Pittwater Online News

April 6 - 12, 2014: Issue 157

Aussies 2014 - Pittwater Surf Life Savers Excel in the Water and On the Sand

State Champions Newport SLSC were sitting in a very respectable 3rd place overall as we went to press last evening.  All Pittwater Surf Clubs who have sent teams and members have done very well during the last few days of competition, with many gold, silver and bronze Aussies Medals won. Reports from those who have crossed the Nullarbor indicate club members have been banding together socially too. 

With the number of clubs and competitors that have descended on Scarborough this week (March 31- April 6), The Aussies, organised by Surf Life Saving Australia, is the largest event of its kind in the world - in the same magnitude as the Commonwealth Games. 

On Day 3 Surf Life Saving Australia reported:

Sydney’s Newport club provided the biggest shock by chasing down the all-star Northcliffe A team in the open ski relay.

Boasting Olympic Games K4 kayak gold medallists Murray Stewart and Tate Smith, as well as Ironman champion Shannon Eckstein, Northcliffe looked unbeatable before the start and there was no reason to think anything else after Stewart and Eckstein had given final paddler Smith a commanding lead.

Smith was comfortably ahead within sight of the beach but found trouble on the final wave and fell off his ski.

As Smith tried to recover, Newport’s Luke Morrison paddled his way into the finish, the pair reaching the beach together before Morrison sprinted away to win ahead of Northclife’s B team, with Smith’s team placed third.

It was the biggest win of their careers for Morrison and teammates Mitch Trim and Chad Alston.

“I knew as soon as I turned the last can that the race wasn’t over, with theses waves and this surf, and I know I’m a quick runner,” 29-year-old Morrison, who moved to Newport from South Australia this season, said.

“Even if I’d hit the beach 10 metres behind I’d have still backed myself as a runner.

“When I saw Tate get into trouble, I just lined up the flag, put on the power, got to my feet first and ran my little heart out.”

Newport proved it is an emerging power in surf lifesaving with more success in the under-19 men’s board relay where its teams finished first and second, with the A team of Max Brooks, Cody Marr and Lachlan Reid taking the gold medal.

Pittwater Masters competitors have sprinted, swim and paddled, taking out golds, silvers and bronzes throughout the course of their events as well in all age divisions for both women and men.

Over the seven days, 5,000 competitors have chased prized Aussies medals on the beach and in the ocean with craft, swimming, rescue and lifesaving events that hone the skills and ability of our surf lifesavers to protect the community, and ensure they are rescue ready.

Entry Statistics for 2014 Aussies:

Total number of competitors: 5,028

Total number of clubs: 190

Total number of Masters competitors: 1,293

Total number of Masters clubs: 137

Total number of Open Competitors: 3,735

Total number of Open Clubs: 156

Open Clubs Per State: NSW (62), QLD (27), WA (21), VIC (18), SA (12), TAS (4), NT (2), International (10)

Masters Clubs Per State: NSW (59), QLD (29), WA (18), VIC (16), SA (10), TAS (2), NT (1), International (2)

Visit the event website at www.sls.com.au/aussies

Results - as of 5th of April, 2014

Palm Beach SLSC

2nd  Open Mixed Surf Boat Relay Palm Beach Grand Final Heat 1

3rd 50-54 Male 2km Beach Run Tim Gates Grand Final Heat 1

5th Open Female 2km Beach Run Thea Welsby Grand Final Heat 1

1st U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Pistons Round 4 Heat 1

3rd Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Persauders  Round 6 Heat 4

1st U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Pistons Round 3 Heat 3

2nd Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Persauders Round 5 Heat 3

4th U23 Female (Cond. Age) Surf Boat Pups Round 3 Heat 2

2nd U23 Female (Cond. Age) Surf Boat Poppies Round 3 Heat 1

2nd  Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Phantom Round 4 Heat 112

2nd Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Persauders Round 4 Heat 111

10th  U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Phoenix Round 2 Heat 1

1st U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Pistons Round 2 Heat 1

8th Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Phantom Round 2 Heat 1

1st Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Persauders Round 2 Heat 1

