It was an exciting weekend of competition for lifesavers from across the North Coast Branch returning from the 2018 Envirobank Country Surf Life Saving Championships with a swag of medals, and two clubs finishing inside the coveted top ten on the overall standings.
Sawtell SLSC led the way finishing second overall at South West Rocks on 619 points behind runaway leaders Cudgen Headland, while Coffs Harbour (9th), Urunga (16th), Woolgoolga (22nd), and Minnie Water-Wooli (25th) all performed strongly.
There were a number of fantastic performances across the weekend which should give the athletes confidence ahead of next month’s NSW Championships and season-ending Australian titles.
Sawtell’s William Gromadzki picked up five medals during the championships including gold in the U14 2km Beach Run and Mixed Beach Relay event. Club mate Hayley Fischer had a busy program that saw her pick up seven medals including two gold.
Jaydan Stevens was another Sawtell competitor who will have fond memories of this year’s Country Championships after she took gold in the U19 Ironwoman (ahead of teammate Anna Fry), 2km Beach Run, U19 Board Race, and Board Relay, and Beach Relay events. She also finished on the podium in a number of other races putting an exclamation point on a very polished performance.
The Coffs Harbour U19 Male Surf Boat powered home to a gold medal while other club mates including Larnie Mordue (U10 Female Swim), and the U15 Male Cameron Relay team also recorded victories.
Urunga’s strong results came on the back of their Masters competitors with Tyron Cook, Nathan Steele and Bradley Cook leading the charge onto the podium.
Woolgoolga’s best performances of the weekend came in the surf boats with the Barracudas winning Gold in the Open Male and the Mudcrabs taking out the 180+Masters division. The Open Female division was won by the Woopi Lion Fish.
Other strong Woolgoogla performances came from Garry Westwood, and Samuel Hodgson performed strongly in the surfboard riding, and Timothy Della (U17 Beach Sprint – 3rd) running well on the sand.
Anthony Dougherty (Minnie Water Wooli) took silver in the Male 60 Years and Over Board Race while the club’s U19 Male Surf Boat Team (Wirri Boland, Elliot Cooper, Jack Gull, and Thomas Jabour) picked up a bronze medal and the U23 Female Surf Boat Crew (Abby Gordon, Brittany Hegedus, Chloe Turner, and Madisyn Wheeler) finished with silver.
NSW Surf Sports Manager Rob Pidgeon said it was an excellent weekend of competition.
want to wish everyone luck for the remainder of the season,” Mr Pidgeon said.
The 2018 Envirobank NSW Country Championships were held at South West Rocks from 3-4 February. Action will return in February 2019 when the event moves to Kingscliff on the state’s Far North Coast.
Top 10 Overall Standings
Cudgen Headland SLSS (1048 points)
Sawtell SLSC (619)
Byron Bay SLSC (494)
Warilla Barrack Point SLSC (349)
Lennox Head - Alstonville SLSC (348)
Mollymook SLSC (299)
Port Macquarie SLSC (263)
Yamba SLSC (209)
Coffs Harbour SLSC (186)
Tacking Point SLSC (185)
Friday 9 February 2018