After a clean sweep of all divisions at the Regional Surfing Competition held at Gas Beach on the 13th August, the MRSHS Surfing and Bodyboard team was Perth bound for the State Titles on the 28th August. Here, they competed against over 120 students with teams from Perth Metro, North West, Peel, Bunbury and South Coast regions. We had 10 teams representing MRSHS across 8 divisions.
Junior Boys Surfing – Brock Launders and Macklin Flynn
Junior Girls Surfing – Zali Hewson and Willow Hardy (team 1) and Lilli Cox and Ruby Berry (team 2)
Senior Boys Surfing – Sol Pogue-Englert and Jack Mitchell (team 1) and Jed Gradisen and George Simpson (team 2)
Senior Girls Surfing – Milla Clifford and Mischa Edwards
Junior Girls Bodyboard – Lilla-Grace Howarth and Kaleisha Launders
Junior Boys Bodyboard – Matt Jordi and Holden Ross
Senior Girls Bodyboard – Lilli Cox and Willow Hardy
Senior Boys Bodyboard – Ziggy Bullock and Max McGregor
The state titles were contested at Trigg beach. A two metre swell and offshore winds, bright blue sunny skies and waves that although were very fast, were also very contestable greeted competitors in the morning. As the day wore on, the clouds rolled in and the wind swung around making the conditions a bit poorer. Our teams surfed incredibly well all day, progressing from heats to the finals. Jack Mitchell was looking very sharp with some fast, critical surfing and along with his partner Sol they were amassing some impressive heat scores. During his Semi Final, Jack got hit by his board and unfortunately could not continue into the final. This left Sol surfing alone against Jed Gradisen and George Simpson. The boys decided to do away with regular competition surfing and instead took to the skies and put on an air show for the crowd. Some big airs were thrown down and Jed and George emerged the winners. Special mention also to Lilli Cox and Willow Hardy who competed in both bodyboard and surfing divisions putting in some serious time in the water throughout the day.
Of the 10 teams that competed in the State titles for MRSHS, 9 made the finals. This combined effort ensured MRSHS won the 2020 Sunsmart School Surfing Titles for the 15th consecutive year. A huge thank you to Tags and Jenelle Keding for transporting, supervising, coaching and looking after our team. Winners in each of the surfing divisions will now represent MRSHS in the MR shield division of the National Titles held in Queensland in December. Results for MRSHS teams in each of the divisions were as follows:
Junior Boys Surfing – 1st Brock Launders and Macklin Flynn
Junior Girls Surfing – 1st Zali Hewson and Willow Hardy (team 1)
– 2nd Lilli Cox and Ruby Berry (team 2)
Senior Boys Surfing – 1st Jed Gradisen and George Simpson (team 2)
2nd Sol Pogue-Englert and Jack Mitchell (team 1)
Senior Girls Surfing – 2nd Milla Clifford and Mischa Edwards
Junior Girls Bodyboard – 1st Lilla-Grace Howarth and Kaleisha Launders
Junior Boys Bodyboard – 1st Matt Jordi and Holden Ross
Senior Girls Bodyboard – 2nd Lilli Cox and Willow Hardy
Congratulations to all of these students!
Thanks
Berin Sluiter
Health & Physical Education
Margaret River SHS
