Mullaloo’s Barracudas in action.
Camera IconMullaloo’s Barracudas in action. Credit: Supplied/Trudy Klessons, MTK Photography

Surf’s up for rowers

Tyler Brown, Joondalup TimesWanneroo Times

The four-round competition will see 70 crews from 16 surf clubs around the State battle it out for individual honours and the chance to represent WA at the ASRL Open in February in NSW.

Sorrento SLSC will this year have seven crews competing in the reserve men’s, open and under-23 women’s and masters divisions as well as an under-19 women’s crew of new rowers.

Open women’s boat sweep and coach Peter Watkins said the club members were training six days a week, with four sessions in the boat, gym work and cross training.

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‘We also recently rowed to Rottnest Island as a training session,’ he said.

‘The biggest challenge is to keep the crews together as we have a few going to uni and this tends to make training together harder.’

He said Sorrento’s reserve men’s and open women’s crews were looking strong, but the clubs to beat were North Cottesloe and Scarboro.

Mullaloo SLSC masters women’s rower Sandy Clarke said the club was ‘looking pretty healthy this coming season’ with two open and two under-19 men’s, three open and one under-23 women’s and two reserve crews.

‘All systems are go with several gym sessions and boat sessions each week,’ she said.

‘As a surf boat devotee, it has always come down to power of the mind ” our skills only get us so far. Our sheer will and determination is what gets us over the line.’

Last year, Mullaloo’s open men’s crew the Barracudas won the club its first state championship for the event.

She agreed North Cottesloe would be the biggest competition.

Secret Harbour SLSC will host round one, followed by Quinns Mindarie on December 1, Port Bouvard on December 15 and Scarboro on January 12.