Batemans Bay masters surfboat crews have smashed all comers – men and women – in the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in Western Australia.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 180 masters crew of Barbara Van Luin, Tracy Innes, Megan Douros and Fran Campbell, with Neil Innes as sweep, won five races in a row to win the golf medal at Scarborough Beach, Perth.
The 140 men’s crew of Wayne Coppin, Josh Currall, Shaun Green and David Fleming dominated their three-race round robin to claim their golden moment on the podium, with Neil Innes again as sweep.
Tracy Innes said the women’s crew dominated on April 17, winning their three heats and the semi-final before facing up to a home crew who had done just the same – North Cottesloe. A showdown was in store.
“We did not face them until the race (grand final),” Tracy said.
“It was tit-for-tat the whole way. We came across the line a half a boat in front. They slewed on the line and took out our sweep.”
The 140 men’s crew won convincingly, Tracy said.
Coppin also rows stroke in the open men’s A crew.
Broulee’s men’s 160 crew also won a bronze medal at Scarborough.
The Batemans Bay women backed up on April 19 in the reserves heats.
“Being an older crew, we decided to row reserves,” Tracy said. Fran is aged 39, Megan is 40 and Barb and Tracy are 52.
The day didn’t quite go their way as the weather worsened. Indeed conditions are so bad organisers have decided to end the championships on Saturday instead of Sunday.
“My girls did it the hard way today,” Tracy said of Thursday’s racing.
“We were pretty confident because at state we got fourth, which is pretty good for a 180 crew. It is getting pretty nasty when they are cancelling major competitions. The first race we got hit by three or four waves in a row and got pile driven back.
“We gave everyone about 10 boat lengths start each time. We ended up with a third and two fourths and we just have to wait and see if we made the cut,” she said told the Bay Post on Thursday evening.
Just 18 boats will go through instead of 24 to the next round as organisers seek to cram three days of racing into two.
Currall, Green and Fleming also backed up on April 19 with Andy Pustavrh in the reserves event.
Batemans Bay’s open men – ranked sixth in Australia – will race on April 20.
“They are a very good crew,” Tracy said. “They were second at Ocean Thunder, won bronze at state, and just got pipped at the line.”
Coppin, Luke Price from Moruya, Aaron Jackson and Sam Funch will carry Batemans Bay’s hopes onto the water, with Neil Innes again as sweep.
It’s been a huge event for the Innes couple.
“Neil just won his 15th Australian medal and it was my ninth Australian medal,” Tracy said.
The crews got two boats over thanks to Gary Pettigrove, of Broulee Surfers Surf Life Saving Club sharing the big drive.
