2015 qld senior champs program

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SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS / 27–29 MARCH 2015 / MAROOCHYDORE

SC2015

2 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND

Surf Life Saving Queensland would like to proudly acknowledge and thank the Queensland Government – Department of National Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing for their ongoing support of the delivery and development of Surf Sports within our association.

Through committed funding support, Surf Life Saving Queensland continues to create sporting opportunities to enhance grassroot participation, talent identification, participation pathways, athlete development, mentoring programs and club engagement through structured state-wide programs, activities and events.

2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 3


CONTENTS2015 SLSQ MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS OFFICIAL PROGRAM

FEATURED

6 Welcome

8 Gold and glory on the line at State Championships

10 Summer of surf set for sizzling finish

14 Ones to watch

24 Through the lens of Harvie Allison

30 Flash back

33 Five minutes with... Amy Nurthen

36 Senior athletes set for masterful display

39 Shock and oar: surf boat crews set sight on State Champs

40 Lifesavers feel the need for speed at Maroochydore

42 Teams march to their own beat at State Champs

44 Event map

46 Event schedule

47 Club caps

Program StaffWriters/Editors: Cameron Ward, Saira Manns Designers: Chloe Koklas, Hannah West

Photos by Harvie Allison Photography t. 0417 285 133 | w. harvpix.com.au

SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND 18 Manning Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101 t. 07 3846 8000 | w. lifesaving.com.au Printing proudly

donated by:


Welcome to my home beach, Maroochydore, for the Masters and Senior Championships of 2015. This region celebrates a Century of Lifesaving on 1 January 2016 – 100 years since patrols were mounted at Maroochydore or “Maroochy Heads” as it was known then.

On just the second day of operations – 2 January 1916 – five rescues were performed, including one resuscitation. This was at a time when there was no road to this place – a journey from Nambour on the cane tram, and a transfer to a motor vessel to come down the Maroochy River to a camping ground that held up to 2,000 holidaymakers at peak times, even back in 1916!

What traditions were begun. Mooloolaba Club started in 1922, then Alexandra Headland in 1924, and our largest Branch in Queensland, the “Sunny Coast”, was away. Today, these

three surf clubs in this strip are among the strongest and most successful in Australia, both in competition and the provision of lifesaving services, our core business.

A big thank you to John Brennan OAM, the SLSQ Chief Executive Officer, and to all our dedicated SLSQ staff, for all you have done to provide a happy, safe and exciting Queensland Championships for 2015.

I wish all competitors, spectators and officials a pleasant stay, a successful competition and a safe homeward journey.

Ralph Devlin QC President, Surf Life Saving Queensland

WELCOME


WELCOMEI would like to extend a very warm welcome to Sunshine Coast visitors arriving for the Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships.

The Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships events are no strangers to the Sunshine Coast, which offers a perfect environment for the championships. And as you may know, that perfect environment has resulted in the Sunshine Coast being selected to host The Aussies next year, which we are very much looking forward to.

The Queensland championships attract elite athletes at the peak of their game. We look forward to seeing you in action, and we hope you and your family and friends can find time to make the most of your visit and take a look around.

Our miles of beaches and magical hinterland offer a marvellous backdrop

to a huge range of activities to enjoy – and they offer a wonderful environment to re-charge your batteries in preparation for the year ahead.

Meanwhile, may I wish you the very best of luck in the 2015 Championships.

With best regards,

Mark Jamieson Mayor, Sunshine Coast Council


Some of lifesaving’s greatest rivalries will be reignited this weekend when the state’s top surf sport athletes converge on the Sunshine Coast to contest the 2015 Queensland Championships.

As the pinnacle sporting event on Surf Life Saving Queensland’s calendar each year, the championships will see more than 1,500 lifesavers from across the state battle the surf, sand and each other in their quest for glory.

The championships not only represent the culmination of Queensland’s surf sport season but, for many competitors, it will also be their last opportunity to build momentum and fine-tune preparations ahead of the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in April.

The competition kicks off on Friday 27 March with the Masters Championships, where competitors aged from 30 years all the way through to over 70 years will line up to contest the full suite of events including beach sprints, surf boats, surf ski and swims.

The action continues across the weekend as some of the state’s top beach and ocean athletes take centre stage at the Senior State Championships.

Last year’s ironman and ironwoman champions Ky Hurst and Jordan Mercer will be out to defend their titles, while the likes of Shannon Eckstein, Ali Day, Courtney Hancock and Liz Pluimers – all former Queensland champions – will be eager to add more gold to their already-impressive trophy cabinets.

On the sand, Queensland’s fastest lifesavers will put everything on the line in the beach sprints and flags, while the action will be as fierce as always in the surf boats.

Surf Life Saving Queensland surf sports manager Stuart Hogben is tipping some exciting battles over the weekend.

“Each and every year the State Championships bring thousands of competitors together in the name of lifesaving and mateship; but don’t get me wrong, once they pull on their respective club colours there’s definitely no holding back,” Mr Hogben said.

“It’s literally mate against mate and club against club out there and no one’s willing to give an inch when there’s a state title up for grabs.”

GOLD & GLORY ON THE LINE AT STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS


Surf boat crews in action at the 2014 Queensland Championships

at Kirra on the Gold Coast.


