After seven gruelling days of rowing the 190km course from Batemans Bay to Eden, 23 boats and 14 skis completed the 2012 Navy George Bass Surfboat and Dial Before You Dig Surf Ski marathon on Saturday, January 7.
The Moruya (Canberra) Vikings Open Men and Torquay Open Women made a clean sweep of the marathon with the Vikings notching up a consecutive win in the bi-annual event billed as the toughest surfboat ocean race in the world.
Day six, the penultimate 27km leg from Tathra to Pambula Beach was run under trying conditions with a southerly head wind and choppy seas.
But not even nature could prise Pambula Power women’s veteran team from its position of dominance as it completed the sixth leg of this gruelling ocean marathon undefeated.
Line honours on the day went to the Pambula crew in the Veteran Men’s division, who were committed to taking on the field to the cheers of the welcoming crowds.
Pambula men’s vet rower Andrew Holt, of Pambula Beach, who competed in his seventh George Bass, said the north easterlies that blew on six out of the seven days had made the marathon a relatively quick race that saw records break. The marathon was incident free with the exception of an injury to a Gerringong woman whose leg was badly cut when it was hit by a propeller, he said.
The competition was strong and the Moruya (Canberra) Vikings crew had set the pace with three Olympic rowers and one Canadian Olympic rower in their team.
He said all of Pambula’s surf ski paddlers did well and Gerard (Pots) Kelly was fourth overall – a great result for him.
Pambula’s results reflected the hard work and 12 months of constant training for some.
Holt acknowledged the assistance of the support crew Ross Cowley, Greg Liddell, Anne and Brian Smith, Troy Altman and Rob Zelley.
He said the support given by the Navy was “fantastic and each marathon gets bigger and bigger”.
George Bass legend, Jimmy McGrath, a veteran Pambula lifesaver was awarded a Curly Annabel cap for his behind the scenes work at the marathons over the years.
Pambula Power women’s veterans team rower Tara Stone said they couldn’t have hoped for a better result.
“We are proud of our achievement and we all nine girls put in the same effort.”
She said the toughest leg was Day 6 between Tathra and Pambula when the southerly blew forcing them to row into the wind.
”Our most enjoyable day was the long leg from Bermagui to Tathra.”
She said that the camaraderie among all the clubs was really good. “It made it a nice atmosphere to be involved in.”
She put their winning result down to their fitness. “We trained really hard; we trained for nine months but only in the boat since September. We followed the ergo program and did lots of gym work.
“Our sweep/coach Bob McGeachie is a real dynamo. He has been sweeping surf boats for 43 years and our success is largely attributable to him.”
Pambula Saltwater Pearls who had four grandmothers in the team took third place in the women’s vets.
“To do the longest and toughest surf boat marathon in the world is a daunting task for even the competition’s fittest surf lifesavers but to do it with four grandmothers in the team must have seemed like sheer madness,” said sweep Donald Hay.
But do it they did, and in the process not only did they win the admiration of the large crowds who watched the event but the respect of their fellow competitors, as they competed and completed the seven stages of the 190km George Bass Surfboat Marathon.
The team endured major adversity during the race with illness to Sandy Farrell, injury to Jas Newman and Jo Thorpe’s father unexpectedly passing away.
Not only did they come a creditable third in the Veteran Women’s Rowing Division, which is for female crews over 30 years old but also were awarded the Australian Navy’s trophy for outstanding commitment and teamwork during the event.
“No team would be complete without the backup of a great support crew and the wonderful involvement of Brian and Ann Smith aboard their boat “Bask”, Paul Williams, Colin Hay and Greg Shaw provided expert seamanship,” Don said.
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