Laura leads Bondi’s masterful Aussies display at Scarborough
Surf Life Saving Australia, April 17, 2017: Bondi’s Laura Thurtell is in danger of having to pay for overweight baggage when she flies back to the east coast as the result of an amazing haul of medals from the Australian Surf Lifesaving Masters Championship at Scarborough Beach.
Thurtell won nine gold medals and two silvers in a dominant performance in the 50-54 years age group, as well as in some impressive Bondi teams.
Not far behind in the medal stakes was clubmate Dori Miller, who won six golds, and the pair led the famous club’s charge to its second consecutive Australian Masters pointscore victory ahead of local WA teams Trigg Island and North Cottesloe.
Although there are still some events to be concluded it was Bondi on 371 points who had an unassailable lead over local WA champions Trigg Island (239) and North Cottesloe (238) followed by Northcliffe (204), North Bondi (200), Sorrento (156), Kurrawa (147), Coogee (131), City of Perth (114) and Queenscliff (105).
Thurtell followed up five gold medals, including the Ironwoman, on day one of the Masters carnival, with four team golds today.
She teamed with Miller and Christie Krenkels to win the 150 years surf teams, was joined by Krenkels and Louise Santos in the 150 years Taplin relay, combined with Santos to win the 45 years and over double ski race and the pair was joined by Fiona Tschaut in winning the 130 years ski relay.
“Winning the Ironwoman was special because that’s top of the tree,” Thurtell said, “and I love the team events.
“In the swim team, with Dori, Christie and myself, we came first, second and fourth, which was a great result, and in the double ski with Louise we won by a whisker.
“They actually went to the video for a lot of the results, some of the races were that close.”
Miller has been a star of the Bondi Masters team as it has developed in recent years and her win in the 45-49 years surf race was her eighth surf race win in a row at the Aussies carnival.
“In the Taplin, which was in ski, swim board order, Dori went into the swim in about sixth place and she came out first,” Thurtell said. “Awesome!”
Miller’s time with Bondi is linked with its rise in the Masters ranks from very humble beginnings. Thanks to hard work and careful planning, the club has turned itself into a powerhouse.
“I started eight years ago and we had two competitors in the women’s section, we didn’t even have a tent and couldn’t make a team,” she said.
“The next year we got a third person, so we made a team and from there we started growing.
“Teams are what make it fun. As a swimmer there are two individual events, and a third now with the ocean swim, so the teams make a real difference.”
Another of the Bondi girls, Fiona Nay, daughter of 1972 Olympian and great surfer Robbie Nay and sister of Olympian Megan Nay, won three team gold medals in the surf teams, board relay and Taplin relay.
Northcliffe’s Lee Vrolyks completed her carnival with another massive medal haul, pulling in eight gold medals as she added the 35 years and over double ski (with Tiarne Smith) and 130 years board relay (with Smith and Margaret Kyle) to the six golds she won on day one.
Di Wallace-Ward of Brighton, South Australia, won five gold medals in the 55-59 years age group, all in individual events, including the Ironwoman and surf race.
Port Noarlunga’s Lee Myatt finished the carnival with four gold medals, winning the 40-44 years 2km beach run and the 40 years and over double ski events on day two.
Elizabeth Crilly of Kurrawa, mother of multiple Australian surf ski champion Nick Crilly, capped off a successful carnival adding the 170 years surf teams title with Pauline Jeffery and Cathryn Rayward to the three gold medals she won on the first day, along with another gold in Sunday’s 2km ocean swim.
Meanwhile in other highlights, Australian ironwoman champion and Australian team captain Kristy Ellis combined with Tamiel Benjamin and Samantha Williams to win the 130 years Taplin and with Benjamin to win the 30-34 years double ski after taking bronze in the Iron woman yesterday behind Vrolyks and Nadine Canning (Currumbin).
There was certainly an Olympic flavour in the men’s events with Deane Pieters (Trigg Island), Grant Kenny (Alexandra Headland) and Jim Walker (North Bondi) in the thick of the action.
Pieters, a member of the 1992 Barcelona swim team, chalked up two wins yesterday in the 45-49 years surf race and rescue tube and helped Trigg Island to gold in the Taplin Relay with Andrew Jay and Bradley Carr and board rescue with Robert Innocent.
The Taplin also saw the Kenny connection with 1984 Los Angeles Olympian and legendary ironman Grant team up with brother Marty and long time paddling partner Jeff Lemarseny for silver.
Kenny and Lemarseny also combined to score one of the more impressive wins of the day in the 50-54 years double ski and they added silver in the board rescue.
Another kayak Olympian Jimmy Walker from 1996 in Atlanta won gold in the 130 years Taplin Relay with Matthew Hamilton and Andrew Dalton beating Manly and Bondi before combining with fellow kayaker Istvan Domokos to win silver in the 130 years double ski behind Marty Kenny and Jason Prior
Another former Australian ironman champion, Nathan Smith, now with Wanda followed up his 35-39 years surf race win yesterday with a Taplin Relay win with Paul Buttel and Michael Georgaris Jnr and a board rescue gold with Buttel.
PHOTO CREDIT: Harv Pix
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
Bondi's Victorious Masters
Surf Teams (L-R) Christie Krenkels, Dori Miller, Laura Thurtell.
Dori Miller on wave
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