Channel Challenge honours inaugural winner
SOME 470 San Remo Channel Challenge competitors and hundreds of spectators honoured the 1986 inaugural winner of the event, the late Michael Gordon, on Saturday with a minute’s silence before the race started at 2.05pm.
Federal Member for McMillan Russell McMillan paid tribute to his good mate who died on February 3 after he suffered a heart attack while taking part in the Phillip Island Swim Classic event.
Mr Broadbent presented a floral wreath to two of the Woolamai Surf Life Saving Club volunteers who transported it out in the channel and laid it in the water as a final tribute to Gordon.
In perfect weather conditions with blue skies, warm weather and calm waters it was smooth sailing for the 33rd Channel Challenge that saw the 2014, 2015 and 2016 winner Mitchell Kibby first over the line again in a blistering time, a good stretch ahead of the strong field of competitors who took to the water for the 550 metre swim and two kilometre run aquathon event.
The hard working Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club and its volunteers do a fabulous job running this event , sponsored by the San Remo Branch of the Bendigo Community Bank and is the club’s major fundraiser for the year and also provides a welcome boost to the San Remo economy.
The daylong event saw San Remo bustling with children’s rides, market stands, various food vendors, a fashion parade, and live music.
Kibby won the event overall in a time of 12:06:04. Luke Plant of 12:58:06 was second and Mark Rowe was third 13:19.1.
Second overall across the line was junior women’s competitor Rebecca Henderson 12:50.6, Overall Senior Women’s winner was Ashlee Diston in a time of 14:14:6 from Kara Landells, second, and Georgia Key-Helmot, third.
The first place of the junior male returns to Linus Mayes.
The first three overall local males to cross the finish line were Luke Plant, Mark Rowe and Nathan Foote while Inverloch duo Kara Landells and Georgia Kaye-Helmot placed fisrt and second for the locals with Debbi Mahon third.
The swim started in San Remo on the mainland and crossed the Westernport Channel to Newhaven on Phillip Island.
After the competitors completed the swim leg they ran barefoot into the grassy transition area and after donning their running shoes they started the run back to San Remo.
The run back up over the picturesque Phillip Island bridge to the township of San Remo spread the runners out, and made for a spectacular sprint to the finish line in the main street where the large crowds urged the participants on.
Top shot: San Remo Channel Challenge photographer Ivan Webb captured the start of Saturday’s San Remo Channel Challenge with this awesome photograph.
Happy trio: Inverloch’s Georgia Kaye-Helmot was the second local senior woman over the finish line and was all smiles after the race with Melbourne friends Annabelle and Nick Moylan who also competed in the 33rd San Remo Channel Challenge on Saturday.
Moving tribute: a minute’s silence was observed by the hundreds of competitors, spectators, family, friends and local MPs Russell Broadbent and Brian Paynter, all gathered to honour the inaugural winner of the San Remo Channel Challenge the late Michael Gordon. Mr Broadbent handed a special wreath to Woolamai Surf Life Saving Club members who laid it out in the channel as a tribute to Gordon.
First: way ahead of the 470 competitors Mitchell Kibby was first over the line in Saturday’s Channel Challenge.
Cheers: Newhaven College Junior School principal Ralph Arceo and sons Harry and Max lined up at the event finish line to cheer on wife and mum Melina on Saturday.
Well done: Bass Coast Shire councillor Stephen Fullarton congratulated local swimmer Luke Plant on placing third overall in Saturday’s San Remo Channel Challenge.
French reporter: The Star’s Tom Hertig was thrilled to complete his first ever Channel Challenge on Saturday in San Remo.
Top local: Luke Plant placed second in the Men’s Open and was the first local Senior Male over the line.
Young gun: Phillip Island’s Max Stafford lined up for the Challenge event on Saturday.
Winners: Mitchell Kibby won Saturday’s 2018 San Remo Channel Challenge overall in a time of 12:06:04 with locals Luke Plant of 12:58:06 was second and Mark Rowe was third 13:19.1.
Short URL: /?p=24193
Posted by 
