The weather and conditions were perfect for surfboat racing and our crews all performed well in tough competition.

WBHSLSC took five crews to Scotts Head - Open Men (The Rejects), Open Women (Bonnys Chicks), Reserves Men (Chubby Chasers), Junior Men (Rusty Hooks) and Masters Women (The Alley Cats).

Our open men's crew had some fantastic results and finished in the top three placings in seven of 10 races over the weekend.

The Rejects were happy with their results and put some very tidy rowing together. The open men's division has grown this year, with 10 North Coast clubs competing for a season top prize of $1000.

Well done to Ged Roods, Ben Dickson, Tony Kee, Simon Stennett and Wayne Dickson, they look right on pace with the best of them. They made the finals on both days and were neck and neck with Woolgoolga and Kempsey-Crescent Head all weekend.

Our open women's crew were devastated this week when one of their rowers had to pull out of rowing for the season due to work commitments.

The crew has had a great preseason and did not get to row a single race together this season. However Rachael Kee, Sammi Dimond and Kyannah Goggin came to Scotts Head and were able to compete due to the generosity of several clubs that donated some substitute girl rowers.

The Bonnys Chicks were able to put some great racing together even winning a couple of races and making finals on Saturday! Well done to the girls and sweep Steve Monaghan for keeping the crew together. We are looking for female rowers to come and help out this season. Please contact Steve Mono or Tony Kee if interested.

Our reserve grade crew were also one crew member down this weekend. Sam Monaghan, Aaron Grose and Harry Cain were assisted by the incredible Sammi Dimond. Sammi rowed open women's and reserve grade, competing in a total of 18 races for the weekend. She was our surfboat hero of the weekend and duly deserves tremendous recognition and well earned rest this week!

The Chubby Chasers were competitive for most of the weekend and made the finals on Saturday and Sunday, swept by Steve Monaghan.

Our junior men's crew continue to impress and have started a tradition of winning their first race of the day, repeating the event at Yamba and on both days at Scotts Head. They came flying out of the blocks and were competitive all weekend. The crew, consisting of Conner Perkins, Louis Rowe, Drouin Pike and Banjo Latimer, put their success down to their hard training in preseason and their incredible ability to cook and consume enough food for 10 men each.

Their coach Wayne Dickson was gobsmacked to return home Saturday night to find the boys had prepared and eaten most of 10kg of hot chips, meat patties, dim sims, and hash browns with incredible skill and ingenuity. They may not be masterchefs but they are rowing very well. Keep up the great work. Thank you again to their families for their support.

Our masters women's crew also had some great results at Scotts Head. With four crews now competing in the over 30 years division our women's crew of Michelle Kirkwood, Stephanie Lindeman, Cath Dawes and Marie-Louise O'Neill are rowing well and are right on the top pace. Keep up the great work ladies.

Our next carnival is the Coffs Harbour Craft carnival on Saturday and Sunday, November 29-30. Please come and show your support for Wauchope-Bonny Hills and cheer us on at Coffs Harbour for a great weekend out of surfboat thrills and spills.

Boaties proficiency day is this Sunday, November 23, at Bonny Hills surf club. Contact Tony Kee (Boat Captain) on 0427 836 855 if you can make it. We also have a new bronze course starting next week - if you are interested in completing the course and learning to row, contact Tony ASAP.

See you on the beach,

Tony Kee