EIGHT champions have been crowned following three days of exciting racing at the 2020 Australian Surfboats Rowing League - held at both Mollymook Beach and Long Beach.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
From Friday to Sunday, 345 crews from Australia and New Zealand competed across junior, open, reserve and master categories, for the right to call themselves champions.
On Saturday, at Long Beach, Mona Vale Drifters took out the under 19 women's section from equal second-placegetters South Port Stormies and City of Perth City Five, while the under 19 men's category was won by the Northcliffe Tornadoes, from the Queenscliffe Blue Car Keys and Palm Beach Possums.
The final team to win gold on Saturday was the North Cronulla Funkys crew, who claimed line honours in the under 23 women's division, ahead of the Tallebudgera Tallie Tubbies and Newport Thunder.
Racing returned to Mollymook on Sunday, which saw the Palm Beach Playboys win the under 23 men's section from the North Cronulla Purds and North Cottesloe Yeah the Boys.
The two reserve crowns were won by the Currumbin Concords (women) and North Narabeen Smokos (men), who edged out the North Cronulla Funkys and Noosa Heads Swallows and Ocean Beach Sailfish and North Cronulla Purds Reserves respectively.
The Northcliff Krankitz crew reigned supreme in the open women's section, winning ahead of the Noosa Heads Chums and Lorne Edge.
While the final event of the day, the open men's was taken out by the Lorne Chops, who claimed the title ahead of Bulli Team A and Corrimal Black.
ASRL president Michael Brooks said that the event, supported by Team Navy, was a success and were extremely proud of bringing the event to Mollymook and the Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla regions.
"The surfboat community were passionate about coming to this region to compete in a friendly manner and support the community after the devastating fires," Brooks said.
"I am proud to say that the event was a success and I can't thank the local community for their welcoming nature."
The three-day event, which also saw Australia make it eight straight wins in the Trans-Tasman Trophy, saw six teams from Mollymook compete.
The two reserve men crews featured Marty Drysdale (sweep) Steve Craig, Ben Wolski, Gary Warburton and Rhys Austin (Mollymook Black - reached Sunday's quarter-finals) and Gene Austin (sweep), Chris Howcroft, Simon Davis, Jordy McNally and Paul Jones (Mollymook White), while the women's A reserve crew, called the Mud Crabs, contained Marty Drysdale (sweep), Mardi Schulz, Dani Dunajcik, Bec Austin and Liz Ford.
While the 200 year veterans crews included Barry Page (sweep), Leonie Hicks, Sue Whitford, Lesley Gagan, Stacy Wilesmith (women) and Gus Brook (sweep), Kevin Whitford, Russell Bartlett, Paul Newman and Craig Matthews (men - reached Friday's final), as Gene Austin (sweep), James Bewley, Tom Woodward, Caleb Blakey and Zane Steadman lined up in the under 23s men's competition.
The weekend also saw three crews from Batemans Bay, two from Broulee and two from Moruya compete - as well as some from Gerringong.