For the fourth consecutive time, the NSW Country Team has taken out Trans-Tasman victory against Northern Region (New Zealand) and the Central Coast in what shaped up to be a fantastic series.
The Trans-Tasman event has been run every second year for the last 27 years. It’s a unique development event between the Central Coast, NSW Country team and New Zealand representative teams that provides a pathway for athletes into elite State and National teams and events.
The NSW Country team is selected via a nomination and selection panel similar to the State team selection.
The three-meet biennial series took place at North Avoca, Umina and MacMasters beaches. An 18-strong Country team were met with every condition imaginable; choppy surf, harsh breaks, heat waves and overcast days. Despite all this, the athletes took home three-for-three wins, leaving them once again a dominant force to be reckoned with.
Country team veterans Jordan White, Luke Chaffer and Angus MacPhail provided invaluable guidance and motivation to the young guns joining the team for the first time.
Senior Country athlete Jordan White said "It was great competition this year. New Zealand really stepped it up making each race a real test. This series is always so much fun and this year the conditions were good but tough. It went from flat on day one, through to decent surf on the last day.”
Another long-time representative of the NSW Country team, Luke Chaffer from Cudgen Headland, said it was gratifying for the team to come out on top again. “This year we’ve won all three rounds of the event, taking a clean sweep with a strong finish on Monday.
“This event is pivotal for our younger regional athletes for experience and exposure working, training and racing against elite athletes as well as getting to hang out with the Open and top-level athletes. I first raced in this team as a 16-year-old and for me, getting to train and race with the older guys who were my inspiration really shaped my direction as an athlete in this sport. It is a great pathway event and so much fun.”
Congratulations to all the athletes, many of whom will be competing again in two weeks’ time at the Interstate Championships in Sydney.
Preparations will continue to ramp up over the coming weeks with the Country Team travelling to Newport Beach on Tuesday 22 January for a pre-competition camp before the Interstate Championships are held on Thursday 24 January 2019.
Tuesday 8 January 2019