1943 - present

Cyril Baldock was born in a Shanghai internment camp in 1943 and arrived in Bondi in 1945. He joined Bondi Surf Club aged 15 and has now completed more than 60 seasons with the club.

Affectionately known as ‘Baldy’ or ‘Mr Versatile’, his infectious enthusiasm is a hallmark of his commitment to club life, throwing his energy and passion into competition, administration and lifesaving.

He recalls a particularly difficult rescue of a distressed swimmer caught in a rip off Bondi Baths in the 1970s. Realising two other lifesavers, Barry Rogers and Bill Harris, were having trouble, Baldock tied a pool lane rope around his waist and leapt into dangerous surf from the rocks. He remembers a crushing pain in his waist as four bystanders heaved him back in through the surf.

It was an era of spartan surf lifesaving equipment: reels, lines and belts had been decommissioned and radios were yet to be introduced.

In 1976, the former club captain and president was elected its youngest life member. He has won Australian titles as a rescue and resuscitation competitor in 1960 and 1972 and as coach during 1989,1990 and 1996.

He was awarded an OAM for services to lifesaving and became patron of the club in 2020. The Baldock Patrol, the first Bondi Surf Club patrol with a living member as its namesake, honours his contribution.

Baldock remains actively involvement in lifesaving as a competitor in Australian and world championships, has won nine individual Australian Masters Gold medals, two World Masters Gold medals and is the current Australian age triathlon champion.

All five of his children have been club members.

Cyril has swum the English Channel twice, becoming the oldest person to complete the feat in 2014, and still holds the title as the oldest Australian to swim the Channel.

Courtesy Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club.