SUMMER OF SURF SET FOR SIZZLING FINISHIt’s already been a fast and furious summer of surf with plenty of thrills, spills and everything in between. Here, we take a look back over the summer that was, highlighting some of the big moments and key results from the 2014/15 surf sport season.


STATE ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS More than 500 competitors lined up at Alexandra Headland on Sunday 11 October for Surf Life Saving Queensland’s 2014 Endurance Championships. The event saw some of the sport’s top athletes go head-to-head in a number of gruelling events including long-distance swimming, board paddling, surf skiing and beach running.

Making the most of the home advantage, Alexandra Headland took out the event ahead of Sunshine Coast rivals Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.

In the individual events, Jordan Mercer

showed why she’s the endurance queen

of racing, taking out the open female

10km ski and the 4km board paddle. In

the men’s, Mackenzie Hynard claimed

gold in the open male 10km ski and the

4km beach run.

COOLANGATTA GOLD

Josh Minogue couldn’t have scripted his

farewell to ironman racing any better,

with the Mooloolaba ironman closing

the chapter on his professional career

with a maiden win in the Coolangatta

Gold. In a gripping and dramatic finale

to the sport’s toughest endurance race,

five-time champion Caine Eckstein

was forced to retire mid-way through

the board paddle after succumbing

to a bicep injury. It paved the way for

Minogue to stamp his authority on

the race in conditions described as

“absolutely brutal”.

Minogue, off the back of the fastest

individual swim leg of the day,

celebrated a dream day to cross the

line in 4 hours 12 minutes 10 seconds

– to win by over seven minutes from

Northcliffe’s Jake Nicholson (4:19.47)


with Alexandra Headland teenager Sam

Bull (4:25.03) third.

North Burleigh’s Liz Pluimers came from

behind in the toughest race of her career

to pass former Commonwealth Games

gold medalist Rebecca Creedy on the

board leg and become only the third

woman to win two Coolangatta Golds.

INTERSTATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The nation’s finest crop of surf sport

athletes converged on Newport Beach in

Sydney on Friday 23 January to compete

in the 2015 Interstate Championships.

This year’s Championships went right to the wire, with the title literally coming down to the last race of the day. This year it was New South Wales who claimed bragging rights, edging defending champions Queensland by just five points. The gripping finale was a fitting end to a see-sawing day of competition in which both states held the lead at various times.

In the individual events, Queensland’s Matt Poole led from the front on his way to winning the open ironman ahead of Matt Bevilacqua and Kendrick Louis. Poole would later finish second behind Queensland teammate Ky Hurst in the open surf swim.

“The greatest thing about this event is you’re not just racing for yourself, you’re racing for the entire Queensland team. So much of our sport is individual, so to be contributing to an overall team score is awesome,” Poole said.

KELLOGG’S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN AND IRONWOMAN SERIES It takes a mighty effort to overthrow the king of surf lifesaving and 24-year-old Ali Day delivered in spades, completing a dream comeback to the sport when he toppled eight-time winner Shannon Eckstein to take out his first series title.

Their engaging battle for overall honours across the summer months came to a head as the pair fought out a leg-burning and lung-busting sprint finish in the sixth and final round of the series at Newcastle’s Main Beach. A gallant Eckstein won the race, but Day’s second placing in the round was enough to secure a maiden series title by just one point.

For Day, who required a wildcard entry to compete in this year’s series, it was a sweet vindication for his hard work and determination after missing the best part of 12 months because of severe exhaustion and a liver complaint.

Earlier in the day, Liz Pluimers joined some of surf lifesaving’s greats by claiming her third IronWoman Series crown. The Coolangatta Gold champion was a dominant force over the summer months and successfully navigated the final round to hold off a late charge from Rebecca Creedy and secure the overall

honours. Pluimers’ victory puts her

equal with Courtney Hancock on three

career series wins apiece, with the pair

sitting behind only Karla Gilbert (seven)

and Kristy Harris (five).

OCEAN ASSAULT SERIES

After a five-year hiatus, SLSQ’s Ocean

Assault series returned with a bang

this summer and attracted some of the

sport’s biggest names, who lined up to

compete across three rounds followed

by a finals showdown at North Burleigh

on 7 February.

Mooloolaba’s Karlee Nurthen claimed

bragging rights in the series final,

taking out the open ironwoman final

ahead of Gold Coast rivals Harriet

Brown and Rebecca Creedy. Meanwhile,

Alex Wright (Mooloolaba) took out the

open ironman final ahead of Sam Bull

(Alexandra Headland) and Dane

Farrell (Elouera, NSW).

Gold Coast clubs were a dominant force

in the taplin relay, with Northcliffe taking

out the women’s final and Currumbin

prevailing in the men’s.

QUEENSLAND SURF RESCUE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Championships saw more than

200 surf lifesavers from across the state

converge on the Sunshine Coast to

put their patrol skills to the test across

three days of intense competition.

In addition to gruelling fitness and

athletic challenges, the Surf Rescue

Championships also have a unique focus

on the lifesaving skills and knowledge

of each competitor with two of the three

events including a theory component.

Gold Coast’s Northcliffe took out the

top honours, edging out host club

and defending champions Alexandra

Headland by just three points.

After three days of fierce competition,

Northcliffe finished on 76 points ahead

of Alexandra Headland on 73 points,

followed by Sunshine Beach (40

points) and Maroochydore (33), with

Coochiemudlo Island and Point Lookout

(32) in fifth place on equal points.


