The Australian Masters Surf Life Saving Championships has been run and won in Scarborough, Western Australia, with several NSW clubs featuring heavily on the final day and having an impact across each competition event.
Just as they did at the NSW Championships, North Bondi SLSC led the medal tally at the end of two days of competition, before neighbours Bondi Surf Bathers LSC overtook them following the board riding events to finish on top with Laura Thurtell and Dori Miller winning five gold medals each for the club.
Four of the five clubs to achieve 10 or more gold medals came from NSW, being North Bondi, Bondi, Newport and Terrigal SLSCs, while Manly LSC also performed well.
Hayden Smith was one of the stand out athletes of the event, grabbing four individual gold medals for Terrigal in the 40-44 Male Iron, Board, Swim, and 2km Ocean Swim.
His slew of individual golds complemented those earned by Masters stalwart and clubmate, Paul Lemmon, who was fortunate enough to win his 110th gold medal on the first day of competition. All up, he grabbed four in the 55-59 Male category.
Laura Thurtell of Bondi was similarly dominant in the 55-59 Female category for Bondi, bagging three gold medals including the Iron race, and two-time Olympic rower, Julia Bell of Manly was too strong in the 40-44 Female Single Ski, naturally, as well as the Board Race.
Many smaller or regional clubs had success too – Warilla-Barrack Point SLSC’s dominant duo, Jordan White and Nicole Sims picked up a hatful of golds between them. Notably, Nicole pipped her clubmate to the post in the combined 30-34 and 35-39 Female Iron, but on account of the combined age category race, Jordan’s third place was enough to win the 30-34 category and ensure both left with wins.
North Avoca SLSC’s Colleen Harrison was too strong in the 55-59 Female Board before then teaming up with Marguerite George to take out the Board Rescue as well. Further up the road at Shelly Beach SLSC on the Central Coast, Steph Carey showed her swim skills to claim gold in the 30-34 Female Surf Race and 2km Ocean Swim.
Wins in the 65-69 Male Iron and Board races made the big trip home to Byron Bay SLSC a little easier for Colin Mustoe.
On Sydney’s Northern Beaches and with the club to keep an eye on now that Opens has begun, Newport SLSC’s Ash Brown was near perfect in his run to three golds in the 50-54 Male Iron, Board and Surf Race.
The Open Competition for the Aussies gets underway today, Wednesday 29 March, with the blue-ribbon Ironman and Ironwoman to be held on Sunday 2 April.
Wednesday 29 March 2023
