Cape Paterson Aquathon worth the wait

WHILE there were some challenging waves for competitors, surf conditions on Sunday for the Cape Paterson Aquathon were a great improvement on those that forced the postponement of the event in January.

Tristan Price continued his terrific form, recording a comfortable overall victory in 0:21:44.6 to add to his wins in the Cowes Classic and the San Remo Channel Challenge.

Justin Tilley of Smiths Beach was the first local home in a time of 0:23:20.9, again second overall behind Price, as was the case in Cowes, having been the first local and fourth overall in San Remo.

“Show up,” was Tilley’s response when asked how he keeps himself at the pointy end of competition, continuing to beat younger competitors.

That philosophy includes regular swims at Cape Woolamai with “a good crew”.

Tilley said he learns from the master, Rob ‘Boots’ Fleisner of Cape Woolamai who came second in the Super Veteran Male category in Cape Paterson, after achieving that in Cowes and winning the category in San Remo.

His Cape Paterson time was 0:29:11.9.

Brent Schuster was the third man home overall in a time of 0:23:59.0.

Having not originally planned to compete in Cape Paterson, Olivia Holmes was glad she accepted a recent invitation to do so, matching her efforts in her hometown of San Remo by winning Sunday’s women’s race.

Recording a time of 0:29:04.2 she was comfortably ahead of second-placed Jess Smith of Frankston (0:29:42.5) and Eloise Pryde from Berwick (0:29:44.1).

Pryde is a swimmer, having first tackled an aquathon event in Cowes this year, and completing the entire series.

Luke Nicholson and Andre Hetebrueg of Phillip Island won the Relay event as Team Spoonbills in a time of 0:24:46.4.

Held in gorgeous sunshine, and with the friendly social vibe seen across the series, the delayed Cape Paterson Aquathon was well worth the wait.

Members of the Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club kept a close eye on competitors from their boards and boats.