Ocean Grove hosts lifesaving carnival

OCEAN Grove Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) hosted the Life Saving Victoria Junior/Senior Carnival on December 7-8.

More than 1,000 people competed in what is the first major life saving carnival of the Victorian summer.

A wide range of events were held including ski races, board races, surf races, Taplin relays, and ironmen and ironwomen events.

Ocean Grove life savers put in some of the finest performances on the day.

Ocean Grove SLSC competition manager Bruce Honey said he was delighted with the club’s success.

“We had some impressive results, particularly in the team events. It shows it’s not just one or two strong people, but a team of really good athletes working together to do what they do.

“These competitors have trained pretty much the whole way through winter while everyone else is rugged up indoors.”

But Mr Honey also credited those who helped run the event.

“On the Sunday we had about 70 competitors but even more people volunteering to help organise everything to do set-ups and pack-ups and barbecues and official duties.

“It was a massive effort put on by the club and all its members.”

Ocean Grove’s own Jesse Coulson was one of those to excel, winning both the Open Men’s Surf Race and Ironman events. Ocean Grove also won the Open Men’s Board and Taplin relays.

Warrnambool dominated the Open Female category. Sophie Thomas led the way for them by winning the Surf Race and Ironwomen events. Warrnambool also won the Board and Taplin relays.

Torquay’s Archie Vernon was another of the standout performers. In the Under 19 Men category he won the Surf Race, the Board Race and the Ironman event.

In the Under 17 Women’s category Lexie McNaughton continued the host’s success. She won both the Ski Race and the Surf Race.

Stephanie Reade, also from Ocean Grove, excelled in the Under 15 category, winning both the Surf Race and Ironwoman event.

Mr Honey noted that while the competition was great, the most important part of the racing was to refine the competitors life saving skills so they can create safer beaches.