Record entries for Surf Craft Challenge

A record number of competitors took part in the popular Albany Surf Craft Challenge, held in pristine conditions at Middleton Beach on Sunday morning.

The weather was spectacular and the entries broke the previous best mark with a record 31 surf boats and 36 surf skis starting from the town marina.

The course rounded the Cheynes Chaser wreck out through the channel and finished in front of the Albany Surf Life Saving Club.

The competitors and spectators then paused for a special boaties’ wedding on the beach before the 2km beach run, followed by presentations for all three events.

North Cottesloe continued their stranglehold on the Whale Tail Trophy in both the open men’s and open women’s races.

North Cott 1 finished in a time of 1hr.0min.52sec. to win the open male surf boat race from City Barebacks (1:02:26), while Albany Stallions crossed the line fourth and the other Albany team, Kelpies, was sixth.

In the open female race, U23 Chix Old n New were comfortable winners as they crossed the line in 1:06:56 to beat home Cottesloe’s Endorfins (1:09:09) and fellow North Cott team Mothers Group plus Anna (1:09:55), with Albany Birds doing well to place fourth in 1:10:42.

City of Perth Black won the 160+ men’s surf boats division and Swanny Donkeys claimed the 160+ women’s division.

Andrew Crothers finished the 13km ski course in under an hour, being the first competitor to complete the race in a time of 58min.33sec.

Albany’s Jason Bresanello was second in 1:00:53 and fellow ASLSC member Nick Walker was third in 1:01:36

The single ski women’s category was won by Amanda Bowman in 1:04:42 to defeat Pamela Bubrzycki.

The double ski event was won by Goodies, who stopped the clock at 1:02:55, with Mud & Max second.

Winners of the 2km beach run were Cam Fowler (open men), Joanna Kagi (open women), Roy McEwan (under-13 boys) and Romy Duffield (under-14 girls).