5th U23 Female (Cond. Age) Surf Boat Poppies Round 2 Heat 1

4th U23 Female (Cond. Age) Surf Boat Pups Round 2 Heat 1

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Whale Beach SLSC

1st 70 Yrs and Over Rescue Tube Race Bill Phillips Grand Final Heat 1

1st 70 Yrs and Over Surf Race Bill Phillips Grand Final Heat 1

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Newport SLSC

1st U19 Male Taplin Relay (3 team) Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st U19 Mixed Double Ski Team A  Grand Final Heat 1

1st U17 Male Taplin Relay (3 team) Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st U19 Male Surf Team Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st Open Male Single Ski Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st U19 Male Surf Board Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st U19 Male Surf Board Riding Bodi Smith Grand Final Heat 1

1st 60-64 Male Beach Flags Martin Lynch Grand Final Heat 1

1st 60-64 Male Beach Sprint Martin Lynch Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  U19 Male Surf Board Rescue Team A Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  U19 Mixed Surf Belt Team B Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  U19 Male Rescue Tube Rescue Team B Grand Final Heat 1

2nd U17 Male Surf Team Team A Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  U19 Male Surf Board Relay Team B Grand Final Heat 1

2nd U17 Male Champion Lifesaver Jackson Borg Grand Final Heat 1

2nd U19 Male Champion Lifesaver Liam Yeates Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  40-44 Male Beach Flags Jeremy Rolleston Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  55-59 Female Surf Board Christine Hopton Grand Final Heat 1

3rd U19 Male Surf Board Rescue Team B Grand Final Heat 1

3rd U19 Male Rescue Tube Rescue Team A Grand Final Heat 1

3rd U17 Male Surf Board Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

3rd U19 Mixed Single Ski Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

3rd 130 yrs min Female Surf Board Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

3rd 45-99 Female Double Ski Team A Grand Final Heat 1

3rd 40-44 Male Beach Sprint Jeremy Rolleston Grand Final Heat 1

4th Open Male Beach Flags Jake Lynch Grand Final Heat 1

4th U19 Male Surf Board Rescue Team C Grand Final Heat 1

4th Open Male Beach Sprint Jake Lynch Grand Final Heat 1

4th U19 Male Beach Sprint Nicholas Bate Grand Final Heat 1

4th U17 Mixed Single Ski Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

4th 150 yrs min Male Surf Team Team A Grand Final Heat 1

4th 55-59 Female Ironwoman Christine Hopton  Grand Final Heat 1

5th U17 Mixed Surf Belt Team B Grand Final Heat 1

5th Open Male Single Ski Relay Team B Grand Final Heat 1

5th 45-99 Female Surf Board Rescue Team A Grand Final Heat 1

5th 50-99 Male Surf Board Rescue Team A Grand Final Heat 1

5th 50-54 Male Surf Race Stuart Meares Grand Final Heat 1

6th Open Female Surf Team Team A Grand Final Heat 1

6th 130 yrs min Female Single Ski Relay  Team A Grand Final Heat 1

The A team of Lachie Reid, Max Brooks and Cody Marr [front row] got the money from the B team of Jayke Rees, Jonah Beard and Fletcher Davies - gold and silver in the board relay.

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Mona Vale SLSC

1st Open Mixed Surf Boat Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

1st 40-44 Female Beach Flags Kristyn Monnock Grand Final Heat 1

1st 40-44 Female Beach Sprint Kristyn Monnock Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  U15 Female Surf Board Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

2nd  40-44 Female Surf Board Kristyn Monnock Grand Final Heat 1

3rd 35-99 Female Surf Board Rescue Team A Grand Final Heat 1

Right: Sophie and Kris

4th 35-39 Female Beach Sprint Sophie Stokes Grand Final Heat 1

5th 110 yrs min Female Surf Board Relay Team A Grand Final Heat 1

2nd U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Rocks Round 4 Heat 4

1st Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Black  Round 6 Heat 3

4th U23 Male (Cond. Boat Age) Surf Boat Rocks Round 3 Heat 3

2nd Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Black Round 5 Heat 4

1st Reserve Grade (Cond Boat Age) Surf Boat Black Round 4 Heat 1

Mona Vale under 15 girls Janice Quinn, Sophia Tonoli and Samantha Wilcox came second to the very powerful Northcliffe in the board relay.