After trekking down to Victoria on Friday morning, the 2010 Wieland Shield Team was finally assembled. Boards from various people and locations descended with us into Melbourne Airport as we began our journey down the coast to Angelsea Surf Lifesaving Club. (Special Thanks to Mick DiBetta for helping sort shipping).
We started to work the kinks out with a mini training session that first evening - Jet lag was affecting most of us.
Saturday brought us further down the coast to the town of Lorne for the annual NIB Lorne Pier-to-Pub open water swim. 5 members of our team would compete in the 1.2km straight-line swim, with Micha Burden-Shaw just missing out on top honors in a brutal 200-meter run up the beach to the finish. Prior to the big individual race, race organizers arranged for a sprint relay challenge: Local favorite Lifesavers from Lorne vs the Bondi Beach Rescue Boys vs California.
With the lead changing no less than 6 times, in the 5-person relay, between Lorne and California, spectators and commentators were sucked into an all-out frenzy of a race. The energy from the crowd was palpable - media coverage from land and 2 hovering helicopters only synergized that energy.
Team CA went into the water on the final leg with a ~10meter lead. The 75meter wading run in and out acted like a cement mixer - waiting until the final run up to pour out in masochistic pleasure. As I rounded the first of the 2 right-shoulder-turn buoys, I watched as Dan Kawolski (sorry for the misspell; he has some hardware on his mantel btw) motored steadily past me for the win - crushing.
Saturday night met us with a casual evening in...cards and story telling. Sunday would be our first test.
The Angelsea SLSC - The most gracious host I have ever encountered, had already sorted out 90% of our gear needs, fed us multiple times, and were and continue to be some of the most amazing people I have encountered - hosted there annual Surf Carnival, a small contest with ~700+ competitors.
This was our tune up and test (and maybe a shot across the Vic Team's bow). Everyone raced very well, our women finishing in the top ten of their events, if not in the top 5. our boys did just as well, placing in the top 10 of most and with Pat "I have secret Ninja Wheels" Jacobson Winning the Open Flags. This was a serious confidence boost for the team - but greater than the by-the-number results was the energy felt within our crew; smiles and laughter were present all day, even through racing mistakes and mishaps (I face planted off the board in the Iron final and came up laughing my head off as I ran to the finish - good stuff, couldn't write the cartoon-like effect of it).
Sunday night was then reserved for enjoyment and NO training, and hanging out with our Aussie hosts and friends. Good times!
5 days of training and tune up before the Wieland Shield, January 16 at Bancoura and 17th at Ocean Grove.
"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." - PRE GET SOME!!!
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Yanks....Sending you all my best wishes and knowing your all having a ball..My best to all the Aussies and to LACOLA Team..FIght On!
Good to hear all is well down under, I appreciate the up date. It's always the damn wadding year after year. Please give my best to all our old Aussie friends and the best of luck to you all in the shield. Much aloha, Buddy Bohn
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