ROWERS of the Williamstown Swimming and Life Saving Club will compete in this weekend’s Navy Australian Open at Stockton near Newcastle.
The event is a culmination of 28 events across Australia, with more than 400 crews comprising more than 2000 volunteer lifesavers from more than 100 clubs competing.
Pictured, from left, are Drew Howell, Shaun Leith, Alex Hamilton, Nick Caldwell and Scott Post at the recent Life Saving Victoria summer surf series at Jan Juc.
Leith has been hit by an injury and will be replaced this weekend by Marcus Stacey.
Stacey says that earlier this season the crew won at Torquay in the first event in which they’d rowed together. “The Australian Surf Rowers League championships will be the first national-level event in which the crew will row together for Williamstown against crews from all over Australia and New Zealand.” The Williamstown rowers are active patrolling members of the club.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a sponsor, so on top of training, competing and patrolling they must also do fund-raising activities in order to cover the cost of equipment, travel and entries,” Stacey said.
