About three-and-a-half weeks out from the start it looked as though a quartet of Moruya rowers and their sweep would miss out on attempting the world’s longest, toughest surfboat marathon.
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However, a call to arms was posted to the George Bass Facebook page by the Long Reef crew from Sydney’s Northern Beaches which the Moruya Chooks answered and now the team are George Bass Surfboat Marathon champions.
The composite crew met at Manly for the first time in late December and the boaties found familiar ground immediately according to Moruya rower Jane Coppin.
“They had a similar situation and were down to about four or five (rowers),” Coppin said.
“We hit it off really well, it was obvious we were really evenly matched.”
The crew obliterated its opponents over the gruelling week and almost scored maximum points with six leg wins.
The Moruya quartet wanted the accomplishment of finishing the race and the crews had only previously practised ocean changes the day before the marathon began.
We hit it off really well, it was obvious we were really evenly matched.
- Jane Coppin
“The ocean changes are a really integral part of the event. To have one day’s prep was not very reassuring,” Coppin said.
“During the week, by about Bermagui, we were really getting in the boat well, it’s quite a hard thing to do.”
Following the first day win, belief grew among the rowers.
“The first day was a really great racing day. We had to endure all conditions and considering it was our first day together I was impressed with how we rowed,” Coppin said.
On behalf of the crew, Coppin praised husband and sweep Brad for working well with a new group of rowers and Bert Hunt for his support in the lead up.