by Louise Devine

The Port Douglas Surf Club sent a team of 21 competitors to Mackay on the last weekend of October for Surf Life Saving’s North Australian Championships. 

Competition was tough with nippers and lifesavers from 19 clubs competing for medals.  Though Port fielded one of the smallest teams in the carnival they still managed to take out tenth position in the nipper age groups and twelfth overall. 

The strength of the club’s nipper team was evident in the Under 11 to Under 13 age groups where there was at least one Port competitor in the final of every water event.



Under 11s

Mia Devine-Cameron made the final in the Board Race, Surf Race and Ironperson. Kalani Revell made the final in the Board Race and placed sixth in the Beach Sprint. Mitchell Knight placed fourth in the Surf Race while Connor McNeil made the final.

Kalani, Mia, Mitchell and Connor made the finals in Board Rescue, Surf Teams, Board Relay and came fourth in the Cameron Relay.

Under 12s

BJ McLeod made the final in the Ironperson and Board Race as did Harry Goodman who also placed fourth in the Surf Race. BJ and Harry made the final in the Board Rescue and the Board Relay with Connor McNeil.

Under 13s

Eliza Markham made the final of the Board Race and placed second in the Beach Sprint, fourth in the Surf Race and sixth in the Ironperson. Rachel Goodwin made the final in the Surf Race. Alison Munroe placed fifth in the Surf Race, and third in the Board Race.

Poppy Lawrence made the final in the Surf Race. Finn Devine-Cameron placed first in the Ironperson, first in the Surf Race, fourth in the Board Race and fifth in the Flags.  Simon Kramer made the final in the Ironperson, Surf Race and Board Race.

Dylan Sorensen made the final in the Surf Race and the Board Race. In the Board Rescue Simon and Finn placed second while Eliza and Poppy were fifth.  In the Beach Relay Eliza, Rachel, Simon and Finn came fifth.

In the Board Relay Eliza, Finn and Simon placed second. In the Cameron Relay Alison, Dylan, Finn and Rachel placed third and in the Surf Teams, Alison, Eliza, Finn and Simon also placed third.

Matthew Quinn competed in the Under 14s and Shannon Goodwin in the Under 17s.

Masters

Sara McLeod competed in the 50+ Years Female and placed second in the Flags and Sprint, first in the Tube Rescue and Board Race. Grant Knight competed in the 40-44 Years Male and placed first in the Surf Race and Tube Race, fourth in the Board Race, third in the Flags and second in the Sprint. 

Laurie Green 45-49 placed first in the 2km Beach Run and the Board Race, and second in the Ski Race. John Goodman 50-54 placed second in the Ironperson and the Board Race, third in the Surf Race and the Tube Race. 

Brian Markham 55+ placed third in the Ironperson, the Surf Race and the Tube Race, first in the Board Race, Flags and Sprint, and fourth in the Surf Ski. 

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Editor's Comments: Thanks goes to Louise for sending in her event reports throughout the year. She can now have a well earned break but we look forward to hearing more from her when the club starts competition again in 2012. Great work Lou!