By Grant Knight

March 11 to 13 saw the 2016 Youth State Surf Lifesaving Championships held down at North Burleigh, in very challenging conditions to say the least.

For the whole week there had been large surf breaking well over 100 metres offshore. North Queensland, which comprises five clubs from Mission Beach to Port Douglas, sent down a team of just over 60 competitors. Port Douglas had its best representation yet with nine competitors heading down and unfortunately our tenth competitor, Jacob Booij not making the trip as he had an injured knee.

Not only were the waves large and breaking a long way out, but they were constant. Fortunately, thanks to months of training, our kids were very fit. They needed to be as it took a huge effort just to get out to the marker cans. They then had to contend with the large surf coming in and try not to come crashing down the front of those waves! Hats off to these fine young athletes. They never gave up and performed admirably in conditions that they have never experienced before.

It was awesome to see and it didn’t matter if you were from Port Douglas or Currumbin, Ellis Beach or Northcliff, each and every nipper had to put in all they had to combat those conditions. So well done to our guys, they have done this region proud.

Jonte Revell was our youngest competitor in Under 11’s. We then had Sophie Knight, Oliver Lukin, Kade Bickford and Murray Colbridge in the Under 12’s. The Under 15’s had a strong representation as well with Mia Devine-Cameron, Tara Buls, Josh Lukin, Moses Hannet-Wade and Mitchell Knight.

With around 1800 competitors down there, it was great to see all of these kids performing well. Some made it to the quarter finals, some to semis, some to finals and Sophie Knight even managed to gain a bronze medal in the under 12 surf teams.

We are a bit different in that we get our kids to perform all the events. Most competitors from down south specialise in one discipline only, whether it is sprints, boards or flags. Our kids give everything a red hot go and as such probably do an awful lot more work than most down there.

Some of the great memories from this year’s event included Josh Lukin getting pounded by wave after wave after wave. Trying to push through even though he was dead last. Finally he gets through to surge past a heap of kids to come in ninth.

His brother, Oliver got second in the board semi-final standing there on the finish line between two kids twice his size. Moses scored his best ever time in the 2km and run and after 5 years of trying, Mitchell Knight finally got his first flag.

It’s these moments that are special and each and every one of these young athletes deserve a huge pat on the back for representing themselves and our region with the utmost of confidence and skill. We are very proud of them. Bring on the new surf Season.

See the full results here for the 2016 Queensland Youth State Championships:-

• Championship Pointscore
• Handicap Pointscore
• Final Results 

Anyone that is interested in joining our Port Douglas nippers, or seniors should come down to the Sign On Day at the club this Sunday between 9am – 1pm. You too may end up in the North Queensland team and have the time of your life!