Knocking the dominant Newport team from its top spot by just three points, the Cooks Hill club win was met with rowdy cheers.

The club’s tilt at the title after coming third last year was aided by some gutsy performances in the challenging conditions at Blacksmiths Beach, where the championship was held, and some stars in the ranks of the newest competitors, the under 9s.

Sid Burns won his board and swim event, as did Angus Jackson and Taj Williams in the board relay. Cooks Hill was helped by the under-9 surf team who claimed a second place.

Sid Forbes won the under-13 board race and the girls were on fire in the swims, claiming firsts in the under-9, under-11 and under-13 surf teams events.

Individual results included Lily Egan (under-10), Daisy Breasley (under-11), Andie Widseth (under-12) with golds in their surf races and Isabella Campbell picked up silver in the under-14 event.

Alexander Walker won the under-12 male surf race and the under-11 team took out the mixed cameron relay to round out the medal haul in the water.

Knowing the local conditions also proved successful for the host club, giving Swansea Belmont SLSC a meteoric rise in the ranks from 10th last year to fourth.

Coogee’s third place was also out of left field after placing 8th in 2018.

ALSO READ: Swansea Belmont SLSC locked in to host 2019 and 2020 NSW Surf Life Saving Championships

The Swansea juniors were everywhere too and clocked up points in the water and the beach events.

Wins in the under-9 and under-11 surf teams and the under-13 board relay were backed up by a second in the under-13 board rescue thanks to Ethan Hamilton and Tye Worell.

Cambell Connelly and Billy Foran won the under-11 board rescue, Kaitlin Rees the under-11 board race and Zara Foran the under-13 Ironwoman and surf race.

On the sand young Samuel Govender led the charge, winning both under-11 beach flags and sprint, while younger brother Denzel claimed bronze in the under-9 beach flags.

In the 1km beach run local knowledge may have played a part in wins for Nate Ward in the under-11s, Ryder Griffith in under-12 and second for Ty Leadbeatter in under-13s.

An ecstatic Michael Clancy, junior competition manager at Cooks Hill SLSC, said he could not be prouder of all the competitors this weekend.

“It’s been absolutely fantastic and a completely new era for Cooks Hill. We’ve been rebuilding for probably 8 to 10 years and this is the culmination of it,” he said.

“We’re extremely strong in the water and that’s where we get all our points, but overall it’s a team event and accumulating the points that get you to the end and get you the win is what it’s about.”

He said the dedication to training in the ranks of the younger competitors is amazing and the skills they are learning for life are invaluable.

“Our guys are out there four or five times a week in the surf. The young ones in particular, the 9s and 10s stepped up yesterday and smashed the field and it just continued today. It was fantastic seeing kids come across the line with smiles, even if they didn’t win," he said.

“I’ll be honest, you look at all the different sports kids can get involved in and this is by far the most comprehensive, all round sport kids can do.

"The emotional resilience it teaches kids, to get back up every single time, despite the conditions, is untold in developing kids and their ability to compete and perform as individuals and in society.

"That’s what we want at the club, we want our kids not just to compete but to stay with the club, volunteer right through and this is a great basis to do that.”

The masters championships continue at Blacksmiths Beach on Wednesday and from Friday the opens weekend. 

Overall Pointscore: