Batemans Bay Reserve Men's surfboat crew were crowned state champions at Swansea Belmont on Sunday.
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The 2021 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships was rescheduled to take place at the weekend after floods forced the event to be cancelled in March.
Great conditions greeted crews on Saturday as the young guns took centre stage with racing in the Under 19 and Under 23 divisions.
There was enough wave action to make for some challenging racing and a few spills, with many of the crews experiencing their first State Championships outing.
Sunday saw the big guns hit the beach with racing in the Reserve and Open divisions. Flatter conditions and strong offshore winds made it hard work.
It came down to the wire in the Reserve women's final, with Sth Curl Curl's Curly Girlies holding off the competition in fine style. Sweep Mark Spiteri was happy with the result: "I'm so proud of these guys, they just fought all the way all day and had a bit to fight home at the end ... just sensational."
Along with veteran sweep Grant Wilkinson from Elouera, Neil Innes from Batemans Bay was one of two sweeps who was in all four finals, emerging with gold in the Reserve Male final.
The crew agreed Innes was always good at getting that extra five percent out of them.
"He's a great sweep. And it's great that all the 4am starts are just kicking in," the crew said.
The Open Female division was run and won with an ecstatic Nth Cronulla Funky Chicks taking the prize.
The crew said they were exhausted, but felt confident going into the final.
With 50 metres to go and a clear lead, sweep Mark McDonald wasn't taking any chances with gold in sight and worked the girls hard.
"I could see we were in a good spot and I just didn't want to see anything coming through picking anyone else up," he said.
The Batemans Bay open women's crew placed 3rd with reserve women placing 4th overall.
Bulli's Open Men secured their eighth NSW Championship, winning back the title after losing narrowly to Batemans Bay in 2020.
Still recovering from a few injuries, the Batemans Bay Open Men's crew placed 6th overall.
"I think we're all a bit buggered, me included," said sweep Shane Geloven.
The crew clearly left nothing in the tank either.
"It was really tight, us and Curly were pushing for that little runner right at the end and we did just enough to get over it. I can tell you there wasn't much left," they said.
RESULTS
U19 Female
- Sth Curl Curl Bumps and Humps
- Nth Cronulla BOFs
- Avoca She Wolves
- Collaroy RED
- Long Reef Sharlies
- Avalon Beach Alpacas
U19 Male
- Avalon Beach Hueys
- Nth Cronulla Bung Holes
- Sth Curl Curl Underdogs
- Bulli
- Collaroy Bruisers
- Palm Beach Pigs
U23 Female
- Palm Beach Panthers
- Mona Vale Drifters
- Wanda Wedges
- Nth Bondi Shredders
- Palm Beach Pandas
- Collaroy Blutos Angels
U23 Male
- Palm Beach Plumbers
- Sth Curl Curl Lamp
- Wanda Weapons
- Palm Beach Playboys
- Sth Curl Curl Sneaky Nuts
- Coogee Sons
Reserve Female
- Sth Curl Curl Curly Girlies
- Nth Narrabeen Lean Beans
- Windang Wenches
- Batemans Bay Phoenix
- Elouera Wilko
- Bulli
Reserve Male
- Batemans Bay A
- Avalon Beach Pinkies
- Nth Bondi Collegiate
- Newport
- Nth Cronulla Purds
- Elouera Wilko
Open Female
- Nth Cronulla Funky Chicks
- Coogee Recoverie
- Batemans Bay Baguettes
- Elouera Wilko
- Nth Narrabeen Has Beans
- Avoca Beach
Open Male
- Bulli
- Sth Curl Curl Death Riders
- Elouera Wilko
- Caves Beach Meat Trays
- Collaroy Garricks
- Batemans Bay A
- Boat Relay
- Nth Cronulla Blue
- Sth Curl Curl
- Avalon Beach
- Palm Beach
- Mona Vale
- Wanda
- Nth Cronulla Gold