Twenty three year old Jackson Collins and Bridge to Beach victor Danielle McKenzie took the wins Saturday in the 13 Km CHUCKY race off Fisherman’s Beach Collaroy, round two of the Shaw and Partners Ocean Racing Series.
After early morning storms, the weather calmed for the 10am race with the field of over 200 facing two laps of a triangular course in moderate south easterly winds. From the start at that Fisherman’s Beach they paddled out to Long Reef, then took advantage of a good downwind to North Narrabeen before returning to Fisherman’s Beach for another lap.
Sydney’s Collins – whose father is four-times Olympian Danny Collins – has clearly inherited his old man’s talent with a paddle, and came in 22 seconds ahead of Tasmania’s Sam Norton, with Newport’s Mitchell Trim third, and the Gold Coast’s Riley Fitzsimmons fourth.
In the women’s field, Danielle McKenzie came in 7 seconds in front of arch rival the Central Coast’s Jemma Smith, with Bulli’s Hannah Minogue third. It was a good win for the talented New Zealander, who is based on the Gold Coast and has ensured D-Mack, as she is known, maintains a perfect score for the season after taking out round one, the Bridge to Beach.
Impressive performance by North Bondi’s Jim Walker who despite his age – he turned 50 last December – is able to play it with the young guns and came in sixth overall with a time of 40m30s and won the over 50, and over 40, class.
In men’s doubles class Team Sydney Harbour Surf Club of Luke Horder and Spencer Richards beat off Deano Gardiner and Guy Leech for the class win; in the women’s double Ellie Saffron and Eleonora De Vos were first home; while Tim Hookins topped the over 70’s.
Consistency is paying off, with Newport’s Luke Morrison  and the Goldy’s Danielle McKenzie leading the Shaw and Partners Series after two rounds, with the next meet in Forster on the Barrington Coast with a two-race programme from April 21-23.
Current AORS Point Score is out now. CLICK HERE
