NEWS DESK
Annual classic entrant to bank on
Fires restricted
Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au DESPITE his modesty and unassuming demeanour, Mornington Peninsula-based swimmer Chris Yencken is something of a legend in swim circles. At 66 and boasting a level of fitness many men half his age would envy, the retired banker is gearing up for his 36th Portsea Swim Classic, an event he has participated in every year since its inception in the 1980s. Yencken first took to the sport of swimming at three, when his mum enrolled him in swimming lessons at Sorrento baths. He has barely spent one day out of the water since and is now a regular competitor at swim events from the peninsula to the surf coast. It’s still a challenge he enjoys, but not one that is too physically taxing any more. “I wouldn’t say I find the race difficult, it’s quite an easy swim for me that I can do in about 15 minutes, but it’s always fun,” he said. There’s also an added attraction to the race for Yencken, with his adult sons also regular participants - prompting a little friendly rivalry banter from all three. “Yes, there’s a bit of competition that goes on, but I can already beat my youngest son, who is 31, and most probably this year my 33-year-old son because he’s lost of bit of fitness,” he said. “But It’s all in good fun and we really enjoy it.” Not one to rest on his laurels, Yencken does the 1.5km classic as well as the 2.5km gold event that precedes it, and during the year participates in other swim events around the coast, including at Point Lonsdale, Point Leo, Anglesea, Edithvale and Bonbeach. Every day, no matter the weather, he joins mates at Portsea for a morning swim, something he was able to continue throughout lockdowns because he lives nearby, and the group could spread themselves out to manage social distanc-
CHRIS Yencken is lining up to swim in his 36th Portsea Classic. Picture: Supplied ing requirements. It’s clear swimming is keeping Yencken fit and healthy in his retirement years, but he says it’s also an excellent sport to relieve stress and improve mental alertness. Barring any COVID-related cancellations, he’ll be doing it all again on Saturday (15 January), along with thousands of other participants who have discovered the challenges and benefits of competition swimming. This year a new Portsea Bay to Surf Adventure Run will add an extra element to the weekend, with twilight runs and a walk through Point Nepean National Park on the day before the swim to create a two-day Portsea Classic. The 36th Portsea Swim Classic will be held at Quarantine Station in Point Nepean National Park, and includes the two races as well as the 500m junior swim for 7-11 year olds, the allfemale 500m relay for teams of three, and the Dash 4 Cash sprint. The classic is volunteer-led by members of
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Portsea Surf Saving Club and is the club’s major annual fundraiser. In the Bay to Surf 1000 competitors will tackle one of three events, a 4.5km walk, a 4.5km run or a 9km run through the national park. The 4.5km adventure walk starts at 6.15pm from Jarman Oval and finishes at Portsea Surf Life Saving Club. This will be followed by the adventure runs. Club president Matt Mahon said the club was excited to be able to offer a safe and expanded event after a challenging 18 months. “Lifesaving plays a crucial role in local communities and protecting swimmers at our beaches. With limited swimming lessons and water play for children due to the global pandemic, never has it been more crucial to ensure our beaches are safe this summer,” he said. As in 2021, the Portsea Swim Classic will be conducted in a COVID-safe manner including QR code check-ins.
STRICT fire restrictions came into force across the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston on Monday (10 January), with high fuel loads, recent rainfall and warm conditions causing a concern for firefighters. The CFA declares the fire danger period for each municipality depending on the amount of rain, grassland curing rate and other local conditions. Western Port CFA Group Captain David Breadmore said it was important for residents as well as visitors to keep abreast of CFA fire ratings. He said often visitors to the peninsula inadvertently breached fire restrictions by lighting incinerators or burning off because they were not aware of different restrictions for different municipalities. “People come to the peninsula from all over, and even people who have holiday homes down here may not be aware of our fire restrictions,” Captain Breadmore said. “People can also become complacent because we have had so much rain, but there really is very little ground moisture at the moment and fires are escaping from burn off.” Over the past few weeks peninsula brigades have responded to many grass fires and out-ofcontrol burn-offs, prompting reader comments on several social media sites about the Fire Danger Period being brought in too late. On January 2 fire crews took more than an hour to extinguish a rapidly spreading grass fire in Pindara Road, Arthurs Seat, and on the same day there was a fire in the Baxter/Somerville area that required monitoring. The following day a burn off in Shoreham threatened to spread to nearby properties before being brought under control by fire crews. Residents are reminded that regardless of the time of year, Mornington Peninsula Shire restricts any burning off in residential properties smaller than 1500 square metres. Details: cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/ fire-danger-period-restrictions
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12 January 2022
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