SPLASH OUT

ORSING AROUND: Competitors race to the finish in the Stirling Shield. Photo: ABPH Quentin Mushins.

The first Tuesday in November is an important date in Australia’s sporting calendar, and for those at HMAS Stirling it is especially significant.

As the horses run the Melbourne Cup, the Stirling Shield runs at Stirling – a mix of novelty relays that see competitors take to the pool, the oval and sand pit with fancy hats a must.

This year, 10 teams contested the event, some competitors finding the going tougher than others, but Westralia proving dominant.

The starter’s pistol fired at 10.20am at the FBW pool.

The Consumption Catastrophe provided some highlights and many more lowlights with most competitors having trouble holding down all three food groups. The horse and jockey leg was also eventful, with the jockeys guiding their valiant (blind) steeds around the gruelling course.

Spectators surrounded the beach volleyball court cheering on the competitors as they attempted to find their team’s treasure and claim a winning position.

Once the dust had settled and the smoke cleared, the final positions were revealed:

TAKING THE PLUNGE: The action was hot in the pool for the first event of this year’s Stirling Shield. Photo: ABCIS Andrew Bedwell.

10th - Runabouts (Command),
9th - Arvaloarque (MPAC),
8th - Blitzes (NPC, ECC, Mail & Phots),
7th - Warriors (TUASSC),
6th - Terminators (TUASSC),
5th - Westralia I
4th - Invincible (TUASSC),
3rd - Say hi to your mum (B75),
2nd - TC-West Titans (TC-West),
1st - Westralia II

Westralia becomes the third ship to win the Stirling Shield, first contested in 1979, the other ships being HMAS Swan (1989) and HMAS Canberra (2004).

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