Episode 486

Extended Summary

On the beach, everyone is setting up for the surf carnival, with Tom and Alf sorting out the speaker. Emma, Viv and Sophie look over the programme for the event. Back at the surf club, Adam, Matt and Ben chat about the surf while Grant plays pool. Dave tells Ben not to talk to the opposition but Ben doesn’t seem interested in Dave’s moneymaking scheme and just says he’ll do his best. Adam asks Grant if he’ll beat Ben, saying he wants to see Dave go down.

Emma, Viv and Sophie see a poster and flyers for the beauty contest in the Diner and agree if one of them wins they’ll split the prize. Sophie isn’t keen to take part but Emma and Viv promise to help her look good. Emma thinks it’s degrading to women but Viv points out it’s for charity. At the counter, Ailsa offers Carly time off but she says she isn’t interested in the Ironman competition or Ben. Down on the beach, Ben looks around for Carly and is annoyed with Dave for scaring her off. Dave says he’ll sort it later. Alf approaches Dave and places a $100 bet on Grant. Dave takes Adam aside to gloat about how much money he’s making but Adam is confident it won’t last.

At the Diner, Celia complains to Ailsa about not having time to decorate the surf club for the beauty contest. Ailsa comments about how it will be most appealing to men but Celia is confident she can keep them in line. Matt comes in and remarks to the pair and Carly about the rivalry between Ben and Grant. A comment about having his money on Grant leads Celia to suspect someone is organising unlicensed gambling. Down on the beach, Ben apologises to Tom for the fuss the other night. Tom knows it was mostly Dave and Ben says military discipline gets to Dave and he likes to let off steam when he’s free. Ben wonders if Tom has advised Carly to stay away from him but Tom says Carly makes up her own mind. Matt goes over to Adam, Dave and Grant and tells them Celia knows about the book and will probably tell the police if she knows who’s behind it. Dave starts squaring up to Matt and Adam gets involved as well. Ben pacifies them, saying he and Grant just want to run a fair race. Once out of earshot of the others, Dave remarks that no-one said it would be a fair race.

Celia confronts Alf about the gambling. Alf admits he’s made a bet but refuses to tell her who’s behind it. In the surf club, the contestants are getting ready. Dave offers Ben some encouragement and mocks Grant, who is meditating nearby, until Adam tells him to back off. Alf outlines the rules to everyone. A crowd including Viv, Emma and Sophie have gathered on the beach as everyone takes their places. Grant and Ben wish each other luck while Adam and Matt discuss their chances and Celia comments to Tom on the fit young men. Alf fires a pistol to start the race and the competitors charge into the water for the swimming stage.

At the Diner, Ailsa encourages Carly to go and watch. Carly says Ben doesn’t care about her and Dave told her he’s got lots of girls but Ailsa suggests she find out for herself. Down on the beach, Grant is first out of the water, with Ben close behind him, as they grab their surfboards and head out for the next stage. Carly joins Tom watching and starts quietly cheering for Ben. Alf lays out the canoes for the next stage and Dave surreptitiously damages a foot strap on Grant’s boat. The competitors come out of the water again and Ben is momentarily distracted when he sees Carly watching. They grab their boats and head back out but Grant’s strap breaks and he topples into the water. A rescue team pull him out and Adam gives Grant his boat so he can continue the race. Grant completes the heat but Ben is now well in front as they head into the running stage.

At the surf club, Adam and Emma examine the canoe and Adam realises it was sabotaged. Alf and Dave pass through, with Dave gloating about taking Alf’s money. Adam realises Dave sabotaged the canoe. Emma thinks they should tell Alf but Adam decides to deal with it another way. He drives out into the bush and moves the race sign so it points down a different path. He hides in the bushes until Ben appears and runs in the wrong direction, then changes it back.

Celia arrives at the surf club and complains to Emma about the state of the place. Emma tells her that Dave’s the one behind the book. Celia tells Dave she won’t tell the police but will report him to his commanding officer unless he makes a donation to the Ladies’ Auxiliary. Meanwhile, Ben finds the track he has followed leads to a cliff edge and realises he’s been set up. Adam arrives back at the surf club and meets Dave. Dave is confident Ben will win but they hear the commentary over the loudspeaker saying Grant and Ben are neck and neck. They join the group at the finishing line where Grant just wins. Alf and the others congratulate him but Ben is angry, saying someone was out to make sure he didn’t win, and asks Grant if it was him.