Australian surf life saving 2023: Stars, standouts, results and photo wrap from Masters
A set of twins beat a set of brothers, best mates won gold, fierce rivals battled for the club pointscore and the oldest athlete hung up his togs on the final day of the Masters surf life saving titles.
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It was a day of highs and goodbyes at the Australian surf life saving Masters championships at Scarborough Beach in Perth.
A set of twins beat a set of brothers in some great ski racing, best mates coached by an ironwoman legend won gold in a team event, fierce rivals battled for the club pointscore and the oldest athlete hung up his togs on the final day of the Masters titles.
The top club will not be decided until Thursday in the stand-alone surfboard riding event, with Bondi and North Bondi neck and neck in this race.
Former Australian kayakers Jake and Luke Michael beat Half Moon Bay brothers Cary and Russel Fox for gold in the hotly contested 35-39 double ski.
The race was decided in a photo finish with the Michael twins defending the crown they won on the Gold Coast a year ago with the North Burleigh Team of Adam Jeffrey and Daniel Bowker third.
Interestingly, racing on Tuesday was the first time the North Bondi brothers have raced a double ski together since their Aussies win in 2022.
“We haven’t paddled together at all until now,’’ said Jake, the NSWIS kayak coach on Sydney’s northern beaches.
Their win followed on from 81-year-old Rob Watkins competing in his last race at Aussies.
The Cottesloe legend, why also competed for Manly and Queenscliff and coached at Bondi during his long career, contested his first Aussies back in 1958.
To mark his swan song son Simon, a member for the Bondi club, sought a dispensation to race with his dad and Glenn Eldon in the 170 years surf teams with the trio coming seventh despite Simon injuring his hamstring.
Point Leo’s Frank Christian, John Ford and Timothy Farrell won the event.
Normally they are looking after the safety of locals and tourists at Gild Coast beaches.
But on Tuesday, Gold Coast City Council lifeguard Chris Maynard, at his 45th Aussies, and two of his cohorts were racing for each other.
Maynard, Michael Chan and Robert Dorrough produced great performance to win gold in the 170 years Male Taplin Relay for Currumbin.
“This competition is always tough, even among the Masters, and just getting to a final can be a real achievement. To be heading home with a gold medal, you really need to treasure these moments,’’ Maynard said.
“I’m really lucky to do this with two of my Gold Coast City Council lifeguards, Chan and Dorrough. They are really experienced lifeguards and we enjoy the chance to compete together.”
One of the most delighted teams on the beach were the winners of the 170 yrs Single Ski Relay from Noosa Heads.
Belinda Marsh, Georgina Lynch and Julie Fidler said they are a team of “great mates” who have a great coach in former ironwoman Jordan Mercer.
“She coaches us holdings her new baby,’’ they said.
“We are just thrilled. l I think we are the oldest team in this as well.’’
The Noosa team beat Alexandra Headland’s Barbara Roker, Marilyn Clarence and Nicole Tippet with the Mooloolaba Team of Carol Jones, Jennifer Rogers and Sally Taylor third.
Well known paddler Mitch Trim made an impressive debut in Masters by helping the 110 year board relay team at Newport to gold.
“I’m 30 so this is my first time,” he said. “The team pulled me in to help out.’’
The racing was good preparation for Trim who will be contesting a multitude of ski events at the open competition starting on Wednesday.
His races will include the single ski, double ski and the mixed ski with ocean paddling world champion and former ironwoman Gemma Smith.
Kaye Norris from Windang SLSC gave her club plenty to cheer about with her gold in the 55-59 years Beach Flags.
Norris was the only individual member of her club to make the trek to Perth.
“There is just me and a very good boat crew. There are only 25 of us total, so that’s about a quarter of us over here in Perth.
“I love it, I’ve been racing for a long time and I do IRB racing too. You’re never too old to keep going. Look at the 70’s and think ‘I’m going to get there one day’.
