Trigg Island Surf Life Saving Club was proudly represented on the east coast this year, sending a strong contingent of 17 competitors, along with parents and support staff, to New South Wales to compete at the Manly and Freshwater Surf Carnivals.
Half of the Trigg team was already in NSW competing as part of the Western Suns, while the remaining athletes travelled earlier in the week to join their teammates and prepare for racing at one of the most competitive events on the surf sports calendar.
The Manly Carnival is the largest surf sports carnival outside of the Australian Championships and provides athletes with an invaluable opportunity to experience elite-level racing and gain critical preparation ahead of the Australian Championships.
With a team of this size, Trigg Island transported its surf craft across the country via sea container. Unfortunately, the journey was not without challenges, with a derailment delaying delivery and resulting in the craft arriving at Freshwater SLSC just before competition commenced. A huge thank you goes to the competitors and parents for their patience and understanding, and to everyone who assisted with moving craft between Freshwater, Manly and Maroubra, ensuring athletes were still able to compete.
Once racing got underway at Manly, competitors were met with large, powerful surf and extremely challenging conditions, including six-foot waves and winds exceeding 25 knots. It was a credit to every Trigg Island athlete to take on these conditions and truly test themselves against the best. A special mention goes to Milly Kok, who competed bravely despite racing with a broken finger sustained the previous week while competing for the Western Suns.
As the day progressed, conditions continued to deteriorate, with heavy rain and lightning eventually forcing the cancellation of all remaining events. Prior to the cancellation, several Trigg athletes progressed through rounds and qualified for finals. Ellie Neervoort competed strongly in the Under 15 Iron and Swim finals, finishing 11th and 22nd respectively, while Olly Browne delivered an excellent performance to place 10th in the Under 17 Swim final.
The Freshwater Carnival, which had already been relocated to Manly due to weather conditions, was also subsequently cancelled.
A big thank you is extended to all parents who assisted in repacking the container for its return to Western Australia — no easy task in monsoon-like conditions. While it was disappointing that not all events could be completed, the trip provided invaluable racing experience and exposure for our Trigg Island athletes and will be of significant benefit as they continue their State Championship and Australian Championship campaigns.
You can view the racing conditions and event coverage via the link below:
Shaw and Partners Manly Surf Open 10,000 – World Ocean Series
