(by Rob Pearson)
This year’s Manly Carnival fell on Australia Day and the Longy boaties tribe greeted the sunrise with the prospect of a great days’ racing ahead!
Surprisingly there was a little bit of choppy surf to contend with as we all tried to wipe the sleep out of our eyes …
The evergreen Longy Vets continued to prove age is only a number, happily competing against crews who could be their children or grandchildren! The Lords & Apples also in the action …
The Longy Apples were the stars of the tribe, seeming to improve each and every race, the Lords just couldn’t quite find their winning form …
Apples 9th after the 3 rounds and through to the quarter finals as the fleet was cut from 42 to 24 …
Need a top 3 finish to stay in the game …
Go lads …
No wasted effort – came in 3rd…
Semi Final – 6 boats … 4 to go through …
3 boats on the same wave for the vital 4th position …
Some good boatmanship delivers the required result … wow that was close …
4 boats – 3 to go through …
Nice work lads … that was all we needed … but must find something special for the final …
Smokingly good start in the final, Long Reef take a jump on the field in the middle of the pack, Nth Cronulla also flying out to sea in lane 1.
Longy boat right in the groove, maintaining a solid lead over most of the field, just us and Nth Cronulla …
Hit the turning can together, great turn but Nth Cronulla right there with us …
Flying home chasing every little ripple, boat is flying absolutely motoring …
Looking good, a wave would be just brilliant but there is very little on offer …
A little run on a swell … Go Longy … then Nth Cronulla surges ahead a little on a small swell …
Longy pegs them back and its neck a neck and the finish line is only metres away …
Geeze this is close …
Definitely first or second as we cross the line … an excellent row …
And the judges’ decision is … Longy just pipped at the post and Nth Cronulla take the Chocolates!
A great Australia Day and many thanks to Bruce and the boys for supporting the Apples all the way to the last race of the day! (not bad for a 0515 start!)
Many thanks also to Margaret, Mal, Peter & Dave for helping out as officials.
Go Longy!
PS: Next event Northern Beaches Branch Championships at Palm Beach Sat 9th Feb! – Looks like there will be 6 Longy crews on the water!
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