North Bondi SLSC is the NSW Surf Life Saving Masters Champion club for a second straight year, claiming the title just days after defending their Age Championship at Queenscliff beach.
The Sydney club has made a habit of success on the Northern Beaches and did so again today as the 2024 NSW Surf Life Saving Masters Championships, proudly presented by Your local club, came to a close.
They just squeezed past neighbours, Bondi Surf Bathers LSC who finished second, while Manly LSC rounded out the podium ahead of Shelly Beach SLSC on the Central Coast.
Only seven points separated one and two by the end of the day, showing just how tight the contest was, right down to the final event.
Competitors contested a team’s package on the second of the two-day Championships on 14 March, with cascading waves making for tricky and at times breathtaking races across three highly active water zones.
Port Macquarie kicked off their day with a win in the 130 Year Female Taplin, with Debra Bartlett, Raelene Myers and Sara-Jane Oakeshott taking gold ahead of the teams from Bondi SBLSC and North Avoca SLSC.
Later, in the 170 Year Female Taplin, Palm Beach SLSC’s Fiona Rae, Annabelle Chapman and Diane Van Ooi were winners – much to the surprise of Diane who wasn’t aware she was in the lead for the final swim leg.
Further down the beach, Avoca Beach SLSC added to their medal haul and pushed themselves up the point score with the team of Mark Felton, Matthew Jones, and David O’Grady winning the 170 Year Male Taplin.
Moving into mid-morning, Wanda SLSC’s Hayden Allum, Joel, and Benjamin Bolewski grabbed gold for their club in the 110 Year Male Board Relay, the former two adding to the medal they won earlier in the day in the 110 Year Taplin, while Manly’s Julia Bell, Rachel Crerar, and Florence Epper won the 110 Year Female Board Relay.
Bondi’s Margaret Simpson-Lee, Jeanette Brits, and Robyn Hill all placed inside the top five swimmers as they comfortably won the 150 Year Female Surf Teams, while Freshwater SLSC had a much tighter finish in the 170 Year Male as the team of Dave Bredeson, John de Mestre, and Andrew De Vries pipped North Bondi’s team by five points.
Just after midday, an ecstatic Stockton SLSC team earned the Hunter club’s first gold of the Championships – Katie Mulquiney, Kylie Whitbred, and Jo-anne Dryden positively stoked to take out the 130 Year Female Single Ski Relay.
Closer to Queenscliff SLSC, Calvin Brodie, Gregory Byrnes, and Mark Norris navigated challenging surf to claim the 150 Year Male Ski Relay.
Caves Beach SLSC and North Bondi were among the winners in the Double Ski, with Paul Carter and Robert Hunt taking out the 70-74 Male category for the Hunter club and Megan Rumford and Elizabeth Wise doing so for the eventual champions.
Central Coast had a good run in the Board Rescue late in the day –The Lakes SLSC’s Lauren Goldie and Leeanne Longford teamed up to take out the 40-44 Female event, and Terrigal SLSC’s Chris Mensforth and Hayden Smith added another medal to their tally in the 30-34 Male.
The 2024 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships, proudly presented by Your local club, continues tomorrow, Friday 15 March, with the beginning of the Open and Surf Boat Championships.
OVERALL POINT SCORE TOP 15
North Bondi SLSC – 409
Bondi SBLSC – 402
Manly LSC – 338
Shelly Beach SLSC – 219
Port Macquarie SLSC – 180
Wanda SLSC – 158
Terrigal SLSC – 154
Freshwater SLSC – 145
Queenscliff SLSC – 135
Palm Beach SLSC – 118
Coogee SLSC – 112
Wamberal SLSC – 102
Newport SLSC – 92
Stockton SLSC – 89
The Lakes SLSC – 87
AMENDMENT 27/3/24 – Following the accumulation of points earned across the Lifesaving, Surf Boat, and beach and water events for the State Championships, Bondi SBLSC was awarded the Overall Club Champion title.
Thursday 14 March 2024