A dedicated team of Port Macquarie athletes were crowned the most successful Mid North Coast club at the NSW Envirobank Country Championships at Kingscliff last weekend.
In what was a highly competitive weekend of racing, albeit in tough conditions, Port Macquarie finished 6th overall on 287 points just ahead of local rivals Tacking Point SLSC in 7th position.
The four remaining local clubs who had athletes enjoy podium success were Hat Head, Wauchope-Bonny Hills, South West Rocks, and Kempsey-Crescent Head who finished 16th, 21st, 28th and 29th respectively.
Port Macquarie’s competitors enjoyed plenty of success on the sand and in the surf with a number of outstanding results throughout the weekend.
Leading the way on the sand were double individual gold medallists Cleo Schubert (U11 Female), Kate Field (U17 Female) and Laura Reynolds (U14 Female) in the Beach Run event. They were joined on top of the podium by Fleur Sherlock (U14 Female Beach Flags). Schubert proved her versatility by also winning the U11 Female Surf Race.
Harry Askew (U13 Ironman), Benjamin Oakeshott (U8 Beach Sprint), Peter Field (U9 Board Race), and Benjamin Barlow (U10 Surf Race) all ended the weekend as individual gold medallists. The club’s Masters contingent including Paula Stone and Bronwyn Hiles and team events such as the U8 and U9 Mixed Beach Relay, U10 Buchanan, and U15 Female Beach Relay all enjoyed the ultimate success.
Tacking Point surged to their lofty position on the back of Finn Askew’s five gold medals across the U17 and Open Age Group including an impressive win in the Open Ironman race. Tyse Thrower’s victory in the U12 Board Race, Masters athletes Raelene Meyer, Keiran Robinson, Clarrisa-Jane Morris, Luke Morris and Robert Hiatt all took gold, and a executed a brilliant race by the U15 Male Board Relay team.
It was a great weekend to be a Lawler and representing Hat Head SLSC. The surname was the only one featured on the ultimate medal list for the club.
In the 30-39 Division, Kylie Lawler finished with gold in the Beach Run and silver in both the Beach Sprint and Flag events. Also competing in that group was Melina Lawler who won gold in the Board Race, and bronze in the Beach Sprint and Flag Race.
Sean Lawler won silver in the 30-39 Male Board Rescue, and rounding off a successful weekend for the club was Abbey Lawler who earned a third place finish in the U11 Female Beach Run.
Wauchope-Bonny Hills finished the event with four medals thanks to Debra Bartlett’s gold in the 40-49 Female Rescue Tube, Hugh Stewart taking out silver in the U19 Ironman and sensational efforts in the Surfboat from the Open Male (silver) and Reserve Male (bronze) crews.
Competing in the Male 50-59 Division Mark Notley (South West Rocks) won a medal of each colour while Harrison Moffitt (Kempsey-Crescent Head) ensured his first ever Country Championships would be a memorable experience thanks to a bronze medal in the U8 Wade Event.
NSW Surf Sports Manager Rob Pidgeon said it was a quality carnival that highlighted the very best of surf sport competition.
“I would like to acknowledge all the athletes, officials and supporters for an outstanding weekend of racing conducted in the true spirit of Surf Life Saving.
“Cudgen Headland were outstanding hosts and we certainly enjoyed our time at the beautiful Kingscliff Beach,” he said.
Top Ten Overall Pointscore
- Cudgen Headland SLSC 1128
- Byron Bay SLSC 687
- Warilla Barrack Point SLSC 479
- Lennox Head - Alstonville SLSC 317
- Sawtell SLSC 300
- Port Macquarie SLSC 287
- Tacking Point SLSC 245
- Yamba SLSC 212
- Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore SLSC 171
- Cabarita Beach SLSC 163
Thursday 7 February 2019