NORTHCLIFFE’S COURTNEY HANCOCK CONGRATULATING FRIEND AND 2014 QUEENSLAND IRONWOMAN CHAMPION, JORDAN MERCER OF NOOSA HEADS.

ONES TO WATCH


ONES TO WATCH


2014 QUEENSLAND IRONMAN CHAMPION

KYHURST

BIODOB 11/03/1981 CLUB Kurrawa

SOCIAL ky_hurst

Since bursting onto the ironman scene as a prodigiously-talented teenager more than a decade ago, Ky Hurst has carved out a well-deserved reputation as one of the most competitive and respected athletes of his generation. With a sporting resume boasting two Olympic Games and a raft of state and national ironman titles, it’s not hard to see why he’s also regarded as one of the all-time greats of the sport. In last year’s Queensland ironman final, Hurst stormed home in the swim leg to secure the win ahead of Luke Cuff and Matt Bevilacqua, and he should feature prominently once again at the pointy end of this year’s Championships.


SHANNON ECKSTEIN ALI DAYDOB 07/05/1983 CLUB Northcliffe

WEBSITE www.shannoneckstein.net

There’s not much in ironman racing that Shannon Eckstein hasn’t achieved. With multiple state, national and world titles already under his belt he’s certainly etched his name into the record books as one of Australia’s greatest surf athletes. Nicknamed ‘The Professor’ for his racing and tactical nous, you can expect him to be looming large come race day.

DOB 20/07/1990 CLUB Mooloolaba

SOCIAL alastairday alastair_day

Struck down by illness last summer, Ali Day has burst back onto the scene in scintillating fashion, recently solidifying his position as a genuine superstar of the sport with a maiden victory in the prestigious Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series. A former Queensland ironman champion and Coolangatta Gold winner, Day knows how to win under pressure and will be one to watch come Sunday finals.


MATT POOLECAINE ECKSTEINDOB 16/11/1985 CLUB Northcliffe

SOCIAL caine.eckstein caineeckstein

As a five-time Coolangatta Gold champion, Caine Eckstein is the undisputed endurance king of ironman racing. His reputation for breaking the pain barrier was further enhanced in the off-season when he broke a Guinness World Record for the most number of chin-ups completed in 24 hours. He’ll be hoping to add the Queensland ironman title to his growing trophy cabinet.

DOB 20/05/1988 CLUB Mooloolaba

SOCIAL matt_poole1

A third-place finish in this year’s Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series once again confirmed Matt Poole’s place amongst the sport’s elite. Matt grew up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, but now lives and trains on the Sunshine Coast. A former under-19 Australian ironman champion, he relishes the big stage and will be out to claim a maiden Queensland ironman title this weekend.


2014 QUEENSLAND IRONWOMAN CHAMPION

BIODOB 02/12/1993 CLUB Noosa Heads

SOCIAL jordanmercer_1

They call her ‘Magic’ and last year Jordan Mercer showed why, with a dominant performance in the open ironwoman final delivering one of the biggest wins of her burgeoning career. Mercer led home a star-studded field to take out the event ahead of former national champions Kristyl Smith and Rebecca Creedy. A solid summer of racing has already seen Mercer claim two gold medals and two silvers at Surf Life Saving Queensland’s State Endurance Championships, before going on to win the gruelling Molokai2Oahu paddleboard world championship for a fourth consecutive year and finish 5th overall in the IronWoman Series.

JORDAN MERCER


DOB 07/05/1983 CLUB Northcliffe

SOCIAL courtz_hancock

A quick glance at Courtney Hancock’s sporting resume shows why there’s no denying her position as one of the sport’s premier ironwomen. To this day she remains the only woman in history to win all major ironwoman titles in the same year. At last year’s Queensland Championships, Courtney claimed gold in the surf team and surf board relay and silver in the surf race and surf ski relay.

DOB 25/10/1986 CLUB North Burleigh

SOCIAL lizpluimers

One of the premier athletes in the sport, Liz has already achieved considerable success on the state, national and international stages. She has previously won the Coolangatta Gold, the Australian ironwoman championship and the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronWoman Series title. Last year, she claimed a raft of podium finishes and will be out to continue her recent run of victories.

COURTNEY HANCOCK LIZ PLUIMERS



SOCIAL kristyl_smith kristyl_smith

There are few ironwomen in the sport who are more respected than Kristyl Smith, both for her tremendous ability in the surf and her friendly nature out of it. With two Australian ironwoman championships and two world titles to her name, she’s also one of the most decorated competitors in the sport. She finished second in last year’s open ironwoman final, narrowly beaten by Jordan Mercer.


SOCIAL beccreedy

A former elite swimmer, Rebecca Creedy represented Australia in the pool between 1998 and 2002, winning nine international medals including gold and bronze at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. She continued her winning ways in the surf, taking out the 2012 Australian ironwoman title. She enters in top form after a second place finish in the 2014/15 IronWoman Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series.

KRISTYL SMITH REBECCA CREEDY


When Dean Mercer won his last state title back in 2005, Harvie Allison was there. When Melissa Howard claimed the first of her ten titles, Harvie Allison was there. When Zane Holmes took out his sixth Queensland Ironman crown, when Simon Harris dominated the beach flags and, more recently, when the likes of Ali Day and Jordan Mercer broke through for their maiden titles, you guessed it, Harvie Allison was there.

