More than 80 rowers from across NSW worked up a thirst competing in the Club to Pub 10km surf race on Saturday.
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Organisers said it was the biggest event they had ever hosted with a dozen surf boat teams 20 surf ski and one stand up paddle boarder lining up to race off Pambula Beach, with the race finishing at the Lakeview Hotel jetty in Merimbula.
Some avid surf ski paddlers also opted for a long-course with two laps extending to about 23km.
The Tathra open men’s team was just a minute and 20 seconds off the top time, chasing the Narooma Veterans crew in to the finish.
The Narooma crew were racing in the all-black “stealth boat” that had been newly acquired from North Cronulla.
“We were actually leading Narooma for a lot of the race and that is what you want, the close competition makes it all the better,” Tathra sweep Scott Meaker said.
Narooma’s finishing time of 59 minutes and 59 seconds bordered on a race record and Meaker said it boiled down to good conditions and fierce competition.
“We were a bit worried because there had been two-metre swells the day before, but conditions out there were near perfect and the surfboats were bunched to race hard,” Meaker said.
“When a crew comes up on you fast it pushes you to strive harder and it was even better for me having my son in the boat rowing too.”
The Tathra crew also included Meaker’s younger brother Jesse.
“I was happy to have the young blokes along, but I have to commend the two junior women’s teams, there is a real rise in women across the sport and there were more ladies boats than men’s on the weekend,” he said.
Broulee and Pambula both entered under 19 women’s teams for the event, with Broulee taking line-honours on the day.
“We would welcome some more young blokes, but don’t seem to be able to rope them into it.”
There is normally some inter-club rivalry during the race, but for many it was their first surfboat outing since the George Bass Marathon so the paddle and social atmosphere took the lead.
Tathra’s veteran surfboat crew finished just 40 seconds behind the open team, while just nine minutes separated a majority of the fleet.
Tathra’s veteran surfboat crew also finished painfully close to the top, crossing the line in one hour and two minutes.
Narooma pipped double honours, with Nick Ziviani leading the paddlers across the line first, finishing in just 57 minutes.
Pambula surf club member Jacqui Keogh was the only woman to compete on a surf ski and fnished strongly just minutes off the men’s leaders.
Moruya rugby league identity Mick Weyman also accepted the surf ski challenge and finished well for his first outing, placing in the middle of the pack.