SURF LIFESAVING: Once upon a time Port Elliot was known for being a predominant surfboat club, and rightly so.
In 2005 things started to change with junior board medals being won at state titles, building a reputation as a strong board racing club.
Last year, things changed again when Port Elliot became one of the clubs to help save the rescue and resuscitation (R&R) event.
Not only did the club help save it but came home with one gold, one silver and one bronze medal between our two teams at the state titles.
This year it was another early start for parents and competitors, heading to Semaphore to be on the beach at 7.30am for the state titles.
R&R involves the team marching with the reel, the patient then swims out to buoys (in under 17 and up but to stand in knee to waist depth water for under 15 and below).
After a careful belt lay by the rescuer, the reelsman must guide the rope out to the linesmen who feed it in what is called a pay out.
When the beltman reaches the patient he signals so the linemen haul in the rope and the reelsman uses the handle to help and guide the rope neatly back onto the reel.
When the beltman has ‘rescued’ the patient, team carries and lays the patient on the beach.
The linemen then perform resuscitation on the patient while the belt and reels are put away the belt and make sure the reel is ready for use.
After the resuscitation the linesmen and patient reform then the whole team marches off.
Up first were the under 15s comprising patient Elly Smee, beltman Ebony Alford, reelsman Jamie Buchanan, first linesman Emma Roberts and second linesman Elise Tuuri.
Four members of this team won the state championship in under 14 and bronze in under 15 last year.
This year they only had a straight final to be judged in, they looked confident, skilled and impressive.
In under 17, the team comprised of patient Jessica Dennis, beltman Mickey Mason, reelsman Salomae Haselgrove, first linesman Anjie Collins and second linesman Dale Francis.
This team won the silver last year and also went straight into a final and competed well in a full swim event with a strong drift.
They too received good feedback from judges, a stand out comment coming from a very strict judge for excellent resuscitation.
With a small rest period the under 17s went on to compete in the open event for a fun challenge and to test how they would go against older and more experienced competitors.
Strong winds caused difficult swims, pay outs and haul-ins and the reelsman started to feel stressed when they almost ran out of rope and the linesmen were worried for a moment they would actually have to resuscitate the unwell patient but the whole team gave a gutsy effort.
The officials reading out the results put tension on all Port Elliot competitors, parents and coaches.
Anxious hand squeezing turned to excited cheers as the under 15s were announced as winning the silver medal.
The cheers hushed when the under 17 results were read.
When no-one else was left but Port Elliot the clubrooms exploded as the team were announced in first place and state champions.
To put the icing on the cake, the under 17s placed second in the open event with a small margin to the gold medal team.
Due to a decision made by state centre, medals will not be presented until the state titles in March where teams will receive their medals on the podium.
At the end of the day, the chief official shook the hand of one parent/club official and said two telling words, “great club.”
Of course none of this could have happened without coaches, R&R legend Neville ‘Mango Croc’ Sparnon and Jeff Collins.
Everyone at Port Elliot congratulates the two teams and wishes them luck at the Australian Titles in Kurrawa, Queensland in March.
The club’s talent at R&R proves that at Port Elliot, competitors are well and truly team players and all one, big happy family.
In last week’s article, it stated that Club One had donated $50,000, it should have read $5,000, still a very generous amount.
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