Perfect Conditions for the Cowes’ Aquathons
Once again the partnership between the Phillip Island Netball & Football Club and the Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club produced a great day of Aquathon Events last Saturday when over 400 competitors of all ages took to the water and roads of Cowes to participate in the Cowes Classic for competitors aged fifteen years and older, while the youngsters between seven and fourteen took part in the Little Penguin Dash for Juniors. Conditions for the swimmers could not have been better, and some regulars thought it was probably the best swimming conditions that we have seen in the 33 years of conducting events in Cowes.
At around 10.30am the 80+ youngsters, who are mainly from the PINFC Juniors and the WBSLSC Nippers programs, lined up in each of their age groups of 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14 and completed swims of varying distances before a run along the foreshore and then back under the timing clock on the Esplanade outside the North Pier Hotel. This was the fifth time the LPD has been run, and it is proving a very popular event for local and holidaying youngsters, and it is a good introduction to the kids who hopefully will develop into future competitors in the Bass Coast Series events. There are no podium finishes but each youngster who makes it to the finish line receives a Medallion to commemorate their achievement. Numbers were down a bit on previous years, but parents were quick to point out that the weekend after school resumes is not an ideal time for this event, and the organisers have taken that feedback on notice.
At 2.00pm there were 333 Cowes Classic competitors lined up at Erewhon Point to tackle the 550m swim around the Cowes Jetty and then a beach run back to the transition area before discarding wetsuits and donning sandshoes for the 2.6k run around the streets of Cowes to also finish under the timing clock on the Esplanade. As a beneficiary of the proceeds from the event the PINFC had encouraged most of their players to take part in the event, either as an Individual or as a Relay Team Member, while the members of the WBSLSC could be seen on the water on Rescue Boards, in the Rubber Duckie Rescue Boats or swimming with Rescue Tubes and they make up the 60 strong Water Safety crew that make the event possible.
Once again, the local contingent made up nearly 50% of the competitors with 84 Local Individuals completing the full course and another 68 competing in the 34 Local Relay Teams. The first Local home was the overall runner-up, Justin Tilley, who competes in the Mature Male (O/40) category and Mark Rowe was not far behind in 6th place. River Henderson was the first Local Junior Male to finish and he was the 3rd Junior Male to finish behind the Richardson brothers, Dash & Reef, from the Mornington Peninsula. Dylan Muir was the first Senior Local Male home while Glenn Dean & Rob Fleisner were the first Male Locals home in the Veteran & Super Veteran categories respectively. Jim Corbett & Luke Nicholson were the first Local Male Relay team to finish, and they were also the overall winners of the Relay Section.
The first Local Senior Female home was Brianna Behrsin ahead of Maddi Hocking while sadly no Local Junior Females made it to the starting line. Brianna and Maddi were 3rd and 4th home overall in the Senior Female category. Once again Sarah Smith just beat home Debbie Mahon in the Local Mature Female category while Veterans, Suzie Herrington and Rebeka Fincher, again fought out the finish. Carolyn Rushford took home the Super Veteran first prize. Hayley Rushford & Esther Gilmore were the first Local Female Relay team to finish in 10th position overall – a really strong effort.
Two visiting Elite Australian Triathletes, Tristan Price and Kiara Mooney, took home the major prizes and they have both won Bass Coast Series events before. It is really pleasing to have athletes of their calibre come down and give some serious prestige to our BCS events.
Times available at https://mytimes.com.au/
Well done to all of the workers and volunteers involved from both clubs and the support we receive from Sponsors and the Bass Coast Shire team is much appreciated. A special ‘shout out’ to our founding organiser, John Weston, who once again graced the microphone with his dulcet tones, as he provided a running commentary on the Cowes Classic for the crowd of spectators and his passion for the event and for the members of the local community that he calls across the finishing line is enjoyed by us all.
With the postponement of the Cape Aquathon and rescheduling to Sunday 15th March it means that the Channel Challenge will now be the second leg of the Bass Coast Series on Sat 21st February. With this being the 40th edition of San Remo’s biggest festival there is a high level of interest in this event and there has been a record numbers of entries flooding in and it is predicted that the capacity field will be filled well before the day of the race and registrations will be closed when that number is reached. There will definitely be no on-the-day entries and with over 600 registrations in already then don’t leave it to the last minute or otherwise you will miss out!
We look forward to seeing you there!
The Bass Coast Series team,