The Altona Lifesaving Club surf boat crew will compete in the Navy Australian Surf Rowers League series. 88348 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By ALESHA CAPONE
AQUATIC adventurers from the Altona Lifesaving Club will set sail at the Navy Australian Surf Rowers League series during December.
Club captain Peter Lindsay said the team’s first contest of this year would be at Torquay beach on 2 December.
The Navy ASRL series is Australia’s premier surf boat racing series and will hold four events during the upcoming summer season.
More than 60 crews from around the state compete in the annual event including Altona Lifesaving Club and Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club.
Mr Lindsay said the Altona team consisted of four rowers and one sweep who controls the boat with an oar and issues orders to their fellow crew members.
The ASRL event requires crews to race their surf boat 400 metres through waves and back into shore.
“It’s an adrenaline rush. Putting a surf boat through the big surf takes a lot of adrenaline and teamwork,” Mr Lindsay said.
“You row like buggery through the surf.
“Most of us do it as a good form of exercise and for the mateship.”
The Altona surf boat crew trains twice a week and also on weekends – even in the chilliest Melbourne weather.
“Everyone on the team is pretty dedicated and they turn up for training in the middle of winter,” Mr Lindsay said.
“We just deal with it. You get used to it and once you’re moving it’s pretty good.”
Mr Lindsay said some of the Altona Lifesaving Club’s younger female members were interested in forming a female surf boat team and anyone interested could enquire about joining in.
“As long as they can swim,” he said. See www.altonalsc.com.au for more information.
