ERIN PEARSON
SURF Coast athletes have dominated Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships in Queensland this week, winning more than 20 medals in masters events.
Anglesea’s Naantali Marshall topped the medal count with victories in the 35-39 years surf, rescue tube, iron woman and surfboard events.
Anglesea club members won 11 of the 22 senior events.
Club co-captain Abby Lewtas was “extremely proud” of the masters winners.
“Sometimes you don’t see all the hard work that’s goes on behind the scenes with all the training, so when you hear these sorts of results it’s so fantastic. The club’s got a great group of competitors.”
Ms Lewtas, who was set to compete in beach events from Thursday to Saturday, said her coach and fellow club member, Peter Van Miltenburg, won gold in the beach relay and bronze in the 50 to 54 years beach flags.
Anglesea’s Julia Cullity won gold in the 30-39 years women’s champion lifesaver race. Jan Juc’s Cassidy Redden won bronze in the under-19 men’s champion race.
Other winners included Jan Juc’s Dean Sibun, Lorne’s Tristan Read and Anglesea’s Matthew Symington and Ryan Hartshorne.
Fairhaven teams won two mixed team’s surf boat events.