2024 WANDA PRESENTATION NIGHT

Wow, what a night Wanda! The annual Presentation Night recognises excellence in surf life saving and surf sports, so we rolled out the red carpet, called in the paparazzi and awarded many members who went over and above in the 23/24 season.

Congratulations to all winners on the evening, with special mention to Kaylene Walker, our Director of Administration, who was a deserving winner of the prestigious, CV Forshaw award.

Major Award Winners

• CV Forshaw Award – Kaylene Walker
• Lifesaver of the Year – Mark Dunham
• Junior Lifesaver of the Year – Sienna Dunham
• The Golden Cap – Glenn Bell
• Member Services Award – Larry Leabeater

Thanks to hosts Fiona Sutton – President, Denny Rowlands – Captain and Greg Pierce – Director of Surf Sports and our Presentation Night Committee for organising a fabulous evening. JAG Captains Estelle and Max commenced the evening with the Lifesavers’ Prayer.

We were delighted to share our successes with our supportive Members of Parliament – Simon Kennedy (Member for Cook), Hon. Mark Speakman (State Member for Cronulla and Leader of the Opposition), Eleni Petinos (State Member for Cronulla) as well as Carmelo Pesce (Sutherland Shire Council Mayor) and Carol Provan (Sutherland Shire Council Deputy Mayor). We always enjoy their company and thank them for assisting in presenting the many awards.

Thank you also to our Wanda Life Members and our Trophy Donors who celebrated with us and continue to support our club and it’s members.

We presented our long-serving and much-loved Patron, Ernest “Solly” Stephens with a plaque of honour for his service in the role for 26 years – an incredible tenure. He is an iconic figure not only in Wanda but across all levels of Surf Lifesaving, and we are delighted that he will be elevated to Patron Emeritus at our AGM in July. Thank you Solly – you are a true legend of Wanda.

Another highlight of the evening was the presentation of Life Membership and Australian Champion Blazers

Patrol 4B won the Show Trip competition and will be heading to slopes in September! Well done.

Congratulations team Wanda!

Link: 2024 Wanda Award Winners || Check out all the photos here!

CRONULLA SENIOR OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Congratulations to Wanda Life Member, Auxiliary Committee Sue Brannock who was a finalist for the Cronulla Senior of The Year Awards from the office of Mark Speakman, MP for Cronulla. The awards recognise volunteer seniors for the contribution they make to our community and are part of the annual NSW Seniors Festival held from 11 to 24 March.

Sue was invited as a Finalist to attend the Presentation of Awards on Monday 11 March at Cronulla Central Hall with special guest Bronnie Taylor, Shadow Minister for Seniors and was proudly accompanied by her sister Dianne, daughter Katie Spinner and our President Fiona Sutton.

Sue received a Certificate for her outstanding contribution to Wanda as a member of the Auxiliary Committee and an active member of the ‘Sutherland 2 Surf’ Organising Committee for over 28 years.  Well done Sue.

2024 NSW SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS – CHAMPION LIFESAVER EVENTS

Congratulations to our Life Saver Champions, they’ve scored the first points for Wanda on the SLS NSW State Champs leaderboard.

GOLD
Ben Sutton – u19 male
Oscar Lo – u14 male

SILVER
Felix Lonergan – u14 male

4TH PLACE
Jayda Zammit-Mayer – u17 female
Lawrence Scanlon – u14 male

Ben, Oscar and Felix now qualify for Aussies final.

ZENOZ SUPER SERIES & ASRL QLD CUP

The Wanda Weapons got another win in a tight finish in the Open Men’s Finals in the Zenoz Super Series & ASRL QLD Cup at Alex Headland. Thanks to Tallebudgera Surf Club for the loan of their surf boat! Watch the presentation here >>

SYDNEY BRANCH CHAMPS 2024 – OPENS, LIFESAVER AND MASTERS EVENTS

Congrats to all our Wanda competitors who braved the conditions and dominated on the surf and sand at the recent Sydney Branch Champs.

