Our Surf Sports team had a fantastic campaign at this year’s State Championships, with the club represented across most disciplines over three action-packed weekends—including Age, Lifesaving, Surf Boats, and Masters (beach and water). We were fortunate to have State Champs held on our home stretch for the final time under a three-year agreement, with events taking place at Freshwater, Queenscliff, and North Steyne. Competing on familiar waters was a great advantage, and our athletes made the most of it, delivering outstanding performances across all divisions.
Lifesaving
State Championships took place just two weeks after Branch Champs, providing an excellent training opportunity for some of our team members competing for the first time.
For those unfamiliar, the Champion Lifesaver event is a heptathlon-style competition combining physical and theoretical components, with the goal of earning as many points as possible out of 120. With little to no swell forecast for the first weekend, our lifesaving competitors put in incredible performances—facing a long paddle and swim around the cans three times over.
Our Youth Champion Lifesavers competed on Friday, securing valuable club points. In the U14 category, Zach Gibbeson achieved an impressive 2nd place, earning an automatic qualification for Aussies. The U14 girls also had outstanding results, with Pearl Brown finishing 3rd, Jade Kwan 4th, and Penny House 5th—an incredible effort in a highly competitive age group. In the U17 Male Champion Lifesaver event, Leo placed 5th in a large and tough field. Rounding out the Youth competition, Xavier, Capucine, and Beanon all had strong finishes as they prepared for the U17 Patrol Competition on Sunday.
The Masters and Open Champion Lifesavers competed on Saturday (and it already felt like a holiday without the teens to manage!). We were lucky to have Shannon in Sydney, perfectly timed with his work schedule, and thrilled to see Deb take the Crown in her Champion Lifesaver event! The conditions remained wave-free, making for another long, grueling race around the cans. In the Open category, Kyra finished 4th—a fantastic achievement—while Sarah placed 2nd.
This season, our U17 Patrol Competition team—Capucine, Beanon, Leo, and Xavier—competed for the first time. This team-based event includes a surf teams race, lifesaver relay, theory, resuscitation, and a simulated scenario where competitors are assessed on their response to an unplanned emergency. It tests their communication, surf awareness, teamwork, and first aid skills. To be eligible, all competitors must hold their ARTC, First Aid, and Bronze Medallion.
The team put in a standout performance, particularly in the lifesaving relay, where a great board rescue secured a close 2nd place. Capucine also achieved a perfect score in the Patrol Captain assessment during the scenario. In the end, the team claimed the Gold Medal, earning automatic qualification for Aussies with a 10-point lead over second place—an incredible achievement!
We’ve been incredibly fortunate this season to have Kyra training and mentoring our youth First Aiders, with four teams competing. At Branch Champs, our U14 First Aid team—Emma, Cassandre, Pearl, and Jade—entered the event with no prior experience, using it as a valuable learning opportunity. Between Branch and State, they dedicated time to training and refining their skills. At State Champs, they faced a challenging scenario and tough competition, even competing in the U15 division.
We are immensely proud of their results:
- NS Mermaids (Emma & Cassandre) placed 2nd, earning automatic qualification for Aussies.
- NS Stars (Pearl & Jade) placed 4th, securing a spot on the Aussies start list.
- In U19, NS Golden Girls (Emilie & Capucine) finished 5th.
- In the highly competitive Open First Aid division, NS Penguins (Kyra & Lachie) tackled a hectic scenario with exceptional prioritization and treatment skills, securing 2nd place and automatic qualification for Aussies.
It has been a truly rewarding season for our small but dedicated lifesaving team, with every competitor earning crucial club points. Every point contributed to NS securing 2nd place overall in the state for Lifesaving Points—a fantastic result. It was fitting that Deb was at Freshwater on the final day to step onto the podium and accept the award on behalf of the team.
A massive thank you to our incredible officials who make these competitions possible: Jodie Frazer, Jo Cooper, Joe Mastrangelo Jnr, Deb Foote, Keith Abraham, and Sarah Lally. Also, a huge shout-out to our patient volunteers who endure being prodded and treated during scenarios: Emilie Morris, Jade Kwan, Cassandre Dequidt, Beanon Ruane, and Kyra Jenkins—we couldn’t compete without you!
Masters
The North Steyne Angels (female Masters) and North Steyne Tigers (male Masters) may have had fewer competitors this year, but they still delivered impressive results, finishing 19th overall on the club board in the state—with just nine competitors!
There was strong representation across both sand and water events, with the 1km and 2km runs bringing in well-earned medals for the team:
1km Run: 3rd – Tim Platt, 2nd – Caroline Yarnell
2km Run: 2nd – Erin Colwell, 2nd – Sarah Lally
Our sand sprinters put in solid performances in flags and sprints, with the 200-year Male Beach Relay Team (Craig Shadbolt, Tim Platt, Dan Hillier and Simon Herfort) finishing 5th. Special shoutout to Craig, who competed in one of the toughest sprint age groups, making it to the finals and finishing 6th. Simon also claimed bronze in the sprints, no doubt inspired by the Nippers’ efforts the previous week!
With still no waves in sight, the Masters water competitors may have voiced a few complaints about the long course, but these were swiftly dismissed by the course judge. Despite the extra distance, our members delivered fantastic results in the water:
Rebecca Herbert claimed bronze in the swim
Tim Platt secured silver in the tube swim
The NS Angels competed in the Taplin, Board Relay, and Board Rescue events. While they didn’t take home medals, they put in strong performances, had plenty of fun, and crucially, earned valuable club points!
Surf Boats
The Old Gold crew has been steadily building their strength, with Steve Gigg at the helm. In the lead-up to State, they put in valuable ocean time, rowing in Reserves at the NS Carnival and competing at ASRL in Coffs Harbour.
At State, competing in the 240-year division, the crew delivered consistent performances throughout the round-robin stages, securing their spot in the finals. Despite drawing a challenging alley, they gave it everything and powered their way to a silver medal, finishing on the podium. With their sights now set on Aussies, they’re determined to challenge Freshwater and SCC for the top spot. Special mention to Peter ‘Chappo’ Chapman for his hard work behind the scenes in bringing the crew together.
Our Surf Sports team will be heading up North to the Nationals at the end of March to represent the Black and Gold. We wish them all the very best and safe travels. We are already so proud of everything they have achieved!
Surf Sports Team – National Team 2025
Beanon Ruane
Capucine Dequidt
Cassandre Dequidt
Craig Shadbolt
Deb Foote
Emma Greenhalgh
Erin Colwell
Harvey Collins
Jade Kwan
Kyra Jenkins
Lachlan van der Pluijm
Michael O’donnell
Milli Crofton
Pearl Brown
Peter Chapman
Richard Timson
Sarah Lally
Shannon Job
Stephen Hoare
Steven Gigg
Xavier Kwan
