Old guns at “Guns up”!

Old guns at “Guns up”!

It was a perfect morning by all accounts — blue skies with wisps of clouds, hardly a breeze and the Indian ocean as flat and calm as a Buddhist monk’s thoughts; but this was no serene start to the day for the band of boaties gathered at City Beach on Valentine’s Day Sunday.

The old guns of the WA surf rowing scene had gathered to compete in the Masters State Titles. They gathered alongside their surfboats, four oarsmen and one sweep, surveying the lay of the ocean, the movement of currents, the stirring of the breeze.

Masters events cover competitors from age 30 onwards, which mean the age mix at City Beach was quite diverse. There were the “babies” who had just turned 30, and the weathered veteran rowers whose combined ages exceeded 200; there were lean and muscular competitors, and those with heavier physiques, whose still found strength to haul the heavy oars.

Competition categories are based on the combined ages of the rowers (exclusing the sweep); hence, there were the 120s and the 200s. You do the math!

Sunday’s titles consisted of four races, which meant that the event was over in about an hour and a half. But it still made for some riveting spectating and photography!

Congrats to the Cottesloe Masters Crew, taking home gold in the 120 Gold, and the 200 Gold and Silver, to City Beach for winning Silver in the combined 120 and 140 and to Secret Harbour’s Secret Weapons Crew for scoring the Bronze in 120.