A FORMER Big V basketballer trying his luck in a new sport and "one of the best female paddlers Victoria has seen" won gold for Warrnambool at the Victorian masters surf life saving championships.
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Retired Warrnambool Seahawks coach Alex Gynes, who stood aside at the end of the 2023 season, competed in the surf boat category at Lorne on February 10-11.
Gynes, Toby Pettigrew, Xavier Thornton, Leigh Kane and Gary Askew battled choppy waters to take out the title after defeating Mordialloc and Williamstown.
Pettigrew, 50, said Gynes - the youngest in the team at 35 - had become an invaluable member.
"Three out of the five of us have been rowing together forever and we're trying to go through a phase of rebuilding surf boats in Warrnambool and are trying to get some younger people involved," he said.
"It was a big part of how we came across Alex - I work with Nicole (his wife).
"He jumped in the boat for the first time a couple of years ago and Leigh Kane rode boats about 25 years ago."
Pettigrew, who praised sweep Askew "who is probably one of the best on the coast", said Gynes had adapted well to an entirely different sport.
"He's a good athlete and he's got to learn the ropes of doing something completely different," he said.
"I think he loves it - he's having great fun. It's a different type of team sport when you have five blokes sitting on a massive wave."
The team will return to Lorne on February 15 for the Australian Surf Boat Rowling League's Australian Open.
It will compete in the masters section (determined by combined age) and will also test its luck in the reserve grade the following day.
"It is in Lorne and was announced in the middle of last year and we thought 'while it's there, let's have a crack'," Pettigrew said.
"We have had a good season so far but that is the pinnacle - you get to row against the best boats in Australia.
"Our goal is to fare well in the masters. We are rowing reserve grade on Friday and we'd like to think we'd go all right.
"We're there not to just make up the numbers. If we could push for finals that will probably be on Sunday that would be a bonus."
Warrnambool, which sent 16 competitors, celebrated multiple gold medallists at the Victorian masters carnival.
Lisa Munro (four gold) and Mark Owen (four gold) were standouts while Rodney Owen and Michael Owen won three events each.
Melody Jane, Peter Day and Jacqui Eberbach also snared gold.
Club member Peter Day said it was a special weekend for the club "in challenging surf".
"Lisa's the next champion, she's won Australian medals and is probably one of the best female paddlers Victoria has seen," he said.
"She's brought those girls (Jane and Eberbach) along with her. She's a good coach - up until last year both girls hadn't paddled before so they've done really well."
Day said Mark Owen "set the standard early" and John Cook, Lenny O'Brien and Mark Smith won their first medals - all silver - in board and ski relays.
The club will now turn its attention to the Australian masters in Maroochydore, Queensland.
"Anyone is a chance once you get there," Day said.
Justine McCullagh-Beasy
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Sports journalist with an interest in feature reporting. Email: justine.mc@austcommunitymedia.com.au
