Vikings Plunder Prizes In Surfboat Marathon

Illawarra Mercury

Monday January 9, 2006

By TIM KEEBLE

THE Canberra Vikings were still celebrating yesterday after the club's open crews prevailed on the final day of the George Bass Surf Boat Marathon.

Canberra's women's crew capped a dominant performance with their third win from as many starts to run away with the overall pointscore in their division.

Batemans Bay clinched second spot and Moruya were third overall, despite settling for fifth place in Saturday's closing 27km leg between Tathra and Pambula.

The Vikings' men's crew were pushed by Moruya Juniors and Tasmanian entry Burnie throughout the 156km race's six stages.

When push came to shove in the finale, Canberra took line honours almost a minute in front of the young Moruya crew, winning their fifth leg from six starts. Bulli Veterans won their division and were sixth overall, but the race didn't finish on the best note after they finished ninth in the final stage.

Towradgi finished 11th of the 11 open crews.

"Unfortunately the wheels fell off a little bit in the last leg but we're still happy to win the vets," Bulli crew member Chris Mercer said.

"We stayed in close while the rest of the field went wide and it proved to be the wrong decision.

"We must have been stuck in the currents a bit because when we came out of it and met back up with the other crews, they were well in front of us."

Mercer said his crew had a close encounter with a large ocean beast.

"There have been sharks all over the place and our back-up boat went over a big one the other day. One of our blokes thought he may have hit one with an oar but it turned out to be a big sunfish," he said.

"It's been a good race overall and Canberra deserved their win, and we've all had a bit of fun.

"We're all pretty weary right now. Whether we're back to do it in two years, you'll have to ask me in 18 months or so."

Commonwealth Games medal prospect Tim Jacobs blitzed rivals again in the surf ski race to defend the title he won in 2004.

Steve Mawby was second and Peter Gallagher finished third.