City's senior competitors have had another successful State Championships. Although we didn't manage to retain the Surf Champions banner, we brought home Gold in thirty-nine events.
We had nine gold on the board before the weekend began, from the Champion Patrol and First Aid, R&R, Boardriding and Champion Lifesaver events.
Weather for the main weekend was perfect, which unfortunately as usual meant a complete lack of surf.
Events kicked off in the water with the Board Rescues. Tim Trew took on a new partner this year in Chris Timms, and the switch paid off as they paddled to victory, followed by Under 19 combination Jono Stock and Jake Cropper. Jono and Jake then went on to win the Under 19 event, and despite their attempts to completely mess it up Luke Tidey and Matt Pupazzoni eventually claimed the bronze medal. James Cohen and Ben Carrick were second in the Under 16 event.
In the women's arena, Alicia and Jacinta Marriott teamed up to win the Open event (again). Alicia then partnered Emma Wynne to take the gold in the Under 19 division, with Alex Stock and Emma Richards coming in third. Fiona Doney and Kim Lovett came in second in the Under 16s.
The Open Mixed Double Ski was also on early, with Steve Hopkins and Claire O'Brien powering to a clear victory.
Board Relays were next. After a tight tussle all the way in the Open Men's, Scott Trew, Tim Trew and Jono Stock didn't quite have the legs and had to settle for the bronze medal. Jono had another tight race in the Under 19s, teaming up with Jake Cropper and Luke Tidey to finish second. The Under 16 team of James Cohen, Ben Carrick and Corey Tidey also came in second.
The Women's teams had better results. In the Open event, Jacinta and Alicia Marriott and Emma Wynne took first place comfortably, even though Emma had a slight problem with her radar at one stage. The B team of Julie Greenhalgh, Alison O'Toole and Emma Richards finished third. The Under 19 team of Alicia, Emma and Alex Stock also won comfortably.
In the Under 16 Tube swims, Fiona Doney was narrowly beaten into second place.
The old boys had their chance in the Restricted (Over 24) Surf Race. Chris Timms qualified for the age group this year, and took the gold medal with eternal Surf Race contender James O'Toole not far behind in second.
In an astonishing effort in the Women's arena, Emma Wynne won the Under 16 Surf Race by about fifty metres. She then went directly from the finish line to the start line for the Open event - which she won by even more. Older heads among the spectators were heard to comment that they have never seen anyone win an Open event by such a margin. Alicia Marriott also doubled up to win the Under 19 event and come in second in the Open. Alex Stock was third in the Under 19s, while Fiona Doney picked up her third silver for the day in the Under 16s.
In the Men's swims, Jono Stock picked up a handy little wave in the Open to steal third place. Jake Cropper was second in the Under 19s, and James Cohen third in the 16s.
Water events for Saturday were completed with the Board Races, as the strong sea-breeze created some testing conditions. The Under 19 Women's event was won by Alicia Marriott. Emma Wynne then took out the Under 16 event after a late challenge from Scarboro's Brodie Read. The Open event was again a Marriott quinella, with Jacinta leading Alicia home.
Tim Trew was second to Cottesloe's Andrew Mosel in the Open Men's event after a desperate scramble to the line by the lead pack. Jake Cropper finished third in the Under 19s.
In a new move this year, the March Past teams were brought on late in the afternoon to an occasionally-working PA system. The Open team finished second in the judging, with the Under 21s third.
Another new innovation this year was the running of the Beach Flags under lights in the evening. But no matter when you run it, it seems that an allowance of several hours is needed to allow for the lengthy protests every time a competitor in the Open events is eliminated and doesn't like it. Eventually even the lights had had enough, and the Open events were postponed to early Sunday morning. Before that, however, Dean Scarff took out the gold medal in the Under 19 Men's event.
Early Sunday morning saw the running of a new event on the program, the Lifesaver Relay. The team consists of a boat crew, a ski paddler, a board paddler, a swimmer and a beach sprinter, with a requirement to include at least one female, one Under 19 and one Under 16 competitor.
The City "A" crew of Geoff Wilson, Simon Allison, Damon Hansen-Knarhoi, Andrew Kelly and Andy Garswood got off to a great start, hitting the beach just behind the North Cottesloe team. Steve Hopkins took off on the ski leg, followed by Jono Stock on the board, James Cohen swimming and Amanda England crossing the line first in the final run leg to claim the inaugural Gold medal.
