Surf boats go to Turkey

Umina Surf Life Saving Club will introduce surf life saving to Turkey over the next five years.

The local surf club will send two of its own surf boats to the European country to assist up to six Turkish crew members in surf boat management.

Club secretary Ms Christine Lavers said Umina club member and secretary of the Australian Surf Rowers League Mr Alan Gibbons had been heavily involved in securing the two boats as well as two instructors from the League.

"The boats are going to Bosphorus University that has a campus just north of Istanbul at Burc Beach on the shores of the Black Sea," Ms Lavers said.

Ms Lavers said a 100km race involving a contingent of 100 surf boats was planned for the country to mark the 100th anniversary of the landing of the Anzacs in Gallipoli.

"The race is planned to start at Eceabat on the eastern side of the Dardanelles and travel south towards a half-way crew change point near Cape Helles," Ms Lavers said.

"The boats would then turn north towards the finish point near Anzac Cove.

"It is anticipated that crews from Umina and the Central Coast will also participate in the race so that may mean Umina crews may race in the original boats sent to Turkey."

Press release, 19 Mar 2010 Christine Lavers, Umina Surf Life Saving Club