THE Narooma veteran’s team won its division for a fourth day in a row in the epic George Bass Surfboat Marathon only beaten by race leaders the Bulli open team in the leg from Narooma to Bermagui.
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One by one, the Narooma vets picked off all the boats ahead of them. Only the fit, young Bulli open crew overtook them on the final stretch into Bermagui.
A strong northerly dominated from the start of today's leg from Narooma to Bermagui, pushing all the crews down the coast.
Narooma took full advantage surfing the swells and following chop at every opportunity and sticking to a straight line to Bermagui while other crews made the mistake of heading out wider in search of more following seas.
Three quarters of the way into the race, Narooma had left all the boats behind except the leading open women’s team Torquay, as the women are given a head start.
The Bulli open men, who along with the other five open men's teams started last, eventually caught up with and overtook Narooma on the approach to Bermagui.
The following sea did offer some challenges with Narooma missing one its crew changes when the boat was pushed ahead of the waiting four relieving rowers.
The rowers were picked up by the rubber duck, delivered back to the support boat and dropped off again in front of the Narooma surfboat.
The Narooma men towards the finish contemplated racing the Bulli men to the finish but decided to save their strength for the longest leg tomorrow from Bermagui to Tathra – a gruelling 27km.
The Bulli open team appears very strong and should continue to increase their lead, as should Narooma in the veterans division.
The Bermagui mixed veterans crew had its own sweep Rob Shaw back at the back of the boat, finishing sixth in its home leg ahead of the Pambula vets.
Results for Day 4:
Ski paddlers -
1. Little 2. Locke 3. Buttel 4. Altman 5. Morton 6. Mead 7. Poland 8. Vipond 9. Porter 10. Ziviani 11. Granger 12. Lionnet 13. Kelly 14. Lenehan 15. Solly 16. King 17. Ryan
Open Men -
1. Bulli 2. Moruya Vikings 3. Rod's Wollongong City 4. Moruya DBYD 5. Ken's Wollongong City
Mens Vets -
1. Narooma 2. Northcliffe 3. Tathra 4. Bulli 5. Queenscliff 6. Bermagui Mixed 7. Pambula
Open Women -
1. Torquay 2. Broulee Capitals 3. Moruya Met Coloundra
Womens Vets -
1. Broulee Bats 2. Anglesea 3. Avalon Beach 4. Tathra
