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NEWCASTLE club Cooks Hill have emerged as the reigning champions of the 2014 Professionals Weekend of Surf, winning the title for the third consecutive year.
The carnival attracted competitors from 43 NSW clubs from Fairy Meadow in the Illawarra to Sawtell on the Mid North Coast along with three Victorian clubs.
The event’s first ever international competitor was a lifeguard by the name of Andy from English club Harlyn.
The top five for the overall results were Terrigal in fifth place on 208 points, Swansea Belmont in fourth on 231, Wanda in third on 234 points, Umina in second on 364 points and Cooks Hill in first place on 447 points.
The day started with the iconic March Past with lots of clubs represented in a sea of colour – Forster came home in first place with Shelly Beach in second and Umina in third.
There was a record 300 competitors for Saturdays Ironman event and 442 competitors for Sunday.
Saturday also saw 33 competitors test themselves in the 8km ski race which was two laps of a circuit from Main Beach to Bennetts Head.
Saturday’s Ironman saw a testing water course with strong winds and a challenging beach section that tested all competitors in the early season hit out. Competition was fierce in age groups from the under 10s right through to the masters in the over 50s.
Sunday was picture perfect with the beach in top shape for the sprint and flags events. Action on the water included swim, board, ski and Ironman relays. Wins and placings were scattered amongst clubs with Cooks Hill, Swansea Beach, Umina, Manly, Wanda, Shelly and Soldiers Beach finishing prominently.
In the open men’s, Corey Fletcher from Terrigal came home in first place with Matt Smith from Cooks Hill closely behind and Matt Grahams from Terrigal in third.
In the women’s, it was former local Allira Richardson who is now coaching and competing for Cooks Hill that took home first with Jemma Smith from Umina in second and Abbey Pugh from North Cronulla in third.
Corey Fletcher and Jemma Smith both had a busy weekend having both won the under 17s.
Forster SLSC president John Quinn said without the tireless support of officials and volunteers as well as visiting NSW clubs the event would not be what it is today.
“Thankyou to all the clubs and competitors for supporting the event. We could not run a great carnival without the support of the officials, water safety and workers who set up, prepare the food and provide the administration,” he said.
“Special thanks to carnival referee from Blackhead SLSC Bernadette Nicholson and her deputy from Cape Hawke Neil Whitaker for leading a great team.
“Another thank you must go to Richard Crowther and Darrell Roche from the Professionals Forster Tuncurry - our major carnival sponsor for the seventh year and to Forster Club members who got in made the event happen, no complaints just did it, well done.”
Mr Quinn and Mr Crowther presented Monique Williams (manager of Cooks Hill SLSC) with the Club Pointscore Championship and a voucher for a Kracka Board. The Kracka lucky board draw was won by under 9’s competitor Riley Gentle from Eloura.
John Quinn