LEES ELEVEN PEEPS BO IN MASTERS DEBUT

SURF LIFE SAVING, April, 16, 2013: Bo Derek may have become famous as the perfect 10, but even she can’t match Northcliffe’s Lee Vrolyks.

After two stunning days of competition at North Kirra, Vrolyks is a perfect 11!

The 30-year-old made an amazing debut in the 2013 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships masters competition, claiming 11 gold medals from 11 events.

In her first season of eligibility for masters, she was an unstoppable force in both individual and teams competition yesterday and today.

She smashed her way to six gold medals in individual events and the board rescue yesterday, and backed it up with five team golds today.

It was a wonderful return to competition for the former Ironwoman series contestant after a break of seven years.
“When I first started training this season I was more helping a friend train and I was just going to do masters, and now I’m doing some open stuff as well,” Vrolyks said.

“I’m just really enjoying it. I haven’t competed for seven years and it’s just great to get back into it, to feel fit and healthy – I can eat whatever I want now.

“I did my last year in the professional series and started working full time and it was just too hard to put the effort in.

“When you’re used to doing well it’s hard to do it half-heartedly but now I don’t feel the pressure. I’m not doing it for that kind of thing, it’s more about fun and feeling healthy.”

While she has been on the sidelines for seven years, Vrolyks was still heavily involved in surf sports at Northcliffe, where she is the office manager.

“I’ve never really been away from it because I’ve been working there for 11 years now but it’s always good to get back to the competition side of things,” she said.

“I was always going to do masters this year. Our masters team manager has been at me since I was 25, saying ‘you must be 30 soon’. Unfortunately I have no excuse now.

“I really love doing it. All the girls are so much fun. It’s a great atmosphere and everyone has a good time.”
Vrolyks started the carnival with high hopes after performing well at the recent Queensland championships but couldn’t foresee riding a tidal wave of success.

Day one of competition saw her win the 30-34 years board, surf, ski, Ironwoman and rescue tube races, and team with Tiarne Smith to win the board rescue.

Today she was part of the winning 110 years surf team with Smith and Joanne Marrable, the 110 years board relay, ski relay and Taplin relay with Marrable and Anna Ballara, and the double ski with Ballara.

Two-time Australian Ironman champion Dwayne Thuyscelebrated his 50th birthday in style, grabbing a swag of medals with Surfers Paradise teams, including gold in the 150 years board relay and ski relay.

In the boat area, the girls from Broome have been travelling Australia winning gold medals in 160 years surfboat competition and rounded off their successful season today by claiming the first national gongs the club has won in its 25- year history.

Broome impressed convincingly winning their qualifying race and then in the final they led at the buoy, correctly went through the ‘gate’ and caught their winning runner. Batemans Bay and Anglesea collected the silver and bronze medals.

In the men’s 160 years final, Jack Patison’s Austinmer crew won national honours from Northcliffe and Woolgoolga.

North Burleigh’s national champion IRB driver and coach Andy Kelckhoven is back to winning gold in masters’ beach flags.

Kelckhoven is the ‘baby’ of the 35-39 years division and he returned to flags competition to win gold from Jeremy Rowlston, of Newport, and Bart Staines of North Cottesloe.

He survived two heats and a semi-final to win the Aussie Gold which he can put in his trophy cabinet with the respective 2013 Queensland gold. He was fourth in the open flags at the state championships.

The North Burleigh ace had to be at his best at North Kirra as he was pushed by Rowlston, a former Australian bobsled driver.

Byron Bay club coach Glen Lawrenceenjoys the Northern NSW outfit’s best ever result at the national titles, with the club bagging eight gold medals, seven silver and eight bronze.

Lawrence collected four gold gongs himself, taking out the 50-54 years ironman, surf and teamed with Geoff Brodin to win the board rescue title.He joined Brodin and Paul Irwinto take out the Taplin.

Byron Bay placed fifth in the masters pointscore, with Northcliffe once again the winners, ahead of Noosa Heads and Mooloolaba.

Pointscore: Northcliffe 225, Noosa Heads 198, Mooloolaba 159.5, Queenscliff 157.5, Byron Bay 149, Maroochydore 131, Redhead 108, Alexandra Headland 102, Currumbin 101, Maroubra 94, Swansea Belmont 94.#

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by

Ian Hanson

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