Publication:Navy Annual 2005/Navy Surfing - A Fair Dinkum Sport

The 2005 NSW Tri-service Championship

BY LIEUTENANT COMMANDER STEPHEN PENNY, RAN

2005 Interservice Surfing Competition held by the Royal Australian Navy at Bendalong Beach, South Coast NSW. Photograph by Leading Aircraftman Evan Grant.

2005 Interservice Surfing Competition held by the Royal Australian Navy at Bendalong Beach, South Coast NSW. Photograph by Leading Aircraftman Evan Grant.

The 2005 tri-service Championship saw teams from the Navy, Army and Air Force going head to head for the much coveted NSW tri-service surfing trophy. The competition was held at Bendalong point earlier in the year and was supported and funded by the NSW Australian Defence Force sports Council and HMAS Albatross. In near perfect conditions at Bendalong Beach 24 Navy surfers took on the best from the other two services in long and short board divisions. With pumping 4-6 foot waves, and a light offshore breeze greeting the competitors on day one, they could hardly wait to hit the water for their heat. The quality of surfing displayed throughout the competition was outstanding with a noticeable improvement in standard from last year's inaugural event. For the short boarders, aerial manoeuvres including '360s' and 'chop hops' were the flavour while the long boarders carved through bottom turns and cutbacks.

During breaks between heats, many competitors took on chunkier, barrelling waves further down the beach. Some scored smoking tubes, much to the cheer of the crowd. Others were flogged on the sandbank after a trip over the falls, with the occasional snapped board, and even bigger cheers from the crowd!

The Royal Australian Navy surf team. Photograph by Able Seaman Craig Owen.

Day one saw Navy surfers dominating both the short and long board heats with most progressing to the finals on day two. Navy surfers took three out of the top four places in the short board final, and in the long board division the top two positions were taken out by the Navy.

The afternoon of the second day saw the eagerly awaited team event contested in similarly great conditions. The Army team jumped to an early lead and, although a late charge by the other two teams made for a nail-biting finish, the Army managed to hang on to score an unlikely victory over Navy with the RAAF team in third. The individual trophies were predominately taken out by Navy surfers. AB Jordan Dank was a stand out, with a display of 360's and aerial surfing.

Navy surfing team competitors. Photograph by Able Seaman Craig Owen.

The event, which is only the second of its kind to be contested in NSW, was a great showcase for both the individual skills of the contestants and the camaraderie of the service teams. The Navy may not have won the competition this time, but few who attended would argue that there is a better or louder cheer squad (officials) anywhere in the ADF. We will of course be back, better and louder than ever, next year. CAPT Ferguson, RAN, (Commanding Officer HMAS Albatross) made the presentations.

The results were:

Lieutenant Commander Johnson, RAN receiving 1st place trophy in longboard competition from Captain Ferguson, RAN, Commanding Officer HMAS Albatross. Photograph by Able Seaman Craig Owen.

Mens short board lined up waiting to enter the water. Photographs by Leading Aircraftman Evan Grant.