May 1999 Volume 80 Number 5 "serving the protectors"
Tug-of-war - Victory at the Tunarama
by Mick Walsh

A team of Port Lincoln police officers won a tug-of-war “grudge” match against the local Metropolitan Fire Service during the Tunarama Festival last Australia Day weekend.

Held on the Port Lincoln foreshore, the event pits two teams of eight against each other in a best-of-three pulls. The winning team is awarded the inaugural Emergency Services Champions Trophy and a keg of beer. The police team’s victory came after two convincing pulls.

Port Lincoln police have won the event for 15 consecutive years.

A police team of six later competed against the GTS/BKN Central Television team of eight in the Tunarama 1999 Media Challenge. The police team won this event in two ends.

It then attempted to enter a team in the open event (non-police/MFS) but was denied entry. In previous years the police team has easily won both events.

Not to be outdone, however, the team challenged the winner of the open event - Tasman Tuggers - and won in a one-end, do-or-die event.

The police team was the only undefeated one on the day. Its trophies now sit grandly in the police station for viewing by all.