HUNTER surfboat great Ken Murray believes crews from Swansea-Belmont and Dixon Park will be among the ones to watch as the locals take on the nation’s best at the Navy-Australian Surf Rowers League Australian Open at Stockton Beach this weekend.
Murray will be a liaison officer and course judge at the three-day carnival which starts on Friday.
The 77-year-old won nine national titles in surfboats and is the only surf rower in the Surf Lifesaving Hall of Fame.
He has spent most of his life involved with rowing, even celebrating his 21st birthday in the back of a surfboat while rescuing people during the 1955 Maitland flood.
Stockton Beach will host 375 crews from every state and territory except the Northern Territory, and Murray believes Hunter teams can feature prominently.
‘‘Swansea-Belmont’ s under23s have been going very well. They did well on the weekend at the branch titles at Catherine Hill Bay, winning the A-grade race,’’ Murray said.
‘‘In the masters, I think Dixon Park’s got it sewn up. They’ve rowed tremendously and won the last few Australian titles.
‘‘They’ll be there in it and they’ve got a good reserves crew as well, and they’ll take a bit of tossing.’’
Nobbys will be the Hunter’s sole entrant in the open men and will have two teams in the open women. Caves Beach and Merewether are also competing in the women’s race.
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