Surf club scraps ocean swim

AN OCEAN Grove open water swim has joined the list of local events called off in the wake of escalating COVID-19 numbers.

Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club (OGSLSC) made the call last week to cancel its Ocean Open Water Swim Festival planned for January 26.

OGSLSC said it prioritised the health and safety of its members and volunteers in reaching its decision.

“It is with great regret that we advise that this event has been cancelled,” the club said in a statement.

“Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club has made the difficult decision to cancel our Hotondo Homes Ocean Open Water Swim on
Australia Day.

“With the current COVID-19 situation our responsibility for the safety of our volunteers, competitors and the local community became the primary consideration in arriving at this decision.

“Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club has chosen to preserve our surf life savers and prioritise our primary responsibility to provide patrolling members for our beach.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and will provide full refunds to all those who have registered for the event. We thank you for your understanding in this challenging time for all.”

The club said it planned to welcome back swimmers and spectators for the 2023 event.

Rip Curl’s GromSearch at Jan Juc was similarly cancelled last week, while Lorne’s Pier to Pub swim went virtual instead of a live event.