurftag for more information.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, EFFEN® Vodka, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO), a leading consumer brands company recently named one of the World's Most Admired Companies by Fortune magazine. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

About IMG Sports & Entertainment

Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment's diverse businesses include: product and brand licensing; consulting services; event ownership and management; collegiate marketing, media and licensing; fashion events and models representation; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year. More information is available at www.imgworld.com.

About Global Surftag

The Jim Beam Surftag is Australia's premier team surfing series with World Tour surfers Mick Fanning (Kirra), Joel Parkinson (Snapper Rocks) and Taj Burrow (Yallingup) representing their local boardriding clubs. The Jim Beam Surftag provides a national competition for boardriding clubs to compete against each other and to determine Australia's No.1 club. The Jim Beam Surftag is run under the popular tag team format with each club represented by five surfers. In relay style each surfer catches three waves and then returns to the beach to tag their team's next surfer. www.globalsurftag.com.

Jim Beam® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% Alc./Vol. ©2009

James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY.

SOURCE Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.

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