Sam Betten did more than just win the Kingscliff Triathlon last weekend. Line honours at the event now also bestow another honour on the winner: the Nev Salmon Perpetual Trophy.
The Nev Salmon Trophy is a memorial award in honour of Nev who was, in the past, a president of the Twin Towns Triathlon Club. Nev was an active participant whose life was cut far too short when, in early June 2010, he was riding to meet a mate for a training ride that the two had been regularly doing for some time.
Nev didn’t make the rendezvous as he was involved in a serious accident with a B-Double on the approach road to Barneys Point Bridge. Sadly, Nev succumbed to his massive injuries and passed away on June 14.
Nev competed in over 280 club races with Twin Towns tri club. He was always eager to assist where he could and find solutions when required. He loved the camaraderie of the club and getting out on his bike for a ride with mates. He was passionate about bike safety and always looked for ways to make triathlon safer for the participants.
To honour Nev’s memory, Twin Towns Triathlon Club proudly offers a perpetual trophy to the first-place winner of the Kingscliff Triathlon Olympic distance event. This year members of Nev’s family were at the tri awards ceremony and his wife Pat and grandson Ty were a part of the trophy presentation to Sam, along with another former president of the Twin Towns Triathlon Club, Chris Watt.
