The three-day event featured entrants from Under 13 through to Masters in both short and long board riding with over 120 athletes participating.
Despite the small surf conditions at Soldiers Beach, competition was strong across all age groups with a number of exceptional performances.
Maroubra’s Marie Emerson for the second consecutive year claimed the double of long and short board in the women’s 50+ events. Suellen Goyne (Caves Beach SLSC) proved her strength in the 40-49 group taking out the Female Long Board and finished a close second in the Short Board event behind Avalon Beach’s Moana Roberts. Goyne backed up her efforts in the Open Long Board to claim silver for her third medal of the championships.
Bondi Rescue’s Anthony Carroll (Bronte SLSC), Adrian van der Wallen (Palm Beach SLSC) and Trent Roberts (Newcastle SLSC) won two gold medals each in their respective age groups in both Short and Long Board events.
Meanwhile in the youth events, South West Rocks’ Finn Askew blitzed his field in the Under 14 and Under 15 Male events claiming two gold medals.
Like Askew, Summer Simon (Port Kembla) also won two gold medals in her age group (Under 14) and Under 15s which is an outstanding effort from the two surf lifesavers.
North Bondi SLSC was well represented in the youth events with Kirra Lowlett-Richards and Dylan Bernard winning the Under 17 Female Short Board and Under 19 Male Short Board respectively, while Arabella Keating-Follas took out the Open Female Short Board.
Brendan Wall was a standout for Shelly Beach SLSC winning gold in his age category of Under 17s then going on to win the Open Male Short Board event.
This is now the second year the competition has been staged separately from the main NSW Surf Life Saving Championships to allow more athletes the opportunity to compete.
Surf Life Saving NSW Sports Events Coordinator, Luke Stigter says overall it was a highly successful carnival.
“I have to thank everyone involved over the three days of competition, in particularly Soldiers Beach SLSC for hosting such a great event. Despite the swell staying at one to two foot the whole weekend, the sun was out and the competition was friendly,” Luke Stigter said.
Monday 22 August 2016