REIGNING champions, Cape Hawke Surf Life Saving Club have done it again, dominating the Lower North Coast Branch Carnival on the weekend to take the title two years in a row.
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Hosted by Pacific Palms Surf Life Saving Club, close to 200 competitors from six clubs converged on Elizabeth Beach in perfect weather conditions on Saturday and Sunday. Competing clubs were Black Head, Forster, Crowdy Head and Taree/Old Bar.
Club members participated in a range of events including craft, surf and beach with competitors ranging in age from 15 years through to the masters.
One of the many stand out competitors in the water was Connor Shakespeare from Cape Hawke SLSC who took out the under 19 men’s swim, ironman and ski events.
But Shakespeare had to settle for second in the board event as fellow club member Aaron King finished in first place.
Brock Van Kampen from Cape Hawke SLSC used his swimming prowess to finish first in the under 15s swim and board races.
In the female under 17s Leah King put on a dominant display in the water winning the swim and board races.
In the master’s events Shane Cornish of Pacific Palms SLSC won the ski race while Black Head SLSC’S Tim Manusu took out the swim and board.
In the under 50’s, Laura Thurtell of Forster SLSC won the swim and board and seasoned athlete Kim Winter dominated her age group in the over 50s winning the swim and board.
For the juniors, Cape Hawke’s Claire Horn did well in the beach events to win the under 15 sprint and flags.
Cape Hawke SLSC president Paul Scott said a number of his members had been in training for the Interbranch Championships and it had put them in good form.
“We’ve got really strong competitors in the 15 to 19 year age group and many of them are in the interbranch team and have been training since August (last year),” he said.
“I think that extra training is great for our competitors. We are a very close-knit group an managed to do very well. To win this two years in a row is also a good thing for our club.”
Pacific Palms Surf Life Saving Club president Kel McCredie said on Saturday competitors hit the sand for the beach events while on Sunday it was the ocean swim, board and ski events.
McCredie said he was pleased with how the event had panned out over the course of the weekend.
“I’m over the moon about it, we got some great feedback,” he said.
“Overall, it was really well run and the weather was beautiful.
“Mild sea conditions throughout both days meant the event was safe and everyone really enjoyed the competition.”
At the carnival the presentation of Junior Life Savers of the Year went to two Forster Surf Life Saving Club members, Toby Jones and Sarah Ward for their overall passion and knowledge of Surf Life Saving and their club.
Jones and Ward will represent the Lower North Coast Branch in Sydney at a Surf Life Saving camp in Sydney in April.
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