Surf clubs are about so much more than superstars and this sixth State Championship win by Newport SLSC is a great example.
Newport SLSC entered the 2019 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships knowing that defending its title would potentially be a solid challenge.
The Sydney Northern Beaches club prides itself on the athlete development and competitive success. This year however, some of their key competitors were out, but their strength and breadth across the entire program was irrefutable.
It all kicked off over the Lifesaving Championships weekend. The club fielded strong teams in the Champion Lifesaver and the Patrol Competition where they secured top three places in six of the 13 events.
Led by water competitor Phoebe Savage, club chief instructor Guyren Smith, and year on year age group first aid superstars Lily Tancred and Linda Leck, Newport’s Nick Carroll commented, “this team has come along in huge leaps over the last season. They collected a heap of points at Swansea Belmont, giving the open surf and beach squads a real lift coming into the carnival.”
The following weekend they continued to display their competence in the core lifesaving arena taking out gold and silver in the Under 19 First Aid Competition as well as third in the Under 15 and Open divisions.
These results proved valuable as the overall pointscore begun to accumulate the following weekend. It showcased the breadth of the Newport team across all areas of competition.
Newport caps were heavily represented in each division from Under 15s through to Opens as you looked out across Swansea Belmont’s Blacksmiths Beach. The team was ignited by the energetic efforts of the young water squad. “The boys won and filled the placings in every race in their division,” said Carroll. “Kimberley Doyle’s emphatic Under 15 Ironwoman win on finals day gave everyone something to cheer about.
“The team was also led from the top,” continued Carroll. “It’s no coincidence that this sixth title win coincided with NSW team captain and ski champ Mitchell Trim’s sixth straight open ski title.”
With a grin to match his wins, Mitchell Trim was racing in memory of fellow competitor and friend Alana de Kort of Collaroy SLSC, who tragically lost her battle with cancer in 2018.
Trim said wearing a pineapple tattoo on his arm was a fitting tribute for a beautiful girl and former competitor. “The Pineapple symbolised Alana; she always stood tall and was very sweet on the inside. She competed at the State Champs all the way through Nippers.”
Mitchell Trim with his pineapple in memory of Alana de Kort
Trim carried Alana with him through his wins in Open Single Ski, Ski Relay, Double Ski, Lifesaver Relay and Mixed Double Ski on Sunday.
“These conditions are like a kayaking regatta it's a bit like being back at Umina Beach. You've got to be on the whole way, but it's pretty fun out there.
“I've won the ski race two or three times but never at Swansea Belmont, usually the waves chew me up a little here, so this has been great.”
The NSW Interstate captain also showed that he was a little worried about maintaining his place in the Opens team with the success of the up and coming young guns.
“We've got a really good crew at Newport. The young kids coming up are very, very impressive. We train hard but have a good old time and the club is in a really good place at the moment so I’m just trying to keep my spot before I get pushed out by the developing talent.”
Reports and photos by SLS NSW HERE
On Friday March 15th 2019 150 thousand Australian students, Pittwaterians among them, again forwent a day at school, preparing for their future, in order to state that the time to step up and ensure they have a future is now well overdue - by decades in fact.
In over 60 cities and towns across our nation the 'future' demanded immediate and urgent leadership from Australian politicians to tackle climate change. Internationally, students in more than 123 countries took action at 2052 strikes, bringing over one million voices to Friday's protest. They marched in Prague, in New York city, in Manchester, in Paris, Dublin, Parma - in fact everywhere - even in Antarctica;
Photo: March 15, 2019 - courtesy Alfred-Wegener Institute; 'FridaysForFuture Overwinterer at the Neumayer Station III in the #Antarctic support the #SchoolStrike4Climate #ScientistsForFuture'
The Australian school strike movement began when school students in Central Victoria were inspired by now 16 year old Nobel Peace Prize nominee Swedish student Greta Thunberg who has been striking outside Swedish Parliament every Friday since August.
16 year old Nosrat Fareha from Western Sydney said, “The turn out across Australia was nothing short of amazing.
“Politicians have responded with indifference to our crippling summer of record heat, bushfires and floods. It’s no wonder so many came out in support today.
“With the federal election around the corner, our political leaders must commit to stop the Adani coal mine, say no to new coal and gas projects and transition to 100% renewable energy by 2030.
“There’s no time to stand by and wait for the bold action we need. We will keep organising, building our movement and riding the wave of community frustration until Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten step up to the job.” concluded Fareha.
Jimmy Barnes at Friday's Sydney School Strike 4 Climate Action
In the wake of Friday’s demonstrations by schoolchildren across the world against climate change inaction, the UN Secretary-General has said he understands their fears, but is hopeful for the future.
In a direct message to the youth activists who took to the streets, UN chief António Guterres said that he understood the anxiety and “fear for the future” behind their actions but added that “humankind is capable of enormous achievements. Your voices give me hope.”
“These schoolchildren have grasped something that seems to elude many of their elders”, he said, adding that “we are in a race for our lives, and we are losing. The window of opportunity is closing; we no longer have the luxury of time, and climate delay is almost as dangerous as climate denial.”
The Secretary-General acknowledged that his older generation “has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry.”
The next School Strike for Climate Action, based on a simple 10 x arithmetic, will be 1.5 million people here - after that 10x becomes Australia closed down for a day that's not about a car race, footy match or because we've won the America's Cup ....
