Local clubs dish up fierce contest at the Aussies

BUDDING young life savers from surrounding local clubs competed in the Australian Youth Surf Life Saving Championships (otherwise known as “the Aussies”) at the weekend, returning home with a smorgasbord of impressive achievements.

Participants from Fairhaven Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC), Jan Juc SLSC, Ocean Grove SLSC, Wye River SLSC and Lorne SLSC took to North Burleigh beach on the Gold Coast to battle it out and score big for their respective clubs.

Jasmine Happ and Stephanie Reade from Jan Juc SLSC scored fourth place in round one of the U15 female board rescue event, while Gabriel Cornwell, Fairhaven SLSC’s only representative at the Aussies, achieved the fifth spot in the grand final of the U14 male ocean swim.

Marking his debut at Aussies, Gabriel also competed in the U14 male board race and U14 male surf race.

“It would be good to see an orange and blue tent at the Aussies one day with some other nippers from the club – they’re starting to come through,” he said.

Ocean Grove SLSC dominated the results list, making 11 finals events and taking home 10th place in the grand final of the U15 male surf team event.

Milla O’Brien and Marcus Bird were club standouts, with Milla making the national final of the U15 surf race and Marcus competing in six team events and three individual events.

Ned Benson from Wye River SLSC sped his way to victory, scoring second place in the U14 male beach sprint grand final event.

Harry Hay (Lorne SLSC) made the semi-final of the U14 male surf race, paddling into 10th place.