Special Events

 
 
Copy of Untitled.png
 

As far as special events went for season 2020/21 we can only say that it ended up as ‘the summer that never happened’.

We are all aware of the fact that each leg of the Bass Coast Series plus the Little Penguin Dash had to be eventually cancelled under the pressures of Covid19 restrictions and the ensuing lockdowns. 

After the Cape Paterson Aquathon and the Cowes Classic were cancelled in the spring of 2020 the Special Events organizing committee made a decision to try and persist with the running of our signature event at San Remo – the 36th Channel Challenge. However, as time passed and the restrictions became more onerous, it was becoming increasingly more difficult to try and pull the event together in a manner that was viable for the club. E.g: 

  • A Covid19 Safety Officer was needed. 

  • The race centre would have to be moved to an outdoors location. 

  • The small beach area at the start had to be socially distanced. 

  • Waves were initially limited to 50 swimmers. 

  • The transition area was limited to holding only 50 competitors at any time. 

  • All officials would need to be wearing PPE. 

  • The spectators were deemed to be the responsibility of the club, including those on the bridge, and officials had to attempt to gain the contact details of as many spectators as possible. 

  • The relay component of our event may not have been approved. 

  • Competitors had to be socially distanced at the finish and presentations. 

In spite of all these problems, there was a concerted effort to hang in and persist with the planning in an attempt to ‘save’ our iconic event. Our official race referee, Graeme Burgan, a community volunteer, worked hard to put a CovidSafe plan together by using satellite distancing to measure the beach area and taking other compliance steps needed to gain approval from LSV and the State Government, but it was soon becoming obvious that it would be impossible to run a ‘normal’ Channel Challenge. After much debate, the wise heads on the Board prevailed and decided there was no option but to pull the pin on the 2021 Channel Challenge and look to bounce back hard in 2022. It was a difficult decision to make because there was a strong push from the local community, especially the regular competitors, that they really wanted the event to proceed for the benefit of themselves and the wider local community and that was hard to resist. 

Then just as we thought that we may have got away with running the event as the date approached there was a snap lockdown announced to start on the Friday night before the proposed date of the Channel Challenge and we now know that if we had proceeded then we would have been left sitting in an empty race centre with $10,000 of outdated t-shirts and another $10,000 of hired timing equipment – in other words, a $20,000 loss for the club. The decision to cancel was vindicated and proven to be a very wise judgement and a ‘lifesaver’ for the club. 

We are now up and running with plans for the 2022 Bass Coast Series events as well as the Little Penguin Dash. 

Cape Paterson Aquathon Sun 16th January 10.00am 

Cowes Classic & LPD Sat 5th February TBA 

San Remo Channel Challenge Sat 19th February 3.15pm 

With an early start to our marketing campaign and because of the anticipated enthusiasm of competitors wanting to get back in the water then we are aiming to post some record numbers for participation and not only break the record of having 635 competitors in the race but also have a go at that desired target of 700 competitors in 2022. 

After this hiatus we are now at a point where the management of the events needs resetting with some previous helpers having moved on and some others, myself included, approaching their use-by date. Our early plans include employing a local resident to help with the part-time administration of the events and if any club member is interested then please contact me on 0416 133655. Max Eldridge has taken on the responsibility of Special Events in his Vice-President’s portfolio, but the organizing committee needs some fresh blood as the events become more complicated to run and there are several roles to be undertaken to ensure the Channel Challenge runs smoothly: 

  • CovidSafe Officer to ensure all protocols are followed. 

  • Risk Management and Permit Applications. 

  • Marketing, branding and messaging to our competitors’ database of 2000. 

  • Major sponsorship and t-shirt advertising. 

  • Water Safety (usually the Club Captain’s role). 

  • Collation of prize cheques, 100+ in-kind vouchers and BC Series categories. 

  • Dealing with external stakeholders – Shire, SES, Police, Parks Vic & PINP. 

  • Organizing the Race Centre, Race Start, Transition and Finishing Areas. 

Pulling this all together sits with the Special Events Coordinator and I look forward to seeing next year’s event come together for the benefit of our loyal competitors, the Bass Coast Community and WBSLSC – it has been, is, and always will be one of our favourite days of the year and after the difficulties of postponing and rescheduling in 2019 and then missing out completely in 2021, we should all be looking forward to putting the Channel Challenge back onto its ‘Iconic’ pedestal as Victoria’s largest Annual Aquathon. 

We also have a 50% stake in the events held at Cowes on the same day and we need to ensure that they rebound in the best way possible while working with our long term partners from the Phillip Island Football & Netball Club.  

We look forward to the Summer Series of Events in 2022. 

Bring It On. 

Ron Nicholson. 

 
Woolamai Beach SLSC