ASRL NATIONAL SELECTION SERIES FOR OPEN MEN AND OPEN WOMEN BOAT CREW TO REPRESENT ASRL AGAINST NEW ZEALAND. ONE CREW ONLY TO WIN SELECTION.
THIS WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN EPIC DAY OF SURF ROWING. NINE MENS AND NINE WOMENS CREWS WERE ON THE BEACH, AND THE SURF WAS UP.
THE HEAT AND FAIRLY CALM SEAS OF SATURDAY HAD CHANGED TO A 30 KM SE WIND WITH RAIN AND A LUMPY TWO MTR SWELL AND WATER MOVEMENT FROM RIGHT TO LEFT. THE CREW STANDARD WAS HIGH, THE BIG NAMES WERE THERE. EVERY HEAT WAS AN ADVENTURE, THE HATS CLIMBING OVER A CURLING MONSTER EARLY IN THE HEATS.ALL DAY, THE RACING WENT ON, ATTRITION FROM INJURY AND ACCIDENT A CONSTANT.
THE FINAL RACING FOR SELECTION WAS BY THE TOP THREE SURVIVING CREWS FROM THE TWO DIVISIONS, WHO WOULD RACE THREE TIMES, EACH TIME FROM A DIFFERENT ALLEY. THE STRAW HATS HAD LED THE SCORE BOARD ALL AFTERNOON. THE MEN WOULD RACE, THE WOMEN WOULD RACE, WITH THE STRAW HATS STILL HOLDING THEIR LEAD FROM TALEBUDGERA AND MAROOCHIDORE.
IN THE PENULTIMATE RACE THE HATS WERE OUT CLEAN,FOLLOWED BY TALEBUDGERA, MAROOCHIDORE HAD TAKEN A CHECK,BUT GOT THROUGH, THE HATS HAD TO CLIMB OVER SOME ON THEIR WAY TO THE CANS,TALE HAD A CLEAR RUN ,AND WERE TWO LENGTHS CLEAR AT THE CANS, FROM WHERE THEY PICKED UP TWO RUNNERS AND A NICE WAVE TO TAKE THE HONOURS. THE HATS HAD TO CONTEND WITH A BIG FLAT PATCH AND BATTLE WITH MAROOCHIDORE FOR MINOR PLACINGS.
THIS DAY WAS VERY HARD WORK, INDEED , NINE TIMES AROUND THE CANS. THEY DESERVE THEIR ASRL RANKING. THEY HAVE THE POWER WHEN NEEDED TO GET THEM THROUGH THE BAD PATCHES AND OF COURSE THEY HAVE GUS. ON A DAY WHEN ONE MISTAKE MEANT YOU WERE OUT HE WAS THERE AGAIN FOR THE FINAL. BEST BIG TIME SURF BOAT RACING I’VE EVER SEEN, THE TV COVERAGE FROM ALL ANGLES, PARTICULARLY FROM ABOVE , WAS TERRIFIC.
VERY WELL DONE INDEED , STRAW HATS, AND ALL THAT AFTER YESTERDAYS RACING. RICHIE AND FLORA ROBERTS WOULD HAVE BEEN PLEASED WITH THAT DAYS WORK
