MOLLYMOOK Surf Club members tackled the unpredictable waters off the Turkish coast when they took part in the two-day Gallipoli 100 Surfboat Challenge.
Sweep Barry Page and 10 rowers took on teams from New Zealand and Turkey in the 53 kilometre event when they represented Australia in a surfboat inscribed with the names of Milton-Ulladulla residents who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.
The boat race was held from Ecebat to North Beach in the lead up to the official 100th anniversary commemorative service held at Gallipoli on Anzac Day 2015.
Some of the group were selected to attend the Anzac Cove dawn service and laid a wreath on behalf of the community, while others took part in a Gallipoli landing re-enactment in the Mollymook boat on the nearby peninsula.
Rower Craig Matthews has a passionate interest in war history and the Gallipoli campaign and had always wanted to visit Anzac Cove.
“When the opportunity came up to row in Turkey around to Anzac Cove, I couldn’t pass it up,” he said.
“Rowing has been my life, I love jumping in the boat with my mates and have been involved with Mollymook Surf Life Saving since a nipper, rowing competitively for Mollymook since a junior.
“I have made many great mates and memories over the years and I was keen to add to it by this once in a lifetime experience.”
Before leaving for Turkey, Craig said he was keen to “seek an adventure like the young lads from the Milton-Ulladulla district did 100 years ago”.
“It will be a very emotional time and it’s quite hard to even explain the emotions that I’ve had so far, trying to imagine what those young men went through all those years ago,” he said.
Craig’s great uncle Eric Millard fought in France on the Western Front during World War I and he was one of the lucky ones who returned home.
“The experience will be amazing, I’m happy to be able to represent Mollymook alongside great friends,” he added.
Long-time surf club member Stuart Turnbull lives in Singapore and said, after missing Anzac Day events for 13 years, he was thrilled to be taking part.
“This was always an event that I was not going to miss,” he said.
“The Gallipoli landing holds a great deal of emotion for all Australians and New Zealanders.
“My great uncle Max Ewin was killed during the first landing so I feel I have a connection with the place.
“Every time I think about it I get chills up my spine thinking how those soldiers gave up their lives so that we could have our freedom today.”
Both Lesley Gagan’s grandfathers fought in World War I and her husband’s great uncle William Hitchen started the original Cooee March from Gilgandra and his grandfather fought in Europe in WWI.
“I am very proud to be representing Mollymook Surf Club and we have trained both in the gym and gradually over longer distances to build up the stamina for the race,” she said.
“Having been to Gallipoli once before it will certainly be a moving experience and an honour to be present at the official dawn service.”
Also flying the Aussie flag were rowers John Patterson (dec) Russell Bartlett, Len Bolin, Di LeStrange, Ken Burton, Gary Gavegan from Wollongong, Darren Jones from Melbourne and sweep Barry Page.
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