THROUGH THE LENS OF HARVIE ALLISON

through the lens of harvie allison


THROUGH THE LENS OF HARVIE ALLISON

As Surf Life Saving’s official photographer,

Harvie has been covering surf carnivals for

more than two decades, capturing some of the sport’s

greatest moments and biggest upsets through the lens of

his camera.

Leading into this year’s Queensland Championships, we sat down with

Harvie to talk about his passion for surf sports photography and some of his favourite

memories from the past 20 years.


and thought ‘what have I done?’ but fortunately it all got better from there. I’ve now been SLSA’s photographer for 28 years and I’ve been covering the Queensland Champs for about 20 of those.

What do you remember about some of those early State Championships? It was a different game altogether back then. Camera wise, everything was black and white, and it wasn’t the digital age that we have now. You could be shooting a surf race and then suddenly you hit your 36 shots and that’s it, you’ve got to rewind and load another film. But now with large memory cards you never miss a shot. To be honest, it’s the characters and the athletes that stand out more than anything. You had the Trevor Hendys, the Darren Mercers, the Stevie Pullens and guys like that who you’d virtually watch growing up as they came through the ranks. And now a lot of the younger athletes who are coming through are actually the kids of competitors when I first started shooting. I look at the likes of Darren Mercer’s daughter Jordie and it does my head in! I don’t feel that different than I did 20 years ago, but here’s my friend’s daughter who is now suddenly a grown woman and an amazing athlete that I love to watch and shoot racing.

You’ve obviously seen a lot of big names up close over the past 20 years. Do any in particular stand out? Trevor Hendy, without question. No one can go past Trevor, and he’s also one of the nicest blokes on the planet. But my other favourite is Shannon Eckstein, who’s certainly becoming an immortal and I love to watch him race. Of course Clint Robinson, who I think still holds the record for the most medals at Aussies, and when Kenny Wallace fires up that’s a sight to behold. I lean towards ski paddlers of course! But, in recent years, the likes of beachies Melissa Howard and Simon Harris are just so explosive and there’s nothing better than surfboats when there is a wave on. I try not to play favourites, it really just comes down to whoever wins on the day. There’s nothing better than capturing a sprint finish either. And our amazing officials, who we couldn’t function without, are

always good for a chat and a laugh, heaps of great mates.

You’re a familiar sight at surf carnivals, always with camera in hand. What gear do you actually use when shooting? I used Canon for about 25 years, but more recently I’ve switched to Nikon and I love it. The pendulum has really swung over the past few years and the Nikon gear is now well and truly ahead of Canon without question. Even just a few years ago you wouldn’t see much Nikon gear on the beach, but now you’re seeing it everywhere. And these new little electronic cameras that I’m using, the Nikon 1 system, continue to blow me away – the shots from them are incredible! The advent of digital photography and social media has just been amazing, particularly because it’s such a visual sport. It means you can get your images out there and more and more people are getting to enjoy them. In years gone by we’d have to develop and print our photos on the beach and that was really the one and only chance that people would get to look over them, but now with social media and websites we can put photos out there almost straight away and they can be viewed all year round as well.

On average, how many photos would you take across the Queensland Championships? There are generally three of us shooting each day. My wife Shanta has been shooting the Queensland Championships for the past ten years and the team includes another great photographer, Kate Czerny, who has worked with me for the past 14 years. Our general policy is ‘one shot, one hit’. I try not to let the motor drive run away. We probably shoot about 5,000 images at the State Championships and, of those, about 4,000 or so will make it up online, so the strike rate is very high in that regard.

What do you make of the increase in iPhone and mobile phone photography? It seems everyone has a camera in their pocket these days. It definitely helps with social media, but I always hassle my guys because I would never take a photo with a phone.

When did you first get involved in surf lifesaving and how did you end up as Surf Life Saving’s official photographer? I’m from Scotland initially and when I first came out here as an 18-year-old I was actually an ice hockey player. One of my mates who I played with at the time was involved with Wanda surf club and he kept telling me how much I’d love it. Eventually he managed to convince me to come down and check it out – I had a great night, got a free t-shirt, and I was hooked. I could barely swim at that stage, but the club obviously saw that I could be a good administrator so they made sure I got swimming lessons. I ended up completing my Bronze Medallion in April 1975. Within two years I was a patrol captain and chief instructor and I’d go on to have many years as a ski paddler and board and ski captain. A bad shoulder injury ended my ski career and that’s when I finally found the time to follow my other passion, photography. I had just bought a new Nikon camera, which was something that I’d always wanted but couldn’t afford in the past, and my friend Paul Sargent was SLSA’s photographer. He’d just lost his dark room and I had one I’d just set up, so he asked if I wanted to get together, shoot some stuff and make some pocket money, and it all just went from there. The first Aussies I shot was in 1989 at Burleigh. I’d given up a very well paid job in IT to earn 300 bucks a week taking photographs – and that’s if I was lucky! I got up to North Burleigh and it was cyclonic conditions. I broke two cameras and didn’t sell a single photo


“S” (shutter speed) setting: Best for sport, this is the shutter priority setting ... basically you set the shutter speed and the camera works out the aperture setting (how much light to let in) ... for sport it’s best to use 1/500th as an absolute minimum unless you are doing things like pan shots with some blur etc. You can try these at 1/125 or less for something different, pan the camera with the action and shoot a couple of frames with the slow shutter speed as you pan ... Sport generally use ISO 400 & a shutter speed of 1/1000th in bright sun … see below for ISO settings.

