City of Perth SLSC


		The Champions Nearly one hundred City members have won medals at Australian or World Championship Level. Our first success on the national scene came at Scarboro in 1951, when we were place 3rd in the March Past. Seven years later the titles were again held at Scarboro, and we won silvers in the March Past and the Open Beach Relay. In 1960, Ric Roberts took his State Champion Junior R&R team to Merewether in NSW, where they placed second. The following year at Moana, South Australia, Mick Mickle took a bronze in the Pillow Fight, an event sadly no longer held. In 1971 the Championships were held at City Beach. Our Junior Boat Crew were undefeated for the season, and Kevin McRae, Dennis Trew, John Leivers and Robbie Somerford, swept by Jim Pouleris won the clubs first ever Australian Championship. Not only champion boaties but also champion club members, four of this crew went on to be awarded Life Membership of the club. After this win it was decided that the club should be represented at all future Australian Championships. In 1973, at Burleigh Heads in Queensland, Brad Trotter won the club's first Open title in the Beach Sprint Two years later, at Dee Why beach in Sydney, a skinny little cadet by the name of Greg Mickle caught the wave of the day to win the Cadet Board Race. In 1976, at Clifton Beach Tasmania, Kevin McRae swept Jim Brentnall, Steve Newton, Peter Waey, and Steve McRae to victory in the Junior Boat race. In 1978 at Kingscliff on the northern NSW coast, Greg Mickle won a bronze medal in the Junior Iron Man, and the following year at Trigg, Bruce Edmistone silver in the Open Beach Flags. The Maroochydore Aussies in 1980 saw City of Perth in ten finals, the highlight being the win in the Open Beach Relay, the club's fifth Australian title. The team was Brad and Rory Trotter, Bruce Edmistone, Peter Duncan. Leigh Buchan, at that time in the middle of a run of six State Beach Sprint Championships, was injured in the semis and unable to run in the final. At the 1981 Australian titles at Wanda, NSW, Jamie Kearsley confirmed his class by winning gold in two events, the junior surf race and junior belt race as well as bronze in the junior Iron Man. The Open Beach Relay narrowly failed to defend their title, placed second in a tight finish. The club reached 12 finals and was ranked eighth in Australia. The first World Life Saving Titles were held at Kuta Beach in Bali in May 1981 and City's boaties Rob Somerford, John Leivers, Steve Newton, and Mark McLean, with Geoff Leivers as sweep achieved a memorable win, and boasted being surf boat champions of the World! At Moana in 1982, City's A Crew were narrowly beaten into second place in what was billed as the rematch of the 1981 Worlds. Steve McRae and John Hayes also won a bronze in the Open First Aid event. In 1983 the Championships returned to Clifton Beach in Tasmania, where Frank Veltman swept Simon Titchener, Andrew Twine, Richard Kinneen and James Malone to silver in the Junior Boat. Despite our domination of WA competition, we didn't win another Australian medal until the 1987 Champs at Scarboro, where Fiona Scott was second in the Open Women's Beach Sprint, and the Cadet Surf Team was third. In 1990, the club began a run of medals, which began with a bronze in the Champion Patrol in an event that finished in the dark at North Wollongong. The following year at Scarboro Kirsten O'Donoghue and Cameron Scott won gold in the under 18 first aid teams. In 1992 at Collaroy we saw the re-emergence of the beach arena, with a bronze in the open Men's Beach Relay. In the Masters competition, Leigh Buchan won the 30-34 Beach Sprint. The following year at Kurrawa Brett Slocombe took out the Open Beach Flags. Alison Smith was second in the u/16 Women's Beach Sprint, and the Open Men's Relay were again third. In 1994, at Swansea-Belmont NSW Brett Slocombe became the first City member to successfully defend an Australian Title in winning the Open Beach Flags, with the open beach relay winning the silver. Alison Smith also took silver in the u/18 Women's Sprint. The Open Men's Relay then travelled to Newquay, England, for the World Titles. Brett Slocombe again won the Beach Flags, and teamed with Hisham Scarff, Brad Smith and Stuart Love to win the beach relay. The Championships returned to Kurrawa in 1995, where we were 2nd in the u/18 Surf Teams, and 3rd in the u/18 R&R. In the Masters Vic Paul won the 50-54 yrs Surf Race. The following year our Open Women's Beach Relay took 3rd place. In 1997 James O'Toole and Tim Trew caused an upset in taking out the Open Board Rescue. James followed up with a second place in the Restricted Surf Race to complete his set of Australian medals. Colin Braund won the 30-34 Rescue Tube at the Masters at this carnival and again the following year. In 1998 Tim Trew and Justin Hoyer won a bronze in the u/18 Double Ski at Kurrawa. Kelvin Bishop travelled to New Zealand for the Masters World Titles, where he won the over-35 Rescue Tube race. In 1999, still at Kurrawa, Heather Shanks placed second in the Open Women's Beach Sprint, making it ten consecutive years that the club had won Australian medals. In the Masters, Penny Cohen won gold in the 40-44 years Beach Flags. Which brings us to this years championships... At the 2000 Australian Championships, the following results were achieved: Finalists Open Ski Relay Ashley Nebit, Kristian Hawkless, Marcus O'Donoghue Open Mixed Double Ski Ashley Nesbit, Alison Tomczak Open Double Ski Ashley Nesbit, Kristian Hawkless Open Mens Surf Race, Over 24 Restricted Surf Race James O'Toole Under 18 Mens Surf Race Lane Tomich Sixth place Open Surf Boat Geoff Wilson, Joel Ireland, Andrew Kelly, Damon Hansen-Knarhoi, Simon Allison Open Womens Beach Flags Renee McCabe Fifth place Open Womens Beach Sprint Heather Shanks Fourth place Open Champion Lifesaver Grant Trew Bronze medallists Open Womens Beach Relay Heather Shanks, Renee McCabe, Karin Slattery, Sally Child, Leigh Buchan (Coach) World Championships Manly Beach, April 2000 Open Womens Beach Sprint Heather Shanks, Fourth Open Mens Surf Race Lane Tomich, finalist [The Beginning] [The Champions] [The Last 30 Years]