Bulli crowned 2012 Champion Surf Sports Club at Branch Championships
What a great weekend for our surf sports athletes and the club in general after being crowned 2012 Illawarra Surf Life Saving Champion Surf Sports Club with a win in the overall point-score at the recent Illawarra Branch Championships held at Thirroul.
The Junior Activities Section finished 2nd behind the very strong Thirroul nippers and the seniors had their work cut out to close the deficit, especially with the host club Thirroul having members turn up to compete in events, mainly Masters athletes. Our masters guys & girls held their own tallying some medals along the way. It was then left to our Surf/Craft (U15 to Open) & Boat Sections to mass points for a convincing club victory.
Members gained victory in every Open Male & Female individual & team surf/craft event bar the beach sprint, flags & relay races dominated by Stanwell Park & the boats won by Austinmer. The premier Open Ironman & Open Ironwoman events saw the club gain the trifecta in each race with Mitch Fagerstrom winning from Beau Wheeler & Lachlan O'Grady. Hannah Minogue leading home Jamie Brinkworth & Penny Locke in the ladies.
Bernadette Cardillo came out of a semi-break (HSC & a few niggling injuries) to show her class in winning the U19 Female Beach Sprint & Flags double. Members also combined to get teams in beach relay events & gained a few impressive placings. Peter Richards, Jake Montogomery, Lachlan O'Grady, Calvin Richards, Morgan Richards & Josh Gordon also raced well in the long distance beach events.
In the Boats (6 medals won) the U19 Male crew raced impressively (in a very strong division in Illawarra) to record a great win, plus backed up in the Boat Relay for a 1st with the Open Male & Open Female crews. The Open A Male crew finished a close 2nd to Austinmer.
Jesse Morris was our sole medal winner (gold) in the U17 Maler Board Riding held at Port Kembla recently.
All up some strong racing on both days with some athletes going around the bouys close to 20 times.
Well done to Lachlan O'Grady (9G - 9S - 5B), Jamie Brinkworth (7G - 7S - 4B), Beau Wheeler (7G - 4S - 2B), Mitch Fagerstrom (6G - 2S) & Hannah Minogue (6G - 3S - 1B) on their respective medal tallies.
JUNIORS 17 Gold - 17 Silver - 11 Bronze
SENIORS 62 Gold - 53 Silver - 42 Bronze * Club Record Gold medal tally * Club Record medal tally
A large gathering of members, family & supporters then attended Bulli Workers Club on the Sunday after the seniors carnival finished to celebrate the results.