Reigning and now incumbent champions, Caves Beach SLSC would almost need to stay home to lose the 2024 Sharkskin Inflatable Rescue Boat Premiership after the penultimate third round at Avoca Beach, but many individual teams and clubs are chasing points and pride to close it all out next weekend.
131 points separates the Hunter-based progressive point score powerhouse and traditional rivals, Kiama Downs SLSC after three quarters of the series – the latest leg of which seeing them pick up a series-high 162 points on the Central Coast.
The club’s U23 Male teams have been dominant, to say the least, winning each of the categories on offer last time out – Tube, Rescue and Mass – with a spattering of other major wins across the age groups and often with multiple teams in the final.
It’s meant Kiama Downs and South Maroubra SLSC have been held at boat’s length or more the entire Premiership, juking it out for second and third across each weekend of competition to date.
They’ll now have the fourth and final chance to settle the score, with the ten-point advantage held by the South Coast club the far more likely of the podium leads to be toppled at Ocean Beach.
South Maroubra, for its part, has been a not so unexpected surprise after a strong showing in 2023, carving it up since the opening weekend at Collaroy more than a month ago.
The Sydney club has pushed Kiama Downs all the way, including claiming second place on points in Round 2 at Fingal Beach, and barring some miraculous bad luck should finish, at worst, among the podium places for a second straight year.
Consecutive Open Mixed Relay wins, after the event didn’t feature during Round 1, have helped propel South Maroubra up the point score, while their U23 Females, in particular, have been strong at each race meet.
Newport SLSC and Thirroul SLSC are the runaway favourites to round out the top five, the former’s Rookie and Open teams consistently amongst the points at Avoca Beach, and in the club’s return to IRB racing, Forster SLSC’s 15 points in Round 3 was good for 10th overall on the weekend – a fine showing for the small Lower North Coast team.
The final round of the 2024 Sharkskin IRB Premiership takes place a few kilometres south of Round 3, this time playing out at Ocean Beach SLSC across the weekend of 22-23 June.
SHARKSKIN IRB PREMIERSHIP POINT SCORE AFTER ROUND 3
Caves Beach SLSC – 411
Kiama Downs SLSC – 280
South Maroubra SLSC – 270
Newport SLSC – 196
Thirroul SLSC – 153
Queenscliff SLSC – 103
Maroubra SLSC – 91
Bondi SBLSC – 89
Nobbys SLSC – 86
North Avoca SLSC – 65
North Cronulla SLSC – 57
Forster SLSC – 19
Avalon Beach SLSC – 19
Helensburgh Stanwell Park SLSC – 14
Fingal Beach SLSC – 13
Ocean Beach SLSC – 9
Bungan Beach SLSC – 2
Mona Vale SLSC – 0
Soldiers Beach SLSC – YET TO COMPETE
Wanda SLSC – YET TO COMPETE
Wednesday 12 June 2024