A scintillating weekend of racing resulted in Caves Beach SLSC being crowned the 2018 NSW Sharkskin Inflatable Rescue Boat Premiership Series Champions on their home beach, ending a 6-year-reign of dominance from Kiama Downs SLSC in the process.
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Frontrunners from the opening meet of the season, the Hunter club did enough to hold off their rivals with a number of impressive displays, while the team from Terrigal emerged from the chasing pack to secure third place on the podium.
“It is very special to win this on our home beach,” Caves Beach IRB coach and team manager Scott Bryant said.
“Kiama Downs are an exceptional team and we’ve had a lot of great races over the years.
“We lost a lot of competitors and spent many years rebuilding. I thought it was perhaps a year too soon for them, but they’ve done incredibly well. To win it with my mates’ kids and my own as well is pretty special.”
Bryant, who spends the majority of his time now acting as a mentor for the next generation of IRB racers, believes the skills the athletes learn will make them better lifesavers.
“We’ve got a very big team here and a lot of young kids who cleaned up in the under 23s, and you saw from their performances in the opens that they have the skills. It’s about nurturing them and making sure that they continue to grow,” he said.
With more than 300 competitors on the start-line – a record number of entrants and clubs – there were a number of strong performances across the weekend.
Conditions remained favourable for racing and relatively small swell ensured the races went to schedule, though a biting wind and wetsuits reminded the competitors winter had well and truly arrived.
In the Open Male Division Woonona continued their good form to take out the Mass Rescue Race and finish third in the Team Event.
North Cronulla enjoyed a successful, yet frustrating day in the Open Female Division finishing second in all four events.
It was an all Hunter affair in the U23 Mixed Tube Race with Caves Beach finishing one/two with Newcastle securing third spot on the podium, while South Maroubra inflicted a rare defeat on the host club in the U23 Mixed Rescue Race.
In what is a highly competitive age group, Caves Beach bounced back in the Mass Rescue Race to finish undefeated in that event for the season.
In the Masters Divisions, Queenscliff and Kiama Downs were too strong in the 35+ Events, while Caves Beach, Coogee, Newcastle, and Terrigal split the honours between them across the Over 45s.
