SHELLHARBOUR Surf Life Saving Club is lauding the efforts of three of its masters competitors at last week's National Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships at Scarborough Beach, Western Australia.
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Joanne Helson, Dana Richards and Kerry Perretta did the club proud, Helson winning three golds and a silver, Richards a silver and bronze and Perretta a bronze.
Helson, won the 55-59 female swim race, board race and ironwoman events and placed second in the rescue tube swim events.
Richards placed second in the 35-39 female ocean swim and third in the rescue tube swim event, while they teamed up with Kerry Perretta to take third in the highly competitive teams swim event.
They also placed fourth in the taplin relay (ski/board/swim) and fifth in the board relay events.
"We really have built up a strong friendship over the last few years and just love being involved in the Shellharbour club," Helson said.
"We train a lot together and have a lot of fun and have learned a lot from each other as far as reading water conditions and so-forth."
Richards got involved with competition after some coaxing from Helson and together they managed to "poach" Perretta from Warilla-Barrack Point.
Their success in team events has made them legendary in the sport and despite not winning the team swim at the nationals they are still reigning world champions after taking that title in Adelaide last year.
"We won state and are still world title holders, so that is something we can be very proud of," Helson said.
Shellharbour club president Wayne Cavanagh said the trio "show tremendous commitment to the club and certainly help promote the club".
"It's not cheap going to things like the Australian titles, particularly when you take into account the cost of getting their equipment there as well, but they continue to go and put in huge efforts and the club is proud of them.
"Dana has been tremendous with the work she puts into the juniors as well as a coach and is a great help in the upswing in our junior numbers," Cavanagh said.