Now in its 82nd year, the Stan and Basil McDonald Relay was held on Sunday
24th March. This year’s race was hosted by North Bondi Surf Club who laid the
course in front of their Clubhouse. The conditions presented a mix of waves
and sand banks with the tide going out throughout the race.
Race veteran Simon Nothling led off the team of twenty swimmers against Ned
Weiland. North Bondi secured an early lead, going early with their Olympians Jarrod
Poort and Bronte Campbell. Fin Roddis took the lead for Bondi in the fourth leg.
North Bondi’s Sam Braun recaptured the lead on the ninth leg. Kurt Fryer retook
the lead on the eleventh leg and held it to the finish. Tom Oates had the honour of
anchoring the race and being greeted with the guard of honour.
The team’s surf skills were on display with our swimmers catching waves and
milking broken waves for every inch – to the cheers of the Bondi supporters. Cormac
Guthrie and Max Moylan had the fastest times of the day. The best tactical swim
of the day was by Ani Pamp. She went in with a lead, but North Bondi’s swimmer,
James Ekins was gaining. Ani swam the perfect line to the beach, avoiding the rips
and gutters, while North Bondi swam further south and into dead water.
North Bondi’s team had great swims and closed the gap, adding to the overall
excitement of the race. After twenty swimmers, Bondi came out ahead by only
thirteen seconds.
Both teams and supporters were invited to North Bondi for presentations.
Thank you to Simon Storry and North Bondi for their hospitality.
This year we were proud to have four female swimmers take part in the race;
Annabelle Paterson, Amy O’Brien, Frankie Shires and Ani Pamp. These women
are talented athletes and fierce competitors and didn’t back down against
their male counterparts.
Congratulations to all of our swimmers, especially Ani Pamp, Jackson Doolan,
Tom McJannett, Drew McJannett, Tyler Krenkels, Ryan Goldschmidt, Toby
Goldschmidt and Troy Stewart who made the team for the first time.
Thank you to Grant Baldock and Adam Nezval for your guidance. Thank you
to Tim Read for photographing the race. Thank you to Alexis Bell, Catherine
Wilson, and Jesse Lockhart-Krause for your help.
Thank you to Kieran Milne and Allied Universal for sponsoring the team shirts.
Special thanks to Nick Nezval, whose dedication and passion for this race
motivates and inspires the team to do their best.
I’d also like to extend a big thank you to Stuart and Ashleigh McDonald for their
continued support of this special race.
STAN AND BASIL
MCDONALD RELAY
Dori Miller
2024 Stan Mac Captain
2024 STAN MAC TEAM (IN SWIM ORDER)
Simon Nothling
Mitch Dean
Cormac Guthrie
Finley Roddis
Amy O’Brien
Tom McJannett
Jackson Doolan
Max Moylan
Ethan Garland
FrancesShires
Kurt Fryer
Ryan Goldschmidt
Anneliese Pamp
Annabelle Paterson
Troy Stewart
Drew McJannett
Tyler Krenkels
Ryan Wilkes
Toby Goldschmidt
Tom Oates
57
117TH ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT 2023/24