SOUL kicks its 2023 season off with a bang

Comp report and pics from way down the bottom of Oz in the fresh waters of Victoria:

Southern Ocean Union of Longboarders (SOUL) held their first club day on Saturday 18 February in clean waist to chest high waves at Ocean Grove Main Beach. With the largest turnout the club has seen in quite a few years and they were keen to get started and had the first in the water by 8am. 

The elder statesmen, the over 65s, kicked off the day and had smiles on their dials all day long as they got probably the best conditions of the day.

The club has been actively encouraging women to get involved and had one of the largest turnouts of women the club has seen for some time. They also were very keen to get in the water and their heats were soon underway, and this was followed by four heats of the Logger division, then the age groups and opens.

The finals were held in deteriorating conditions but it certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the competitors. 

The members headed to Brewicolo in the evening for some social catch up and the results of the day, which again had a huge turnout with much fun and laughter.

Club President Brian Tucker said he was, “Really pleased to see some of the past members returning to the club along with a healthy influx of new and existing members’’.

The next club day is on Saturday March 18. Meet Ocean Grove Main Beach 7am for an 8am start.

 - Report from Andrew “Brownie” Brown, for the Southern Ocean Union of Longboarders

Women’s Final.

1st Mel Renton-Wright. 2nd Kelly Goddard. 3rd Maddy Bloomfield. 4th Genevie Hargrove

Open A. ​

1st Chris McSween. 2nd Luke Edwards. 3rd Jason Illingworth. 4th Chris Caley

Open B

1st Dan Borg. 2nd Danny Malone. 3rd Bruce Winstanley. 4th Liam. 5th Phil Morgan. 6th Tom Parry

65s

1st Gus Angleton . 2nd Nick Wright. 3rd Nev Forster. 4th Paul Tutin

60s

1st John Mercer. 2nd Andrew Brown. 3rd Howard Mitchel

50s

1st Steve. 2nd Mick Dwyer. Eq 3rd Simon Johnson and Scott Cumming

40s 

1st Tom Parry. 2nd Andrew Needham

Logger 

1st Chris McSween. 2nd Robbie Kennedy. 3rd Dan Cassidy. 4th Luke Edwards 

Groms

1st Iluka Cassidy. 2nd Mia Illingworth. 3rd Connor Parry