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Swanbourne Cup Mixed Board Rescue Results Season 2025/26
- Tim Tucak
- Jan 18
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 20
Firstly thank you to Peran Bishop (again) and Polly Pitcairn-Knowles for their assistance in the setting of the string line along with some help from the SRC Members on Patrol. Thank you to Lisa Engelbrecht and others for helping set up the arena. Thank you to the Nippers for the loan of the string line. Thanks also to Luke Bishop for being a Judge for the buoy touches and turns. Thanks also to Pez, Polly and many others for retrieving the string line, washing everything and putting it all away. Thank you to Lainie Gara for helping with recording.
The breeze was in with some waves. 12 teams marshalled to set up two heats. We tried the new Swanny Ocean Classic airhorn (once we found the battery) to start the races - certainly was loud! Heat 1 was won by Kath and Cocky, ahead of Michelle and Jules then Neve and Tom. Soph and Robbie took fourth and the final Final spot. Fiona and Logan were fifth with crowd favourites Ash and Justin in sixth. There was a break at the start, but no-one was disqualified as the Starter had held them for awhile. Some of the touches and turns looked a little iffy, but not disqualification worthy. Heat 2 was taken out by Annie and Ben ahead of Amity and Stirling P, then Lydia and Briggy. Hannah and Stirling S took fourth spot to secure a spot in the final. Fifth was Jordi and Jamie, showing they can tango if required and not just at the Blue Party! Sophia and Elliot were sixth.
With 9 spots available in the Final, Jordi and Jamie were offered the wildcard spot. However, as Soph had to leave, Robbie changed partners, taking Jordi on board (well on swim as he was on the board!). Ash and Justin were happy with their performance in the Heat, so the wildcard spot went to Fiona and Logan.
The Final was a see-saw affair. Tom was the first swimmer to the buoys ahead of Briggy and Kath. (Apologies to the swimmers in places 4 to 7 as we missed one touch so probably got a few others in the wrong order). Jules was the first paddler to the buoys ahead of Cocky and Neve. Jules and Michelle were clear leaders on the return paddle, chased by Kath and Cocky then Neve and Tom / Annie and Ben. A wave popped up close to shore, Kath and Cocky managed to 'catch it' whilst Jules and Michelle got the worst of the white water, which hampered their dismount. In a close finish Kath and Cocky crossed the line half a metre to a metre in front of Jules and Michelle. Once again Jules is the bridesmaid in the Swanbourne Cup - prior to that wave, I was mentally composing the race report that saw Jules finally take a win (and the season after his previous long term partner Lucy Gunzburg was a winner!). Amity risked disqualification as she dropped board before crossing the finish line, but after Stirling had crossed. Neve gets bragging rights over Stirling, after he changed partners from Neve to Hannah.
Congratulations to Kath and Brenton Laws who are the winners of the Swanbourne Cup Mixed Board Rescue Race for 2025/26!
