Portsea SLSC Club Champs 2023

The weather was glorious for our 2023 Portsea Club Champs with flat conditions that might suit all the pool swimmers but lacked the excitement Portsea is renowned for, when the racing back-markers dial a wave from nowhere to glory. Thirty participants turned up on the day, across all our defined LSV age groups, to race their mates and have a bit of fun.

First up we had the Open Surf Race, where all competitors, regardless of age and gender, front up to the line for a race to the can and back. Male and Female winners are rewarded with the Yencken Cup and Nat Hood Cup respectively. In the male category, distance swimming specialist Harvey Larke took line honours, and in the female race, Mackie Hunter stormed home to get her name on the cup for a second year in a row.

Next up was the Board Race and we saw our cohort of Portsea Lifeguards keen to show their prowess as they grabbed their pet craft and placed a front foot on the line. Despite the small surf, there was a display of skills and tactics with some choosing to take the longer route into the eastern surf zone. In a zip down the face of a wave, and run up the beach, one of our more experienced lifeguards, Nik Rathmayr took the title and boasting rights to go with it. In the U19 race our competition team members Xavier Purcell and Harvey Larke battled it out with Harvey charging in for first place. In the women’s races Mackie Hunter, Mia Horskins and Maggie Betts demonstrated their skills, with Maggie taking the female ‘wave of the day’ all the way to the beach.

The women volunteered to line up first in the iron, insisting on the same course distance as the men. Mia sat hot on the tail of Mackie, both making the most of the beautiful race conditions. The men’s iron was in the starter’s hands as Griffin Mitchell ran down the beach having battled the summer traffic back from work at Gunnamatta. Fresh arms and legs weren’t quite enough to hold off Ned Betts, who took first place, with Griff a close second behind.

The glorious beach conditions saw some of our ocean lovers disappear back into the water but they were replaced by a group of beachies making an appearance. First up was the long run where Griff Mitchell sat on the heels of Oscar Hunter, only to put on the after-burners and sprint away in the last 50m. Masters competitor Peter ‘Pickles’ Wilson used the same race plan against Jim Unkles. The women’s race was never in doubt with long distance runner Bev Thomas streaking the field.

Sprints and beach flags became the deciding events in a couple of our age group categories. Some were encouraged onto the line to try their hand. Others jumped in for some serious fun. All hamstrings and Achilles remained intact this year, with Phil Harford’s knee being the only casualty of the day.

Club Champs honours go to those who do the most races, accumulating points across all six events. A shout out goes to Maggie Betts, the only entrant on the day to enter the full sweep. As such, Maggie became our Open Female Club Champion. Henry Walters U17 and Mia Horskins U15, both competed in five of the six events, each winning four, to take out their age group Club Championships.

The Open Male Club Championship went to Griffin Mitchell, who despite missing the first two events, excelled in the last four.

Thanks to our officials, water safety and event organisers, and to the weather gods for such a beautiful day.

Results: