Cudgen surf club wins multiple excellence awards

CUDGEN Surf Life Saving Club claimed two of the state’s top honours, with Scott McCartney named surf sports Coach of the Year and Adam Mills recognised as Volunteer of the Year at the Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence in Sydney.

McCartney has competed and coached at Cudgen for more than a decade and has helped turn the club into one of the most successful in the state.

“I’m so lucky to have such good athletes and they keep me coming back each year,” he said.

“It’s a privilege to watch them grow up and achieve what they’ve been training to do.”

McCartney paid tribute to Mills and the group of volunteers who turn up for competition and beach patrols during the season.

“Adam Mills steers the ship and we’re lucky to have him at the club,” McCartney said.

“We’re patrolling on the beach, we’re racing, but we’re about that family culture at Cudgen, once you’re in there you don’t want to leave.

“We also have a lot of fun and when you build something up you want to make sure it keeps going.

“There is no real offseason for some of our guys and we’ve got Coolangatta Gold and Nutri-Grain trials just around the corner.

“We’re trending up at the moment and I’m sure we’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

Cudgen’s under-17 taplin relay team was also recognised on the night, named surf sports Team of the Year.

Taplin races involve board, ski and swim legs, with the club calling on its strongest competitors to compete at state and national level. The team comprised Jools Loemker, Fletcher Burdekin and Phoenix Preston.

“We go to training each day and egg each other on to get in there and do the work,” Preston said.

“It’s all about mateship and being there to celebrate the wins.”