Exposure compensation: Now we are moving into the realm of really understanding light! If shooting on the beach, as I do, then often you have to shoot into the sun. This is where exposure compensation (generally in the menu or +/- on the camera) is invaluable to understand. Settings go in 1/3 increments. I often shoot at +1/3 but if the backlight (sun behind) is severe you should set it one full stop open (+1). This lets more light

into the sensor and actually exposes for the subject which is in shadow; you will find the background pale and washed out but the subject looking good, i.e. ski paddler boat crew etc. Tip … make sure you remember to reset back to 0 when finished or the results of your next frames could be incorrect.

“Green Auto”: This is full program setting, where the camera takes control and sets all parameters. Good when in a hurry or unsure as the camera just does its thing ... millions of dollars have been put into developing these cameras so it’s OK to let them just do their job.

“M” Full Manual: If you have a basic understanding of light and how your camera works then this is the best to use … you have full control of all settings. ISO, shutter speed, and aperture as above and keep an eye on the exposure meter in the camera viewfinder. Using M and reviewing your results will improve your images immensely as well as give you confidence in your shooting.

Harvie’s basic camera instructions for sportIf you are not comfortable using your camera on full manual, these hints may help you get some great action shots.


and for lifesaving in general. I love my surf club – they’re like family to me. I still have ties and part of my soul at Wanda, but Kurrawa is definitely my club now. I’ve also been very involved in starting up surf lifesaving in the Cook Islands. I’ve been looking after them for a while now, and they’re sponsored and supported by Surf Life Saving Queensland through the generosity and support of CEO John Brennan. The Cook Islands Surf Life Saving is a pretty big deal to me. It’s never going to be huge with patrols, but it’s a great initiative. Unfortunately, we actually lost a paddler during a race there four years ago, and there wasn’t even a defibrillator in the ambulance. Since then we’ve set up training days, run resuscitation courses, and now we’ve got defibrillators all over the Island. So at least something good came out of it in the end.

Outside of surf sports, what else do you shoot? I’ve done a lot of media work and I worked with newspapers for years freelancing. I do a lot of outrigging as well – I’ve just had a trip to Norfolk Island to help promote a new event there. I’ll do a bit of blogging with photos if I do go to events to help promote them. I also do lots of sports photography and a fair bit of tourism work in the Cook Islands, and was called to run the photo media for the

I always tell them ‘it’s a phone - you’re meant to talk to people with it!’. But, in saying that, the cameras in the next generation of mobile phones will actually be better than a lot of the compact cameras on the market. The likes of Canon and Nikon can’t sell compact cameras any more because the phones are becoming too good. Everyone’s using a phone these days, you know, it’s the selfie generation and there’s the instant gratification you get with social media, but that’s just where we’re at. It’s not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing, it’s just where technology has taken us and who knows what the next step will be.

Are you still involved lifesaving and patrols outside of your photography work? I’m a Long Service member at Kurrawa these days, but I always put my hand up to do Christmas Day patrols. At my original club, Wanda, I was awarded a 10 years 100% patrol attendance award which is something I’m really proud of. At Kurrawa I’m still a training officer and a proficient member in IRBs and advanced resuscitation – I’ve got more awards these days than I know what to do with! One of the main reasons I’m at Kurrawa is my great respect for Jeff Gatenby – an amazing man and amazing trainer who’s done so much for the club

Pacific Islands Forum with Hilary Clinton attending. I actually spend about two months every year over there. I cover the Vaka Eiva outrigger festival that I was involved in starting back in 2004 and the cultural festival Te Maeva Nui. My passion now is probably stronger than it’s ever been. I just love photography, and there’s always a camera on my desk in case something happens even just around the home or in my garden. I actually rescued and resuscitated a duckling last week and managed to snap a few shots of that, so there’s always something happening. I really love nature and time exposures as well when travelling!

What are you looking forward to at this year’s State Championships? I’m really looking forward to both Youth and Seniors this year. I love working on the events, and it’s a really good media team that we have. We all compliment each other and work well together doing our best to help promote surf lifesaving.

You can view, and purchase, Harvie’s photos online at www.harvpix.com


FLASH BACK

FLASH BACK

FIVE YEARS AGO...

It was arguably the most dramatic moment of the 2010 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships.While competing in their quarter-final showdown, Maroochydore’s reserve surf boat team were picked up by a freak wave and flipped upside down. In the blink of an eye their boat had snapped,

leaving their championship dreams in

tatters while thousands of spectators

looked on in awe.

Speaking after the race, Maroochydore

crewman Damien Carroll said it had

taken a few moments to get his head

around what had actually happened.

“It all happened so quickly. Initially I

swam to the surface thinking that we

could just get back in the boat and

maybe sneak through to the next round

if another team rolled on the way in. But

it wasn’t until I got to the surface that I

saw the boat in two pieces,” he said.

“I just started to laugh, because it was the weirdest way that I have ever been knocked out of a race. I’ve seen some big clashes before, but I’ve never seen a boat snap in half!” he said.

On the beach it was a Sunshine Coast double in the ironman as Metropolitan Caloundra’s Corey Jones edged out Mooloolaba’s Matt Poole to claim his first state title in the event. In the women’s it was a familiar name up front with Northcliffe’s Courtney Hancock taking out her second consecutive state title ahead of Rebecca Creedy (Metropolitan Caloundra) and sister Bonnie Hancock (Northcliffe).


