Important Notice: New Working with Children Check Requirements – 2026/27 Season
October 15, 2026
The first carnival of the season saw a show of paddling and swimming strength from our Portsea competitors. Endurance Championships are raced over a longer distance format – an ocean swim, long beach run, ski paddle and board paddle.
Our ocean swimmers took to the water first. The men and women swam together in a head to head challenge. Xavier Purcell clinched line honours and the open men’s gold, with Mackie Hunter third across the line to take the women’s gold. Sally Gentle swam into the bronze medal spot in the masters women’s race.
Next up were the long beach runs where Ed Brice placed third in the masters mens’s race. He then followed this up with silver in the masters board race, and Sally Gentle place 5th in the women’s masters board race.
The day’s conditions fortunately held through to the afternoon where there was an onslaught of Portsea ski paddlers out on the 6km and 10km courses. In the open men’s race Charlie Cornwell took silver despite being hampered with forearm cramps. Big brother Gabe was close behind in 4th. Mum Chloe Hardman took gold in the women’s masters, and the whole family had James on the finish line as craft hander.
The men’s masters 6km race was close to a trifecta with Portsea placing 1,2 and 4. Gold went to new Portsea recruit Byron Bowman, who was chased down by Charlie Schall-Riaucour in second place and Eamon Murphy in 4th.
A big thanks to our officials Chloe and Nat and to our end of day pack up helpers. Endurance Champs is always a fun way to kick off the season and we hope to see more action from our competitors in the upcoming months. If you’d like to get involved, send a message or WhatsApp to Natalie Hood on 0410001367.
