SEVERAL thousand Sutherland Shire residents turned out for the eight annual IMB Cook Community Classic held at Cronulla last Sunday.
The event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for many grassroots community groups in the shire, including sports clubs, charities, school P&Cs and other organisations.
Proceedings got under way at 8am when about 10 teams competed in a beach soccer competition on Cronulla beach.
More than 200 swimmers took part in the day's ocean swims staring with the one-kilometre event at 9am, followed by the two-kilometre swim at 10am and Bate Bay Battle at 11am.
But it wasn't just all about sport.
A family fun day was held at Cronulla park with live entertainment, including Sylvanvale Drum Beats, Kirrawee High School Band, Ettingshausens Dance Troupe and Ronald McDonald Magic Show.
There were food stalls, live music and a petting zoo for the kids, while the Sharks players were also there to meet fans,
Cook Community Classic has raised more than $500,000 in the past eight year, helping more than 50 charities and organisations including 2nd Caringbah Scouts, Kookaburra Kids, Sylvanvale, The Beauty Bank, Cronulla Outriggers, NSW Homicide Victims Support Group, Project Youth and Neighbourhood Aid.
IMB Cook Community Classic patron and founder, Cook MP Scott Morrison, said the event relied on the generous support of the Cronulla, North Cronulla, Elouera and Wanda surf life saving clubs.
IMB Bank was the major sponsor from 2008 to 2014. Other sponsors were Sylvania BMW and Kareena Hospital. This year's major sponsor was Woolooware Bay developer Capital Bluestone.