WILLIAMSTOWN Swimming and Lifesaving Club’s inflatable rescue boat team is celebrating after winning two gold medals at the recent Australian championships.
The club finished an outstanding fourth overall out of a massive 303 surf lifesaving clubs at the hotly contested meet at Ocean Beach, NSW.
The team of 30 got to square off against some of the best surf lifesavers in the country during the three-day event.
Williamstown was represented in every single-men’s final and won the men’s teams event, Aaron McAlister, Calum Dickson, Rhys Treloar, Lachlan Thomas, Sophie Doro and Bianca Deany dominating the race to win by more than 50 metres.
The highlight for the weekend, however, was in the final of the IRB relay, in which 17 members came together to win the blue riband event over several strong Queensland clubs, including powerhouses Kurrawa and North Burleigh.
“The achievements over the weekend really highlight the strength of young people in our club with over 70 per cent of the team being made up of members under the age of 25,” WSLC spokesman Kane Treloar said.
“The club is also proud that almost 50 per cent of the Victorian state inflatable rescue boat team was made up of Williamstown members, many of whom went on to become Australian champions in their own right later in the weekend.”
The next challenge for the WSLC is the Victorian state championships in October.
They were postponed earlier in the year due to bad weather.
