Nippers get to meet Aussie Surfski Superstars, Shaw & Partners WA Race Week

Credits: Alese Watson Photography

The City of Perth Surf Club hosted a nippers’ clinic for more than 200 youngsters from all over Western Australia, as part of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week here in Perth. Aside from getting to train with their heroes, the nippers walked away with lucky draw prizes to remind of a cracking day at the beach.

Iron Men and Women

2015/16 Nutrigrain Ironwoman Champion, 5x Molokai board champion and current Molokai Challenge surfski champion Jordan Mercer was one of the ten athletes to take part in the clinic.

“We split them by age in two groups and put the older kids into the water first,” said Mercer. “I was in there with them – they weren’t wearing wetsuits so I couldn’t either,” she laughed.

The nippers were taken through a set of drills in the surf. “There was a bit of a shore dump,” said Mercer, “and they handled it incredibly well.”

After they’d spent some time body-surfing, ins and outs, run-swim-runs, they swapped over and the younger kids, who’d been working on flags, sprints and beach rotations, spent some time getting wet too.

…so excited

“I’ve done other clinics with the Iron Woman series,” said Mercer, “and the enthusiasm here is unparalleled. I hope that the ten of us have inspired them to stick with surf lifesaving, and to take it with them into later years – and the rest of their lives.”

A Q&A session followed by a lucky draw for sponsored merchandise wrapped up the event. “The kids were just so excited,” laughed Mercer.

Shaw and Partners WA Race Week

The event was organized by Dean Gardiner of Ocean Paddler, and sponsored by Shaw and Partners as part of the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week.

Click here for more information on the Shaw & Partners WA Race Week