A host of future greats made early appearances at the 1995 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships.It was a unique format, with the South

Coast Branch, Broadbeach, Mermaid

Beach, Nobby’s Beach and Miami Beach

surf clubs all joining forces to host the

event. In near-perfect conditions, more than 2,400 competitors did battle across three days of intense competition.

After two days of tough competition it was Surfers Paradise who reigned supreme, taking out the overall honours ahead of Tugun and Maroochydore.

Karla Gilbert proved her class, taking out the open ironwoman and surf swim events, while Sean Parkes claimed the open ironman crown.

The Championships saw the continued emergence of a future sporting great, with a then 15-year-old Grant Hackett

TWENTY YEARS AGO...taking out the Under-16 rescue tube and placing third in the surf swim event.

Unbeknownst at the time, the 1995 Junior State Championships, held at Etty Bay from April 22-23, was also unearthing a raft of future stars with the likes of Shannon Eckstein, Zane Holmes and Kristy Ellis (nee Munroe) all featuring prominently.


How long have you been competing? I’ve been competing since I was in the Under-10s at Shelly Beach in New South Wales.

What do you love most about ironwoman racing? I love the fact that every race is different – either the conditions, the distances or the format. You never know what you will be facing next! You also get to travel to all different beaches across Australia, make lifelong friends along the way and become the best role model you can be to the nippers.

What are you goals for 2015? To make the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series and podium at the Australian Championships in the ironwoman.

What advice would you give to nippers making their way through the ranks? I would say that once you have a goal or a dream, stick to it and work hard for

what you want to achieve. The people who work the hardest will get the rewards in the end.

What’s your favourite movie and television show? I don’t really have a favourite movie, but one I could keep watching a million times would be Step Brothers. And for TV shows, I love Sons of Anarchy and Keeping up with the Kardashians.

What’s your favourite food? I have a massive sweet tooth, so either chocolate or Nutella.

How do you relax away from the beach? I love listening to music and drawing up any ideas I have for my sportswear company, Loca Sportswear.

Do you have any pre-race superstitions or rituals? Not really, I just have to pack my beach bag the night before and I need new, clear goggles.

FIVE MINUTES WITH..

AMY NURTHENAmy launched her career in the surf from Shelly Beach and then Terrigal on the New South Wales Central Coast, where she compiled an impressive resume as a junior competitor before moving north with her family to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and the Mooloolaba club after she won the Australian under 19 ironwoman title in 2011.



Surf Life Saving is a community cause that relies on your donations to help save lives on the beach. Which is why we’re putting ‘our’ hand up.We need your help. Donate today and be a life saver.

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The 2015 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships will get off to a strong start on Friday when the finest masters competitors from across the state line up to compete for state glory.

The competition will see athletes aged from 30 all the way through to over 70 strap on their lifesaving caps and battle it out across the full suite of surf events including skis, boards, boats, swims, and the ironman and ironwoman.

One man who will be there with bells on is Mooloolaba’s Glen Wilson who, at 75 years of age, could be forgiven for putting his feet up and relaxing from the sidelines.

Instead, he’ll be out to defend his dual Queensland titles in the 70+ years open beach flags and 70+ years open beach sprint, while also hoping his team will go one better than their second place finish in last year’s 200+ years male beach relay event.

Reflecting on his surf sports career, it’s clear that Glen has no intention of slowing down.

“I’ve actually done everything backwards – I came into surf sports through my son who, as a six-year-old, needed a beach coach. So I found my way into coaching 35 years ago and met some wonderful athletes along the way. About eight years ago

I realised they were having all the fun, so I completed my Bronze Medallion and starting competing myself,” he said.

“This will be my eighth Queensland Masters and it’s good to see the same guys turning up each year and, of course, the challenge of the new ones into our age group. I know that, sooner or later, I’ll get beaten and that’s the fun of it!

“I’m looking forward to hard competition at both States and Aussies. Gold is always the goal, and the journey there is always fun,” he said.

Competitors in the Queensland Masters Championships must be aged 30 years and over, and take part in their respective age categories as well as team events and relays.

In 2014 it was Northcliffe who took the overall honours on 370 points, ahead of Sunshine Coast rivals Noosa Heads (363 points) and Mooloolaba (347 points). Alexandra Headland and Surfers Paradise rounded out the top five.

The 2015 Queensland Masters Championships kick off on Friday 27 March at 8am with a full day of beach and water events. This will be followed by two full days of open and senior competition at Maroochydore featuring some of the state’s top surf athletes.

SENIOR ATHLETES SET FOR MASTERFUL DISPLAY

senior athletes set for masterful display


SHOCK AND OAR: SURF BOAT CREWS SET SIGHT

ON STATE CHAMPS


There’ll be thrills, spills and plenty of action this weekend when some of the state’s top surf boat crews battle the waves, wind, and each other, in search of glory at this year’s Queensland Championships.

There are few sports in the world that can match surf boat racing for its raw combination of power and tactical precision, and it’s the excitement and unpredictability of the sport that makes it one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the championship calendar each year.

In the open men’s division, the Currumbin Barbarians will enter the championships in scintillating form after a stellar summer of racing which has already seen them take out the Ocean Thunder Series in New South Wales. Club-mates and training

partners, the Currumbin Huscarls, have also been travelling well, but will need to pull out all stops if they want to cause an upset come race day.