Our Opens competitors won 29 Gold, 26 Silver and 19 Bronze and finished on the leaderboard with 408 points.

Our Masters also enjoyed conquering the conditions and claimed a tidy 16 medals and PBs. Our talented Lifesaving team showed their skills and with many new recruits they performed exceedingly well also collecting a nice collection of Silver and Bronze.

Well done Wanda … next stop State Champs!

Link >> *Unofficial* Top 6 Wanda Results – Opens

Link >> Top 6 Wanda Results – Champion Lifesaver

Link >> *Unofficial* Top 6 Wanda Results – Masters

Live Heats – Opens

Live Heats – Masters

Live Heats – Lifesaving

ASRL 2024

Congrats to our Surf Boat Crews Wanda Weapons, Wanda Kessels, Wanda Wvodkas and Wanda Woodies who competed in the 2024 ASRL Open at Lorne, Victoria.

The Wanda Open mens crew aptly named ‘The Weapons’ claimed the Gold – and a first-ever ASRL gold medal for the Club. The crew; Brad Querzoli, Hayden Ward, Matt Pescud, Jack Spooner and Nathan Spinner (sweep) were crowned ASRL Champions after competing in 6 qualifying races winning the final race with a dominant buoy turn and powerful finish in small conditions to edge out Bulli NSW Silver and Mermaid Beach QLD Bronze.

Nathan spoke to the commentators after the race “our goal for the weekend was to execute on our race plan. It felt like we nailed every race and I think we only dropped one race across the weekend. I am so pleased for the boys they have worked so hard for this result”.

The crew were also selected as the NSW Open Men’s crew competing in the Interstate Championships. The NSW team were relegated to second place in the overall point score after finishing on equal points (111) with a count back all the way to a 5th place deciding the result in favour of QLD.

Our Wanda Kessels had a podium finish with second place in the Masters 200yrs event and through to the quarter finals in the reserve grade women. Our reserve grade men Wanda Wvodkas and u23 men both went all the way to the quarter finals.

SUMMER OF SURF – NORTH BONDI

Congrats Dane Sutton winner of the u17 Iron and the Golden Ticket to Open Iron final at Northcliffe.

Here’s our top 6

1st – Dane Sutton – u17 Ironman (golden ticket winner / entry to opens at the final SoS)
2nd – Charlotte Bowmer -u15 Female Surf Race
3rd – Nich Middleton – Open Male Surf Race
3rd – Open Womens Board relay
4th – Open Mens 3 person Taplin
5th – Open Mixed 6 person Taplin
6th Noah Steiner – Open Ironman
6th Noah Steiner – Open Male Surf Race
6th Dylan Porteous – u17 Male Ski

2024 SHARK ISLAND SWIM

We had some great results for the annual Shark Island Swim on Sunday. Congratulations to all competitors.

Pulse 1km Beach Swim
1st – Kiani Johnson (female all age division)
1st – Kiani Johnson (female 10-15 division)

Cronulla SLSC Shark Island 2.3km Swim
1st – Nich Middleton (male elite division)
1st – Charlotte Bowmer Sue Ezzy Memorial Award (female elite division)
1st – Kiani Johnson (female 13-15 division)
2nd – Michaela Sargeant (female 25-29 division)
3rd – Taylar Puskaric (female elite division)
3rd – Charlotte Davidson (female 16-19 division)
7th place for Jackson Middleton (male elite division) and Isabella Davidson (female 16-19 division). 9th place for Cherie Carrera (female 55-59 division) and 15th for Tracy Booth (female 50-54 division).

Well done team Wanda!

JUNIOR LIFESAVER OF THE YEAR 2024

Congratulations to our Wanda Nippers Captains, Zara Zammit-Mayer and Felix Lonergan, who were presented with their certificates for being finalists in the Surf Life Saving Sydney Junior Lifesaver of the Year on Sunday at North Bondi.

We are proud of the leadership that they have displayed as part of this prestigious program, and right throughout the season, as mentors for our nippers.