“I’ve won a few world titles, states and a few top threes at Aussies, it’s always special to win.’’
DAY ONE OF 2023 MASTER'S SURF LIFE SAVING
More than 1200 masters competitors converged on Scarborough beach in Perth for the opening day of their competition.
This followed on from two days of youth racing which kicked off the nine-day surf life saving event.
Ranging in age from 30 to 81, athletes from across the country vied for the first Australian titles of 2023.
And while there were plenty of old faces, there were some new ones as well.
Sydney and Athens Olympic rower Julia Bell from Manly claimed a golden double on debut in the female 40-44 board and the 40-44 ski events.
The Nippers mum said she got jealous watching her kids in the surf and decided to try her hand at surf life saving.
“I decided to pick it up, learn by myself and I really love it,’’ she said.
“I’ve still got that competitive spirit. I used to be a competitive rower and cyclist, I went to the Olympics in 2000 and 2004. I don’t think you lose that competitive spirit and it’s nice to channel it into something else.’’
Northcliffe’s Stephen Fry celebrated his 40th Aussies with victory in the 65-69 surf race and is hoping for more success with a long list of events to contest.
“I’ve got surf teams, Taplin relay and board relays coming up,’’ he said.
“Team racing is the best because you cheer each other on and it’s great to be in that environment with teammates,”
Former iron champion Naantali Marshall claimed an impressive trifecta on Monday for her Anglesea club, winning the 45-49 board and ski and 41-50 surf race.
“I do Aussie Masters every four or five years but every time I do I really enjoy it,’’ she said.
“I still do the state titles every year … and now my daughter is old enough to race at Aussies so I don’t really have an excuse not to race.”
Multiple Nutri-Grain ironman champion Darren Mercer was back on the podium, winning a bronze medal in the 50-54 board race.
Mercer, who grew up at Wollongong and now lives at Noosa, said he enjoys racing but not always the feeling that comes with it.
“I do still really enjoy it, but I don’t enjoy the pain that comes with it unfortunately these days,’’ he said.
“When you get into that Masters division, that’s what it’s mostly about, fun.
“There are a few serious ones in there, but it’s mainly about catching up, having a bit of a race, having a bit of a remember back when …”
Terrigal legend Paul Lemmon achieved the extraordinary feat of claiming his 110 gold medal at Australian surf life saving titles with his 14th straight win in the surf race.
Lemmon now has four gold’s from this event with victories in the 2km beach run, ironman and board race.
“It gets tougher and tougher each year. I’m new in this age group so I had a bit of an advantage against some of these older guys, but I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d be standing here with 14 wins in a row,’ said Lemmon after the surf race.
Wanda paddler Mick Georgaris won a special 40-44 single ski race and will later this week also race in the open competition.
It was an emotional win for the Sydney competitor who dedicated it to his late father.
“My old man was a massive part of the surf club for 50 years. He passed away two and a half years ago. I’m just carrying on his legacy.’’
Georgaris beat Stockton’s Glen Bernard and City of Perth’s Travis England.
Trigg Island racer and former world life saving surf ski champion Dan Humble claimed a gold in the 35-39 surf ski race.
He used the event to prepare for his assault non on the ski later this week.
“I did enter late because my focus was on the opens with the club. But I couldn’t help myself, and it’s always a tough race here in Masters so I’m happy to get over the line,’’ he said.
Former Olympian Jimmy Walker has limbered up for his assault on the open surf ski title with a great win in the 50-54 ski race at Masters.;
Walker last year stunned surf life saving when he finished just off the podium in the prestigious open ski event at Aussies.
“I train really hard, but nothing beats the fire of the gun and that’s what today was about for me,” Walker said.
Hayden Smith from Terrigal claimed a trifecta of gold medals, winning the 40-44 iron, board and swim races.
“To be honest I think I got the result because of the guys I train with every day.,’’ he said. “We push and test each other every day in training and that’s probably what you need to get up to the top.’’
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