In the open female category, the Currumbin Chaos will be eager to go back-to-back after their surprise win at last year’s championships. However, they will face tough competition from the current Queensland team and reigning Australian champions, the Tugun Hunters. The Hunters will enter the championships in red-hot form after winning all three of their races at the recent Trans-Tasman competition. The Krankitz, who finished fourth in last year’s final, shifted from Kurrawa to Northcliffe across the offseason and are also expected to feature prominently.

Open Female

1. Currumbin Chaos

2. Tugun Hunters

3. Met Caloundra Team A

Open Male

1. Maroochydore Force

2. Currumbin Barbarians

3. Kurrawa Storm

Reserve Grade

1. Kurrawa Thunder

2. Currumbin Jets

3. Picnic Bay Team A

SHOCK AND OAR: SURF BOAT CREWS SET SIGHT

ON STATE CHAMPS

Shock and oar: Surf boat crews set sight on State Champs

Under-19

1. Tannum Sands Trojans

2. Alexandra Headland Team A

3. Noosa Heads Team A

Under-23 Female

1. Tannum Sands Sweet Cheeks

2. Maroochydore Mongrels

3. Kurrawa Sorbs

Under-23 Male

1. Tannum Sands Gorlocks

2. Currumbin Cougar Bait

3. Kurrawa Storm

Surf Boat relay

1. Tannum Sands Team A

2. Kawana Waters Team A

140+ years Female

1. Maroochydore Minx

160+ years Male

1. Noosa Heads Team A

2. Mermaid Beach Mayhem

3. TH&C Team A

180+ years open

1. Tallebudgera Hogs

2. Mooloolaba Bituates

3. Dicky Beach Drifters

200+ years open

1. Tannum Sands Stingrays

2. Currumbin Crocks

3. Southport Stents

220+ years open

1. Coolangatta Team A

2. Mooloolaba Wombats

240+ years open

1. Kirra Team A

2. Kurrawa Kodgers

260+ years open

1. Coolum Beach SOCs

2. Maroochydore Dinosaurs

2014 Queensland Championships 2014 Masters Championships


Months of dedication, hard work and gruelling training both on and off the beach will be put to the test this weekend when the state’s fastest lifesavers line up to contest the beach flags and sprint events.

In a sport where time is of the essence, they’ll have just ten seconds once the starter’s gun goes to stake their claim for state glory.

In recent years Kurrawa’s Melissa Howard has made the beach sprint track her own. In fact, since 2008 she’s won six state titles in beach flags and a further four in beach sprints, taking her individual tally to ten Queensland championships and counting.

A strong performance in last year’s beach flags final saw her take the title ahead of Currumbin’s Chanel Hickman and Hayley Wyper. But Wyper would go on to settle the score, edging Howard to claim a win in the beach sprint, with Tara Hawking finishing in third place.

In the 2014 men’s events, Currumbin’s Jordan Caldow won the open beach sprint ahead of club-mate Ryan Bedford and Kurrawa’s Christopher Parry. In the flags, it was a Kurrawa whitewash with Kenichi Wada taking out the event ahead of Christopher Parry and stalwart Simon Harris.

2014 Open Female Beach Sprint

1. Hayley Wyper (Currumbin)

2. Melissa Howard (Kurrawa)

3. Tara Hawking (Currumbin)

LIFESAVERS FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED AT MAROOCHYDORE

2014 Open Female Beach Flags

1. Melissa Howard (Kurrawa)

2. Chanel Hickman (Currumbin)

3. Hayley Wyper (Currumbin)

2014 Open Male Beach Sprint

1. Jordan Caldow (Currumbin)

2. Ryan Bedford (Currumbin)

3. Christopher Parry (Kurrawa)

2014 Open Male Beach Flags

1. Kenichi Wada (Kurrawa)

2. Christopher Parry (Kurrawa)

3. Simon Harris (Kurrawa)

2014 Queensland Championships


LIFESAVERS FEEL THE NEED FOR SPEED AT MAROOCHYDORE


The competition will be just as fierce on the sand as it is in the water when Queensland surf lifesavers hit the beach in a splendid battle of the clubs for the 2015 march past at Maroochydore.

The traditional event, which has been a staple of surf sport competition for more than 90 years, sees teams dressed in full-length swimming costumes marching in time to music around a set course while carrying a surf reel, line and belt.

Teams march in formation following commands and are judged on factors such as timing, arm and leg swing, space and dressing, body carriage and presentation.

Last year Alexandra Headland took out the open march past ahead of Kurrawa and Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park.

