FORSTER will start a short-priced favourite to retain the Lower North Coast Surf Life Saving Branch championship at Forster Main Beach this weekend.
The club dominated the 2016-17 championships held at Black Head across the junior, open and masters divisions and much the same is expected on Saturday and Sunday.
Forster finished with 412 points from the main carnival last year to take a stranglehold on the championship. Cape Hawke finished in second place on 337 with Black Head third on 266.
Events will start on Saturday, February 10 at 8am for the under 15, 17, 19, open and masters events on the beach and in the surf. Action continues on Sunday, February 11 from 8am for the under eights to 14s.
However Great Lakes clubs are poised to dominate both days of the championship.
“Forster’s looking very strong right across the board and they’ll be hard to beat again,’’ Lower North Coast official Terry Aldridge said.
“Cape Hawke has been slowly building up in the last couple of seasons and I’d say they’ll provide the main opposition.’’
The branch champion won’t be decided until the board riding events are held in April although the club winning the pointscore after this weekend usually goes on to clinch the crown.
“Board riding titles will held at a venue to be determined in the Great Lakes area.
Six clubs make up the Lower North Coast Branch, which is the smallest in NSW.
