Lorne does it again at surf lifesaving masters

MASTERS competitors from around the state met at Lorne for the Victorian Lifesaving Masters Championships last Saturday to showcase the strength and athleticism of an older generation of lifesavers.

With six competitors aged 70-plus and more than 350 athletes in total, the Championships for over-30s revealed a broad cross-section of Victorian lifesaving talent and a great day at the beach for spectators and supporters.

Masters athletes from 29 lifesaving clubs took part in the Champs, with competitors participating in a range of events including ironman and ironwoman, board and ski races, and beach events such as sprints and flags.

The surf boats were also out in the water, with two crews from Lorne taking gold in their age groups and a crew from Fairhaven took gold in the oldest age group of the competition.

Choppy surf with very few decent sets standing up made it hard work for crews on the way out and back in. Life Saving Victoria aquatic sport senior co-ordinator Kirsty Clark said the Masters Championships was a great day of competition among our older competitors, with a particularly impressive number of over-sixties competing.

“It’s encouraging to see so many senior members from right across Victoria, some travelling hours to put their sporting talent to the test. We warmly welcomed our visitors from South Australia and wished them the best of luck for their events.

“Not only were the Masters representing their clubs as sportspersons on Saturday, they were also serving as an example of how members can remain involved in lifesaving long after they’ve completed Nippers.

“Many of the weekend’s competitors were parents and grandparents to nippers and younger members, having already spent decades in lifesaving and introducing their families to the lifesaving movement.”

Ocean Grove SLSC took out a podium place in the overall point score, receiving the bronze on 213 points.