TEAMS MARCH TO THEIR OWN BEAT

AT STATE CHAMPS


map

Event schedule on page ___

SLSC

Fifth Ave

King St

Bea

ch P

de

Mem

orial A

ve

Cotton Tr

ee Pde

Alexandra Pde (one way)

Alexandra Pde

Mel

rose

Pd

e

Vendors/Merchandise Boat Compound

Public Toilets

Lifeguard Tower

First AidIRB Compound Presentation Dais

Sprints/Flags Announcer Tower

VIP Viewing Area Beach Viewing Area

Water Zones

Officials/Admin/Media

Club Tents

Craft

Community Awareness

MaroochydoreBeach

HolidayPark

Beach StDeli

CottonTree

HolidayPark

Walkway

IRB’s

VIP Parking

Clearway

IRB COMPOUND

Water Zone1

Water Zone2

Water Zone3

Water Zone4

Water Zone5 Boats

Locations may move/change subject to conditions

Sixth Ave

Kin

gsf

ord

Sm

ith

Pd

e

VENDORS/MERCHANDISE


SLSC

Fifth Ave

King St

Bea

ch P

de

Mem

orial A

ve

Cotton Tr

ee Pde

Alexandra Pde (one way)

Alexandra Pde

Mel

rose

Pd

e

Vendors/Merchandise Boat Compound

Public Toilets

Lifeguard Tower

First AidIRB Compound Presentation Dais

Sprints/Flags Announcer Tower

VIP Viewing Area Beach Viewing Area

Water Zones

Officials/Admin/Media

Club Tents

Craft

Community Awareness

MaroochydoreBeach

HolidayPark

Beach StDeli

CottonTree

HolidayPark

Walkway

IRB’s

VIP Parking

Clearway

IRB COMPOUND

Water Zone1

Water Zone2

Water Zone3

Water Zone4

Water Zone5 Boats

Locations may move/change subject to conditions

Sixth Ave

Kin

gsf

ord

Sm

ith

Pd

e

VENDORS/MERCHANDISE


MASTERS / FRIDAY 27 MARCH

ZONE 1 (Female) ZONE 2 (Male) ZONE 3 (Male) ZONE 4 (Male) ZONE 5 (U17-Open)

Surf Race (8am)Board RaceDouble SkiSingle SkiIronwomanBoard RescueRescue TubeSurf TeamsBoard RelaySki RelayTaplin Relay

Double Ski (8am)Single SkiBoard RaceSurf RaceIronmanBoard RescueRescue TubeSurf TeamsBoard RelaySki RelayTaplin Relay

Double Ski (8am)Single SkiBoard RaceSurf RaceIronmanBoard RescueRescue TubeSurf TeamsBoard RelaySki RelayTaplin Relay

Surf Race (8am)Board RaceSingle Ski Double SkiIronmanBoard RescueRescue TubeSurf TeamsBoard RelaySki RelayTaplin Relay

Board Rescue (8am) Rescue TubeBelt Race (11am)Double Ski

BEACH

Sprints (11am)RelaysFlags

EVENT SCHEDULESee previous page for event map.

SENIORS / SATURDAY 28 MARCH

ZONE 1 (Male) ZONE 2 (Male) ZONE 3 (Female) BOATS BEACH

Ski Relay (8am) Board RelayIronman (10am)Single SkiBoard Race (12pm)Surf RaceSurf TeamsTaplin Relay

Lifesaver Relay (8am)Ski Relay Board RelayIronman (10am)Single SkiBoard Race (12pm)Surf RaceSurf TeamsTaplin Relay

Single Ski (8am) Ski Relay Board Relay (10am)IronwomanBoard Race (12pm)Surf RaceSurf TeamsTaplin Relay

Lifesaver Relay (8am)Over 120yrs (+)Reserve GradeU23Surf Boat Relay

Sprints (3pm)RelaysFlags

SENIORS / SUNDAY 29 MARCH

ZONE 1 ZONE 2 BOATS R&R MARCH PAST

Lifesaver Relay (8am)Board Rescue Rescue TubeBoard RaceIronman (10:30am)IronwomanSingle SkiSingle Ski (12:30pm)Surf RaceBoard RaceIronwomanIronmanTaplin Relay

Board Rescue (8:30am)Rescue TubeIronmanIronwomanSurf Race (10:30am)Board RaceIronmanIronwomanTaplin Relay (12:30pm)

Lifesaver Relay (8am)U19Open FemaleOpen MaleReserve GradeU19Reserve GradeOpen FemaleOpen Male

R&R (8:45am) March Past (7:45am)

Please note: All times are approximate and subject to change. Bold indicates Sunday Open Finals


2015 State Championships Club Caps

Agnes Water AlexandraHeadland

Arcadian Ayr Bilinga Bowen Bribie Island

Coolum BeachCoolangattaCoochiemudloIsland

Burleigh HeadsMowbray Park

BundabergBroadbeach Currumbin

Dicky Beach

North QueenslandBranch

Eimeo Elliott Heads Emu Park

MarcoolaMackayKurrawaKirra

Kawana WatersHervey BayForrest Beach

Maroochydore Mermaid Beach MetropolitanCaloundra

Miami Beach Mooloolaba Moore Park

Paci�cNorthcli�eNorth Kirra

North BurleighNoosa HeadsNobbys BeachMudjimba

Palm Beach Picnic Bay Point Lookout

Rainbow Bay Rainbow Beach Redcli�ePeninsula

TugunTannum SandsTallebudgera

Surfers ParadiseSunshine BeachSouthportSarina

Tweed Heads& Coolangatta

Yeppoon

club caps

SUMMER SURF GIRL 2015 GALA BALL

SATURDAY 2 MAYJUPITERS HOTEL & CASINO, GOLD COAST

OVER 18’S ONLY. JUPITERS PRACTISES THE RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL.

TICKETS $130 OR $1,300 / TABLE OF 10

TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL 25 APRIL.TO PURCHASE, VISIT LIFESAVING.COM.AU/SURFGIRL

OR CONTACT YOUR CLUB ADMINISTRATOR.

2015 qld senior champs program

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