Ski paddling, arguably the most challenging of the surf disciplines, once
mastered, provides the best seat in the house to watch the sunrise. The season
of 2023/24 will go down in the history books as the year of the revival of the Bondi
SBLSC open ski squad. We were privileged to welcome a Member of Clubbie
royalty to the team, coach Joel Bevilacqua, and that was just the beginning.
This season, the Opens team tackled the Summer of Surf series, starting in
Manly, entering respectable ski individual and relay events. We ventured to
Freshwater, where Coach Joel and Amy O’Brien narrowly missed ski finals. At
North Bondi Classic we saw Amy qualify for the open ski final, a highlight of the
season, putting “Normal” Bondi back on the map.
At the Sydney Branch Championships, the Masters ski dominated, with
Calvin Brodie and Julie Pritchard emerging victorious in their age categories.
Courtney Date captivated spectators by snapping his ski in half. At the NSW
State Championships, Robyn Hill, and Louise Skjeime brought home Gold in
the Female Double Ski while Calvin and Greg Byrnes clinched Gold in the male
double, and another Gold in the relay with Mark Norris.
The Australian Championships witnessed the Bondi Masters team winning our
7th consecutive title, with highlights including Julie and Laura Thurtell’s double
ski Gold. Many notable performances in the opens, including Annabelle
Paterson and Noah Kaplan qualifying for the mixed double ski semi-final.
As the season comes to a close, looking back emphasizes the team’s resilience,
determination, and passion for ski paddling. This dedication is most evident in
the increased number of craft repairs required. I am looking forward to seeing
what Bondi SBLSC can achieve next year. This is just the beginning.
SKI
CAPTAIN’S
REPORT
Annabelle Paterson
Ski Captain
50
BONDI SURF BATHERS’ LIFE SAVING CLUB