SWIMMING: There were lightning displays inside the pool lanes and out, at the final round of the Shine Shield in Binalong on Saturday.
The 50th Anniversary event was forced to finish early due to storm activity and the danger of lightning in the area, but not before a few lightning-fast contestants made a big splash into the record books and had fun on the jumping castle, creating balloon art and investing in a glitter tattoo in between bouts.
The Yass club only just scraped in by one point from second position to win the honour of taking home the shield on the day, with 1146 points.
Binalong finished second with 1445 points. Jugiong tallied 1134 points while Harden came home with 1031 in fourth place.
Yass also took out the relay event, coming from third place behind Jugiong on 154, Binalong second with 132 and Yass only 10 points behind that. Harden entered the fourth round relay with 81 points.
Binalong relay results were: Yass first on 44 points, Binalong second with 30, Harden notching up third place with 34 and Jugiong 4th with six points.
The first leg of the competition started in Harden on January 13.
Yass hosted the third round in perfect weather conditions on January 20.
An update of records covering the past several years revealed a host of swimmers who deserved the title of ‘record-breaker’
Points ended with Binalong in first place with 1266 points, Yass second with 1200, Jugiong third with 1180 points and Harden rounding out the competition with 881.
Shine Shield founder Buster and Marg Shine’s daughter, Ann Cooke, helped Yass Valley mayor Rowena Abbey cut the 50th anniversary celebratory cake cutting at 4.30 after the fun and games began at 3pm.
All swimmers participated in a procession around the pool to kick start the final leg of this year’s carnival.
Anne Cooke (Marg Shine’s daughter, founder of the Shine Shield) and Mayor Rowena Abbey cut the 50-year anniversary cake.
Maddie Duffy and Alivia Kruger lead the Binalong march parade.
