G'day all,

 

It's been the usual hectic January and February, with plenty on.

It all really started at Collaroy on January 20th with an event for the 'Young Guns', U/19s and U/23 men and women. It was a nor'easter blowing in, creating a typical choppy corner and shore dump at the 'Roy.

 

At the start of the day, one of the girls, Amy Bruce, was quite unnerved by the edge early, but said she wanted to have a go. She ended up rowing all races including a second in the 'Plate' final- see, it's not as scary as you think (well, sometimes it is).

The highlight of the day was Bortho's crew picking up a run from the cans and holding it to just behind the break, a cracker.
More about Bortho later.

Manly and Freshy was an interesting weekend. They split both carnivals, so on saturday the boats were at Manly and the novelties at Freshy. Sunday the boats were at Freshy and the egg and spooners at Manly. Itcut down on congestion and allowed us to get the centre of the beach at Freshy- it was still unfair. No results from either carnival.

The branch championships were held at Newport on the 2nd of February and after a grey start, it turned out a glorious day. Sunny, light breeze, a nice sized wave and plenty of great racing.

The Newport boaties, as is usual on these days, did a great job setting up and packing up all the gear. Also a big thanks the masters womens crew for doing all the catering for officials.

The only result we had on the day was our last crew in the water. The masters 180s, Rob Emerson sweeping, with Jack and Bags Holland, Paul Quin and Otmar Nouak bagging a third. We'd all been counting on Fitzy to slew his Q'cliff crew so they could slide through for a second, but he inexplicably held the wave.

One great result the club had on the day was fielding a Lifesaver Relay team, a boat crew, board, ski, swim and sprint competitors and a team in the Surfboat Relay, Open, Women and juniors.

The ASRL Open was at Stockton, just north of Newcastle, this year. A good old surf club camping trip away. We camped behind the beach, it rained, tents were put up in the dark, it rained some more and we also had a thunderstorm, but a fanastic weekend. On saturday morning Bortho's tent had its own indoor swimming pool, but by sunday morning, no one cared. The U/23 girls made it to sunday morning and got done by the eventual three placegetters in their 1/4 final.

The boaties were again the workforce for the branch championship water and beach events held on the 16th. The branch this year ran over three weekends and two nights- never ending. I deadset can't understand how any of our competitors can sit upstairs and watch everyone else working, but there you go. (that's my rant)

With the help of a few other clubmembers our boys and girls did a great job, and thanks to the ex-rowers who pitched in as well.

Last weekend we headed to Pacific Palms and another delightful weekend away. We all got there friday night- except three of my colts. They broke down at St Ives, so never actually made it there. I'm not sure if they were driving a van that looked like a puppy, but I could be wrong.

So, back to Bortho. You may be aware that this is Jay's first season sweeping, after plenty of years rowing, and he's doing exceptionally well He and his colt's crew the 'Wahooo' are having a great time together this season.

On saturday morning at Pac Plms he was telling me how confident he's been feeling with his sweeping, cracking some nice waves, not losing one, which is fantastic for a first year sweep. As we all know in new endeavours, confidence is paramount. Anyway, the boys first race and their looking pretty good for a place, sitting on top of a steep decent sized wave.'He's going to call them aft this stroke, no, well it will have to be this stroke, no..... oh, no'
Bow in, nose dive and a total coverup 360 degree roll- Wahoooooooo.

Like I said, confidence is a wonderfu thing, but Huey has a way of hauling you back in. Needless to say, Jay and the boys had some good races and waves ove the weekend.

The womens crew rowed opens and put some good rows in. Kate, the stroke, had to head home for her brother's 21st, so Lizzy Turvey came up for Sunday and filled in.

Speaking of filling in, Elle has been rowing for Queenscliff (I know.....) for the last couple of seasons. BTW she gets married in April. Fish (Amanda Salmon, the stroke) hurt her back so they got former Nads Haidee Stephen to jump in at Ocean Thunder- and they won. Haidee hasn't rowed since we won Worlds in Florida in 2002- go girls.

States and Aussies coming up, so a full report in the next issue,

See you on the beach,

Michael