Port Douglas Outrigger Canoe Club

The 2020 Outrigger Canoe Racing Season kicked off last weekend with competitors from the Port Douglas Outrigger Canoe Club (OCC) competing in the Australian Nationals Sprint Championships on the Sunshine Coast.

Over 800 athletes from around the country, competed over three days in three different Canoe classes.

Five female paddlers from clubs in Cairns, Bundaberg, Townsville, Yeppoon, and Melbourne, joined forces with local paddler Ingrid Juchem to represent Port Douglas OCC in the Master and Senior Master women division.

Friday’s racing showcased the V12 canoe class (two 6man canoe hulls rigged side by side) on the 500-meter straight course.

To make up 12 paddlers, Port Douglas combined with Panamuna (Brisbane) in the master’s and Koa Kai (Sydney) in the Senior Master division. Winning both of their heats convincingly before placing fourth in both finals.

Two Port Douglas male paddlers also competed at the event, including Lee Foster, a member of the FNQ Elite squad who raced with Cairns Beaches.

“The event also doubled up as qualification for the upcoming World Championship in Hawaii,” Foster said.

“We needed to be in the top 3 in the V12 and top 6 in the V6 to qualify and we sure did that with two seconds and a sixth place.”

But It was Paul Sondergeld, whose gold medal in the Golden Master Men age group with the team from Bayside, that topped the day's performance.

Still considered a novice in the sport after only 3 months of participating, the former surfer and kayaker is now the clubs latest “Australian Champion”.

Saturday’s racing was all about 1000-metre distance with three 180 degree turns, with the team nailing the turns but didn’t have the speed in the straight to beat the top teams.

Two solid races over 500 meters for the Port Douglas women and a sixth-place for Lee Foster concluded the race weekend.

The club is now looking forward to the first Grand Prix Regatta in March at Lake Tinaroo.

See video of the Port Douglas OCC Master/Senior Master Women Crew at on of the three turns in the 1000 meter race:

Mossman & District Rifle Club

In hot and humid conditions eight members of the Mossman and District Rifle Club shot Double 700 metres on Saturday afternoon at the Mossman and District Rifle Range with results below.

F Class (scope) Division, 10/11 shot matches
Glen Orenshaw 40.1 - 54.3 Tot 94.4
Kerri Tanner 48.0 - 56.2 Tot 104.2
John Brentson 52.1 - 62.3 Tot 114.4
Paul Teichert 57.2 - 64.3 Tot 121.5
Norbert Schmidt 59.4 - 64.5 Tot 123.9
Wayne Walsh 60.6 - 64.4 Tot 124.10

Target Rifle - Peep Sight 10/11 shot matches
Rick Mischlewski 45.3 - 52.2 Tot 97.5
Neil Attwood 46.2 - 54.7 Tot 100.9

Next Shoot will be Saturday 8/02/20 the range shot will be 400 metres. The club welcomes any visitors and new members, shooting commences at 1.30 pm.

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