IT has been a long time between drinks for Mid North Coast at the NSW Interbranch surf lifesaving titles.
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They finally celebrated at Stockton Beach on Saturday when Ty-Jesse Brabant, Finn Askew and Jaiden Rossiter all claimed gold medals.
Previously, the best the team had managed was two gold medals in the last eight years – with Ryan Carroll the last winner almost five years ago.
Carroll is now training on the Gold Coast in the hope of progressing to the Kellogg’s Nutri Grain Ironman series.
The performances of Brabant and Rossiter (both Port Macquarie Surf Life Saving Club) and Askew (Tacking Point Surf Life Saving Club) gave coach Mel Cockshutt reason to smile.
“It was the first time we had won three gold medals [at the one tournament],” Cockshutt said.
Brabant claimed the under-14 board event and led from start to finish, claiming his first Interbranch gold medal.
“He had done the swim and the Ironperson earlier and finished sixth, said it wasn’t good enough and set out to win the board,” Cockshutt said.
“And he did.”
The teenager’s joy was on show for all to see as he caught the wave back to the beach and pumped his fist when he realised he was the only one on it.
“It’s great for the other kids to see what it takes to win at Interbranch,” Cockshutt said.
“It’s brutal out there; it’s no more than 500 metres of short-course racing, you can’t hesitate and one little error can put you back about five places.
“There were a few sandbanks out there which made it a bit difficult.”
It’s brutal out there; it’s no more than 500 metres of short-course racing, you can’t hesitate and one little error can put you back about five places.
- Mid North Coast coach Mel Cockshutt
Askew (under-17 swim) and Rossiter (under-14 flags) also claimed their first-ever Interbranch gold medals as Mid North Coast finished ninth overall.
The coach, however, didn’t feel it was an accurate reflection of Mid North Coast’s strong performance.
“We couldn’t field competitors in about 30 events, so we’re disadvantaged before we start,” she said.
“I did a few calculations and if we had competitors in those 30 events and finished second-last we would have finished seventh overall.
“We need to work on keeping the kids with us; it wasn’t a reflection of how we went.”