George Bass surfboat race is a marathon and a sprint that tests the toughest competitors

The George Bass surfboat marathon hosted on the New South Wales south coast is not for the faint-hearted.

The seven-leg, seven-day race from Batemans Bay to Eden claims to be the longest and toughest of its kind in the world.

Rowing 190 kilometres is one thing, but doing it in the open ocean and against the raw elements is another.

“If you tell someone you’ve done a George Bass, I think you go up a level in respect.”

The race originated in 1975 and is entering a milestone 50th year, with crews from NSW, Queensland, Western Australia and New Zealand competing.

It’s deeply rooted in surf lifesaving culture and it is no coincidence the teams hail from surf clubs across the country.

Chris Mercer, from the Bulli Surf Life Saving Club in Wollongong, raced in the debut George Bass when he was in his 20s and remembers how challenging it was. 

“It was a long, painful experience,” he said.

“It was a brand new race, no-one knew anything about it and no-one knew what we were up for.”

Now 71, Mr Mercer is believed to hold the record for the most George Bass events rowed and will compete again this year in the Super Veterans category.

“I’ve actually lost count,” he said.

“I just hope I can make it to the end.”

It’s a marathon and a sprint

Twenty-six surfboat crews and 18 surf skis are taking part this year, nearly double the numbers of the 2023 race.

The race begins each day at sea rather than the beach and four-person crews plus a sweep race in shifts for about 30 minutes.

The rotation between crew members takes place in open water, as rowers swim from an accompanying support boat to the surf boat and quickly haul themselves on board.

Being so far out to sea and in deep water makes it an intimidating task.

“I think the adrenaline is rushing so much and you just want to get yourself into that boat that you don’t even think about it,” said Kirsty Byrne, captain of a Pambula-based female veterans crew.

Once teams finish a leg, their times are recorded and they return to shore where they rest for the night before doing it all again the next morning.

Rowers have been training for close to a year in preparation for a brutal race, and the risk of injury is not lost on those taking part.

The speed of the rowers highly depends on swell, currents and whether they are facing a preferred northerly breeze or a not-ideal southerly. 

“When I say endurance, it’s backing up day after day for seven days, and it’s a sprint,” Ms Byrne said.

The sweep on Ms Byrne’s crew, Chris “Briggsy” Briggs, will be steering the boat for the entire week with no breaks.

He said it was his duty to keep the women going and ultimately get the gold.

“I try and keep the morale up, keep the technique correct, make the boat go as fast as it can and try and come first,” he said.

Battling demons

The race starts on Sunday morning in Batemans Bay and continues to Moruya, Tuross Head, Narooma, Bermagui, Tathra and Pambula before finishing in Eden on January 4.

The shortest leg is on day two at 19 kilometres, while the longest leg is on day five at 36 kilometres, which is where fatigue really kicks in. 

The course can be changed if the weather deteriorates and conditions become dangerous, but completing the George Bass is the ultimate achievement for many. 

“You’ve got to push your limits and mentally, you have to battle those demons,” Mr Holt said.

“You have to have done it to understand how good it feels to finish the race.

“Everyone should have it on their bucket list.”

dan