Chris Timms won the Open Surf Belt gold, while Matt Pupazzoni won bronze in the Under 19 event.
The Ski races were pretty thin ground for City this year, but Kate Forgione took the gold in the Open Women's for the fourth year running. In the Under 21 Women's event, Julie Greenhalgh flew home on the final wave and most watching picked her as clearly first or second. But somehow she wasn't even placed in the top six, while Jacinta Marriott took third place.
In the Surf Team events, Emma Wynne tripled up, swimming three consecutive races for the Under 16, Under 19 and Open gold medals, and crossing the line first in each swim. She was joined in the Under 16s by Fiona Doney, Katuschka Taylor-Miller and Kim Lovett, in the Under 19s by Alicia Marriott, Alex Stock and Matilda Sydenham, and in the Open event by Jacinta Marriott, Alicia and Alex.
The Open Men's event was a desperate tussle with City and Cottesloe filling the first eight places over the line. In the end it was Cottesloe with the better positions, and the City team of Chris Timms, James O'Toole, Jono Stock and Jake Cropper had to settle for silver. Jake and Jono then joined Matt Pupazzoni and Luke Tidey in the Under 19s, again finishing second.
The Under 16 Men's team of James Cohen, Ben Carrick, Corey Tidey and Duncan Jacob won their event, with the "B" team coming in third.
The Women's Ski Relay team of Kate Forgione, Alison O'Toole and Lisa Oldenhof easily defended the title they won last year. Kate then joined Jacinta Marriott and Emma Wynne for another gold in the Women's Taplin Relay, while the team of Claire O'Brien, Alicia Marriott and Alex Stock came in third.
In the Under 19 Taplin, there was plenty of drama. After crossing the line second, the team was disqualified for an incorrect changeover. Our opinion was that although the route taken to the changeover line was certainly unusual, it wasn't outside the rules. After about two and a half hours of appeals which went all the way to the highest level, the Carnival Disputes Committee, the decision was reversed and the team reinstated to the silver medal position.
The Under 16 Cameron Relay team of James Cohen, Ben Carrick, Amanda Buchan and Hannah McKenzie had another desperately close race, but unlike last year when we won it on the final sprint, this time it was Trigg's turn to take it out on the line.
The Men's Taplin Relay was the highlight of the weekend for many. With Ash Nesbit unavailable due to a family emergency, Greg Tate was called in late to join Steve Hopkins on the ski legs. Tim and Scott Trew took the board legs, with Scott producing a magnificent paddle to put veteran swimmer James O'Toole unexpectedly into the lead. Chris Timms finished off and City took the title.
The beach sprints were now moving into their finals. Shane Buchan again won the Open Men's event, while Amanda England went desperately close in the Open Women's. There was talk of declaring a dead heat, before one final look at the video replay put Amanda into second place. Dean Scarff won bronze in the Under 19 Men's race.
The Open Men's Beach Relay were looking good until old man Brett Slocombe pulled a hammy in the final leg. You'd think a physio would be better prepared. The Under 19 Men were also in contention, but were unfortunately disqualified after crossing the line second. The Under 16 Women, however, had no such problems and Amanda Buchan, Jess Richards, Lauren Keightley and Rebecca Banyard won the event for City for the first time ever.
The Ironperson events closed out the water areas. Emma Wynne won her eleventh gold medal of the weekend in the Under 16 Women's event. In the Under 16 Men's event, James Cohen came in third. Jono Stock battled hard in the Under 19s but finished second, with Jake Cropper third.
Alicia Marriott and Alex Stock came in first and second in the Under 19 Women's. Alicia then backed up to win the Open Ironwoman, with Jacinta Marriott second.
The final event of the carnival was the final of the Open Surf Boat. The City "A" crew got a fantastic start off the beach, and led the highly fancied North Cottesloe crew to the buoys. But North Cottesloe came out of the turn well and took a narrow lead, which they held to beach to leave City second by a boat length.
City finished second overall in the aggregate points trophy, and won the handicap banner.
The Bernie Kelly Medal, for the most outstanding competitor of the carnival, was jointly awarded to Emma Wynne who won eleven gold medals from the eleven events she competed in, and Alicia Marriott who won ten golds.
The medal tally:
| Gold: | 39 | |
| Silver: | 31 | |
| Bronze: | 18 |
I've tried to give a mention to all the medallists - apologies if I've missed you out!
[States Gold Medallists]
[States Photos]
