MEDIA RELEASE 16 March 2021
SEASPRAY SURF CLUB NAMES ITS AGE CHAMPIONS
Seaspray Surf Life Saving Club has marked the approaching end of the surf life saving season with the running of its annual club championships.
The championships were held on Saturday morning in warm conditions with a heavy shore break that challenged both the young Nippers and experienced life savers competing in the swim and wade events.
The strength of the waves forced organisers to move the board races and iron Nipper events to nearby Merriman Creek for the younger competitors, while older club members pitted their skill and strength against the surf – and one another – in the board, ski and iron events.
The club championships signalled the end of the season for the club’s youngest members, but was another valuable opportunity to train and compete for those who’ll be representing Seaspray at this weekend’s Victorian Lifesaving Championships at Lorne.
President Chris Fleming said the championships marked the end of a season like no other at Seaspray.
“The club championships are an opportunity for our members to come together on the beach and enjoy a morning of friendly competition,” Mr Fleming said.
“For our youth and senior members, competitions of this kind are a way of maintaining their life saving skills to remain ‘rescue ready’. These events are also a great chance for our new families and members of the community to see our experienced life savers in action and compete alongside one another.
“The club is incredibly proud of what our members have achieved this season, particularly our young Nippers who joined us at the beach for the first time. The wider community, too, should be proud of their surf life savers and feel confident in the skill and ability of those who watch over them at the beach.
“The coronavirus pandemic forced us to do things differently at the surf club this past year and I am proud of all our members, particularly those who were on patrol, for all they were able to do to keep people safe at the beach.”
Those named as age champions at the Seaspray Club Championships were:
Evie Whittaker, under 7 female
Patrick Morrison, under 7 male
Ella Francis, under 8 female
Harlow Dowsett, under 8 male
Kiah Dowsett, under 9 female
Jack McLay, under 9 male
Milly O’Brien, under 10 female
Remy Stephenson, under 10 male
Max McLay, under 11 male
Lillian Canfield, under 12 female
Jett McMahon, under 12 male
Jimmy Greenwood and Dean Feltis, under 13 male
Charlotte Stephenson and Emma Feltis, under 14 female
Luke Dwyer, under 14 male
Lola Wilson, under 15 female
Luca Centra, under 15 male
Kate Ronchi, under 17 female
Zac Bloink, under 17 male
Tom Fleming, under 19 male
Bridget Brown, under 19 and open female
Loughlin Brown, open male
While the beach training sessions are now over for the youngest club members, beach patrols at Seaspray will continue until 18 April. Until then, the beach will be patrolled from 1pm to 4pm on Saturdays and from 10am to 4pm on Sundays and public holidays.
Seaspray Surf Club’s age champions were named after the club championships were held on Saturday morning. A contingent from Seaspray will head to Lorne this weekend to compete at the Victorian Lifesaving Championships.