Lifesavers from Southern NSW had plenty to smile about at the annual Interbranch Championship last weekend as they took on the challenge of the best surf sport athletes from around the state.


The squad members acquitted themselves well on Black Head Beach as the South Coast (675 points, 7th overall) and Far South Coast (311 in 10th) performed strongly.



There was plenty of joy for both the Far South Coast and South Coast teams on the sand in the Male U14 Division with Pambula’s Patrick Broe and Ethan Smith (Gerringong) taking out the Beach Sprint and Flag events respectively.



“It was a very close race right to the end and I’m very happy with how I started and finished. It was definitely one of the fastest races I’ve been in those other boys are really quick,” said Patrick Broe.



“I’ve raced at Interbranch the last couple of years first year I came third in my first season and second last year so it’s great to be able to build on that.”



Sam Zustovich (Mollymook) fresh from his performance at the Interclub World Championship in South Australia took out the Youth Beach Sprint/Flag double while South Coast also had the most experienced competitor in the competition in their ranks with 35-year-old Chad Poland performing the mentoring role he enjoys so much.



The NSW Director of Surf Sport, Don van Keimpema, thanked the Black Head SLSC volunteers and work party for hosting a great weekend of racing and congratulated all the athletes, team managers, coaches and officials for their efforts.



“We’re hoping to build this event to be one of the premier events in the state. The team environment we had this weekend was absolutely fantastic,” he said.



With Interbranch now behind them for another season lifesavers from across the south coast can now ramp up their training ahead of the 2019 Country Championships which will be held at Kingscliff Beach in February and the NSW Titles to be held in March at Swansea’s Blacksmiths Beach.



It’s shaping up to be another exciting summer of surf sports and with encouraging results from the Interbranch Championship the athletes from down south will know that they can take on the best that NSW has to offer.



Overall Pointscore




  • Sydney Northern Beaches 1198

  • Sydney 1185

  • Hunter 1055

  • Central Coast 1000

  • Far North Coast 834

  • Illawarra 722

  • South Coast 675

  • Mid North Coast 545

  • North Coast 467

  • Far South Coast 311

  • Lower North Coast 267



Wednesday 12 December 2018



 


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