Ironman Bevilacqua returns home to Clifton to inspire budding surfers
MATT Bevilacqua’s famous Shipstern Bluff paddleboard will serve as a beacon of inspiration for budding surfers and surf lifesavers at Clifton Beach for years to come.
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MATT Bevilacqua’s famous Shipstern Bluff paddleboard will serve as a beacon of inspiration for budding surfers and surf lifesavers at Clifton Beach for years to come.
The Tasmanian Ironman, who took out Round 3 of the Nutri-Grain Ironman Series at North Wollongong last weekend, has returned home to Clifton from the Gold Coast this week.
And as a symbol of love for his roots at the Clifton Beach Surf Lifesaving Club, Bevilacqua has donated the custom “clubby board” he used to surf the notorious Shipstern Bluff break last month.
The 25 year old, who finished third in last year’s Ironman Series, was the first person to conquer Australia’s heaviest wave on a paddleboard.
The skill involved took 2½ years of training as Bevilacqua did not have the ability to compress on his knees as you can on a surfboard, with his centre of gravity much lower.
Bevilacqua said he was happy to hand over the sentimental paddleboard to go on display at the club.
“It’s so they can have something at the club they can chase after,” he said.
“It’s cool that I get to have it at the club I grew up in. “It’s pretty dinged up and scratched from going over the rocks a few times [at Shipstern].”
Because of that rough ride, Bevilacqua said he wouldn’t tackle “Shippies” again.
“I wouldn’t do it again, it was deadset terrifying,” he said.
“I’m glad I got it done unscathed and that I can race well this season because that was up in the air for a while. I actually broke my thumb on one of the waves.”
Bevilacqua also spent Sunday speaking to a group of 40 of the club’s young nippers about his journey to the top and said he had no doubt more youngsters would one day join him in the big leagues.
“The challenges you face down here in the cold really make you hard and a lot of the talented kids can go far in the sport from that base,” he said. “There’s no reason why these kids couldn’t join me in the Ironman Series”
Bevilacqua is third in the series and will compete in Round 4 at Fairhaven in Victoria on January 14.
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