COFFS Harbour Surf Life Saving Club has returned from the iconic Coolangatta Gold with the most successful results in the club’s history, highlighted by a breakthrough victory in the prestigious Open Mixed Teams Long Course event and strong performances from a growing contingent of junior competitors.
Athletes faced challenging conditions throughout the carnival, with blustery winds, soft sand and a strong ocean sweep testing competitors across all age divisions.
The club’s junior team rose to the challenge, gaining valuable experience against some of the nation’s strongest surf sports competitors. CHSLSC was proudly represented by Mason Webeck and Henley Lassau (under-11 Boys), Flynn Bear, Enzo Bormann and Connor Kelly (under-12 Boys), Sommer Rose-Gordon (under-12 Girls), Hudson McConnell (under-13 Boys), Hope Mengel (under-13 Girls), and Emily Mengel and Sienna McConnell (under-15 Girls).
“The conditions were particularly tough for our younger athletes,” O’Leary said.
“The strong sweep in the water and the soft sand made every race physically demanding. What impressed us most was the way our juniors persevered, competed hard and represented the club with pride.”
The club’s senior and masters athletes built on the juniors’ efforts to produce an unprecedented haul of results.
Leading the way individually was Grant McConnell, who secured an outstanding ninth place in the highly competitive 40-49 years Long Course Individual event.
The standout performance of the carnival came in the coveted Open Mixed Teams Long Course race, where Maddison O’Leary, Jenson O’Leary, Tom Woods and Lorin McConnell combined brilliantly to claim the gold medal. The CHSLSC quartet defeated a number of highly fancied teams from larger New South Wales and Queensland clubs to take out one of the most sought-after team titles on the program.
The club also celebrated further podium finishes, claiming first place in the Male 140+ Sprint Team event, third place in the Open Mixed Sprint Team event and third place in the Mixed 140+ Long Course Team event.
O’Leary said the results reflected the continued growth of the club’s surf sports program.
“These are the best results our club has achieved and they are a direct reflection of the commitment of our athletes, coaches, officials and families,” she said.
“What is especially exciting is that while we are achieving these results at the top end, our competitor numbers continue to grow across both junior and senior ranks. The future of surf sports at Coffs Harbour is incredibly bright.”
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