SURF LIFE SAVING
Umina Surf Life Saving Club’s youth squad has achieved high placings in the Shaw and Partner’s Summer of Surf Series against the best of the best in Queensland last week.
This year’s series expanded out to 11 carnivals across the country, giving athletes from across Australia a chance to compete for big prize money at the BMD Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club.
Six young hopefuls from Umina contested the series in the U15’s and U17’s age groups, culminating in the “Shannon Eckstein classic.”
Umina gained three podium places for the series: Olivia Edwards and Davara Marshall both came third in the overall swim events in their age groups; and a hard-fought silver to the U15 girls Taplin team of Hannah Stevenson, Olivia Edwards and Lucy Marshall.
Umina SLSC Opens Team Manager, Jenni Darwin, said: “It was a weekend of thrills and spills with big powerful surf making for some nail biting finishes.
“The Umina squad gave an impressive performance, giving them the points they needed to contend the overall series,” Darwin said.
“Cashar Darwin placed in the top six in the U15’s iron person and swim races and Hannah Stevenson took out fourth place in the U15’s girls swim.
“With Davara taking out a fifth in the 17’s ski and young Ronnie Jordan competing up an age group and featuring in finals across the series, the future looks bright for Umina SLSC’s surf sports team.”
The squad is currently coached by former Australian champion, Trevor Gee.
“This series is one of the premier events in the surf sports calendar,” Gee said.
“The squad has done incredibly well just to be there, and their results are testament to the hard work and commitment they show to their sport.”
The local youth team will compete at the Surf Life Saving Central Coast championships February 19 and 20 at Shelly Beach before heading to Manly for the State titles and back up to Queensland in April for Nationals.
Source:
Media release, Feb 14
Umina Surf Life Saving Club