HELENSBURGH STANWELL PARK SLSC

The Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships were held at Kurrawa, Queensland between 19 and 23 March. We sent two U19 Boat Crews and four beach competitors to represent our Club and we are very proud of their achievements.


Our Ocean Swim winner

Each one of our beach competitors just missed out on making the final of their events. These were Allira Mercer U16 Beach Sprint, Daniel Robberds U16 Beach Sprint, Simon Cook U19 Beach Flags, and Laura Humphries U19 Beach Flags.
Just missing out on a final in the Australian Titles is a frustrating feeling; so close and yet so far away. All four of these competitors are among the best 9 or 10 in the country. They still have another year in their current age groups so watch out next year. They are a credit to our Club as are the boaties who also excelled.
Mark (Gator) Wallace’s crew of Eddie White, Chris Ryder, Michael Breeze and Nathan Thompson rowed extremely well making the 2nd quarter final. This means that the crew are around the 15th best in Australia. Don Burke’s crew of Luke McCarthy, Michael Fairbairn, Ben Wood and Max Nicholls made it through three rounds. What an effort these guys have put in and they also have another year left in this age group.
Our sponsors for the season are greatly appreciated. Our heart felt thanks go to Helensburgh Coal, DBT Aust, VA Eimco, Longwaul Hydraulics, Lewis Fabrications, Helensburgh Bowling Club, Southern Fasteners, PRD Nationwide Helensburgh, Rodson’s Roofing, Black Swan Engineering, O’Donnell Griffin, Paul and Jenny Breeze Handyman Timber Heathcote, Country Outdoor Signs, Bob McNally Signwriting, Ron & Pete’s Family Meats, Helensburgh Workmen’s Club, Dick Pavett, Yamaha Australia, Bob Goodwin, Helensburgh Lions Club, Peter Little, Fisher Controls, Coastlands Inc, Hertz Australia, Stanwell Park Sea Eels Winter Swimming and the residents of the local Helensburgh and surrounding districts. Please support our sponsors who support us.
Lewis Fabrications sponsored the Seniors touring team uniforms for both the State and Australian Titles. The team looked great.
Guess who else we were cheering on at Aussies? That’s right, our local boy, Simon Harris, who won a gold medal in the Open Mens’ Beach Flags. Simon is now with Surfers Paradise Club and wants everyone to know that he misses home and our surf club. Our team and supporters were cheering more for Simon than his new club.
We had 58 “clubbies” on hand to give our competitors all the support they needed. Thank you to Bobo White, Jeff Lucke and Don Harris who once again officiated at the Titles.
Please mark in your diaries our Patrol Dinner which is on Sat 31 May at the Surf Club and Senior Presentation is Fri 27 June 7.30pm at the Workmen’s Club. Sat 28 June is the Illawarra Branch Presentation Night and our Senior Club AGM is 27 July at 11am at the Surf Club.
Helensburgh Workmen’s Club gave our Club $500 towards the Junior state uniforms this year which made us feel proud wearing our club colours of red, white and blue.
Thank you so very much to Martin and Robyn Paynter’s Butchery for their generous donation.
We held our annual Junior Presentation award night on 4 April at the Helensburgh Workmen’s Club which was very well attended. Some of the major awards presented were:
Seagall of the Year Chenay Mercer; Seagull of the Year Ben Dowling; Best Senior at Carnivals Tiarne Blackwell & Christopher Astill; Best Junior at Carnivals Lauren Cook & Adam Thompson; Best Water Competitor at Carnivals Luke Taylor & Ryan O’Grady; Junior Ironperson Luke Taylor; Senior Ironperson Ben Dowling; Board Encouragement Cameron Baillie & Carly Perrin; Most Improved Competitor-Carnivals Amanda Mercer; Endeavour Trophy Courtney Overell & Christopher Astill; Swim Encouragement Scott Dowling & Mikayla Morris; Award for Most Water Consistency Hayley Johnston & Amy-Lee Perrin; Captains for 2003/4 Season Christopher Astill & Elizabeth Wallace.
We have had a terrific season. Our competitors have added to their trophy cabinets, met new people, learned new skills and how to be good sports. To our Age Managers, beach and water recorders, the committee and everyone who helps out with water safety, canteen, BBQ, sellers of raffle tickets, trophy selectors, fundraisers, club uniform buyers and sellers, state team uniform selectors and those who are constantly running around getting things done, THANK YOU.
So many people are needed to run the Club effectively and that is just what is done. To the sponsors of our Age Groups, again thank you to Italian on the Park, Helensburgh Newspower, PRD Nationwide Helensburgh, Annette Beaufils, Ron & Pete’s Family Meats, G&D Mercer Builders, A Overell Finish Builders, Black Swan Engineering and Coastline Real Estate.
Just a reminder that Sunday 4 May is the Surf Club’s 95th Re-union which will be held at the Helensburgh Workmen’s Club commencing at 11am. Formal business will be kept to a minimum and will be catered by “Leo’s” from the HWC at $15 per head if required (roast, salads and dessert). All members new and old, along with friends who have in anyway been associated with our Club over the past 95 years are most welcome. For further details contact our Secretary, Peter McDonald on 42941247.
The Winter Swimmers are back in business following time trials held at Coalcliff pool on 27 April. All comers new and old, male and female, young and old are welcome to join the Stanwell Park Sea Eels in this, their 15th season at the ocean side pool in Coalcliff. You don’t have to be a good swimmer and the only requirement is that you can swim 50 metres. Swims commence at 9am each Sunday morning rain or shine. Besides the swimming and socialising, the club’s main purpose is to raise money for charities.
After a week of anxious waiting following the postponement due to big seas, competitors finally hit the water for the second Stanwell Park Ocean Challenge on Sunday 13 April. Registrations were up this year with 190 in total. The race was run in testing conditions with a strong 1.5 metre swell and chop from the northeast in the face of the swimmers the whole way. The course was made slightly longer than last year due to the need to place swim cans further out to sea away from the rocks (approx 3kms in distance).
The overall winner was Brett Evans from Warrimoo with a time of 34.5 minutes. Local swimmers featured prominently with 15 year old ex-Stanwell Park nipper, Rhett Russell, finishing 6th overall with a time of 39.02. The first Helensburgh Stanwell Park member home was David Whiteside who finished 10th with a time of 39.42 minutes. Winning the Open Female category was Sue Bell from Stanwell Tops with a time of 43.26. Finishing 11th overall was our own local doctor, Trevor Kemper, with a time of 39.52. A special mention needs to be made about visually-impaired local, Nathan Johnston, who at 17 years of age completed the course and beat even some of our most hardened ocean swimmers. Well done Nathan!
A big thank you to all Club members, both from Coalcliff and Stanwell Park, who assisted on the day in water safety, canteen and the administration of organising the day. Thank you to the Ocean Swim committee of Mat White, Wayne Johnston, Murray Dowling, Keven Keane and Andrew Perrin. Thank you also to our generous sponsors Coastline Real Estate, Tyr and Red Bull.
Congratulations to all swimmers who completed the course in the not too friendly conditions. See you all again next year for the third Ocean Swim.
As you are probably aware, our Club has a website which can be accessed by logging onto www.stanwellparksurfclub.com for all the news, what’s on, club program and general administration.
We can’t believe another season is over, so until next time, see you at the netball or soccer, or football or... Julie Humphries, Publicity Officer.

U8 Sprint Relay Team - State Bronze Medallists (left to right) Erin Blackwell, Alana Humphries, Elizabeth Hill and Hayley Coleman