YOU only need to spend five minutes alongside Ty-Jesse Brabant and Jesse Hiatt in the water to know why the Port Macquarie teenagers are successful.
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This weekend they will hope the fun and enjoyment they have around each other culminates in another medal performance at the state surf life saving titles.
Brabant and Hiatt will hit the water at Swansea-Belmont Surf Life Saving Club aiming to go one better than their silver medal performance at last year’s event.
In particular, they will fancy their chances in the board rescue relay if a training session during the week is any indication.
It does require a little bit of input from coach Rob Hiatt to determine who paddles and who swims – and there is no favouritism.
There is no need for scissors, paper or rock because the coaches word is final.
“Sometimes there is a bit of an argument, but we leave it up to dad because he knows – Bobby knows,” he said.
“He asks for our input, but he does what he thinks is best.
“It does also depend on the conditions because Ty is a good swimmer who gets out to the cans pretty quick which is always good.”
Their mateship can be traced back more than five years and was introduced through surf life saving.
We crack jokes on the boards on the way back in and just enjoy it.
- Ty-Jesse Brabant
“We’ve been mates since about the under-9s and we just enjoy it,” Hiatt said.
Conditions at Swansea this weekend are unknown and can change in hours.
“It can get some swell, so it’s either really flat or a big shore break so that can be fun,” the teenager said.
Brabant, the older of the two, said the secret to their success in the board relay was about keeping calm in competition and having fun.
“It’s really fun to do it with your mate and even if you’re not doing too well you muck around and get stuck into it,” Brabant said.
“We crack jokes on the boards on the way back in and just enjoy it.”
They won’t be restricted to just the board rescue relay, with Brabant also expected to perform well in the iron and board events.
Hiatt will also compete in the board along with the swim.
The dynamic duo will use the state titles this weekend as preparation for the national titles in Western Australia in April.