Brothers Michael, Mark and Rodney Owen and father-and-son duo George and Peter Day are among competitors who will head to Lorne's coastal hamlet.
WARRNAMBOOL Surf Life Saving Club will send a nine-strong team to the Victorian masters’ championships at Lorne this weekend.
Brothers Michael, Mark and Rodney Owen and father-and-son duo George and Peter Day are among competitors who will head to the coastal hamlet.
Rodney Symons, Ben Johnson, Phil Kerr and Robbie Brain will also chase state succcess.
George Day is a former Australian champion, while Symons has just returned to the club.
Team spokesman Peter Day said the team would travel to Lorne with high hopes.
“Everyone has been training since September, which includes paddling sessions each morning which is keeping everyone pretty fit considering we’re masters,” he said. “Ages range from 31 years old, which is Robbie Brain, up to George Day who is 71 and flying.”
The Warrnambool competitors will contest a host of events, including beach sprints, beach flags, single and double ski, ocean swimming and Malibu board.
The taplin relay consists of a swim, board and ski, while there are teams events for each discipline.
Day said the team members — particularly the Owen brothers, Kerr and Brain — had strong claims to gold medals in their events.
“We’ll have stiff competition from other clubs — Torquay, Anglesea, Half Moon Bay, Port Fairy, Lorne, Ocean Grove,” Day said. “We’ve been doing it pretty hard. It’s just good fun, I suppose. You get out of the house, get down in the mornings.
“With the Owen boys and Phil and Robbie, we’re always very competitive.
“Michael, Mark and Rodney (Owen), the three of them have won silver medals in the double ski at the Australian titles.”
Day said masters’ surf life saving competitions were becoming more popular.
“The 40s is a pretty strong age group. A lot of the guys have had kids, they’re looking for something to do. The whole masters movement is just getting bigger.”
afawkes@fairfaxmedia.com.au
