SATURDAY APRIL 18, 2015 • #AUSSIES100 • SLS.COM.AU/AUSSIES
SPRINT KING LEADS VIKING INVASION CURRUMBIN CLAIMS FOUR TITLES WHILE GRAF WINS HER FIFTH
THE ORIGINAL LEADERS LEFT: The original Leadership Camp attendees (from L to R) Shane Daw, Peter MacMahon, Andrew Buhk and Stephen Leahy.
ELYCE BEHRSIN IT was 1989. The Berlin Wall came down. Rain Man won the Oscar. Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” was the biggest hit of the year. Taylor Swift, Daniel Ricciardo and the lead actress from Fifty Shades of Grey were born. And Surf Life Saving Australia introduced its annual Leadership Camp.
Peter MacMahon and Shane Daw were two of the original attendees. “It wasn’t just like-minded people from Australia but there was also an international contingent. By talking to each other we realised we weren’t isolated and that in many cases we had the same issues and could share ideas and strategies with one another,” Peter said.
The two “originals” were among the 65 attendees at yesterday’s inaugural Surf Life Saving Leadership Alumni function. It drew together men and women who have been a part of the program over the past 26 years. “The Leadership Alumni will establish a forum to create a network of people who have been part of our past leadership programs and foster personal and professional development further,” Rhiannon Wright, SLSA’s Development and Operations Manager said. Stephen Leahy and Andrew Buhk were part of the second intake in 1990. Both are now a key part of the management team that delivers The Aussies. All four are still heavily involved in Surf Life Saving. Shane Daw is the Life Saving Services Manager for South Australia; Stephen Leahy, the CEO for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service; Andrew Buhk, the Chief Carnival Referee for The Aussies and Peter MacMahon is a member of the Lifesaver of the Year panel. And every one of them had different haircuts back then.
KENNY TURNS BACK THE CLOCK JOEL BEVILACQUA EMMA HANRAHAN
LEFT: Grant Kenny and Jeff Lemarseny in the Open Double Ski heats.
OLDER spectators may have experienced a sense of déjà vu yesterday when they saw Ironman legend Grant Kenny warming up. He fittingly turned back the clock at the 100th birthday of The Aussies, warming up on a ski that he used during his three national Ironman titles between 1980 and 1983. As a 16-year-old he famously won both the Australian Junior and Open Ironman Championships on the same day in 1980. Grant sold off the ski some time after the ‘80’s, but a mutual friend who recognised the ski in Sydney returned it to him this week. “I recognised the ski straight away as it was very unique. It brought back a lot memories,” Grant said. “I went for a paddle and it was a bit nostalgic. It certainly turned a lot of heads.”
BELOW: A piece of history. Grant’s ski used in the 80s
INSPIRING THE YOUTH
ABOVE: José Desfosses with two of his training buddies Thomas Howie and Mitchel Alco, both who also competed in the 2km Run, Howie in Open and Alco in under-17.
ELYCE BEHRSIN AT high school José Desfosses used to come last in running races. Now at 64 he is keeping the young guys honest. The Mauritian born migrant only started competing at The Aussies five or six years ago and now takes on a combination of Open and Masters events, his favourite being the 2km Run. “I just love it. I will compete in anything as long as my mates are there” José said. “My main advice is to give it a go and enjoy it. Enjoy the journey and respect the competition. If you put consistency and discipline into your everyday life and training then you can’t go wrong.” José not only competed in the 2km Run yesterday morning, but he ran a strong race. “I’ve actually been getting better at the 2km event over the past couple of years. My aim was to unsteady a few of the boys, get them off their rhythm and take it home,” he said. “The young guys see old buggers like me competing and not doing too badly and they think, wow, I have to start, which is one of the reasons I compete in the Open events, to motivate the kids.” José also trains a running group in Scarborough which he encourages everyone interested to join.
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE AUSSIES KASANI BAIN MOOLOOLABA SLSC, QLD
PRUE WATSON ARCADIAN SLSC, QLD
“Meeting new people. You always make friends competing and see old ones. Watching the Ironmen and women competing and being a part of something big.“
“Watching my daughter compete.”
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02 The Aussies 2015
GABRIELLE COLLINS SUNSHINE BEACH SLSC, QLD “All the friendships that are made and the sportsmanship.”
SAM DICK CURRUMBIN SLSC, QLD “The whole team spirit and getting to compete with your mates.”
Saturday April 18, 2015
GRAF AND CALDOW BACK ON TOP ON THE BEACH LEFT: Elly Graf winning the Open Sprint final.
Title number five drew Graf level with Terrigal’s Veronica Lee, who dominated beach sprinting in the 1990’s. “Considering I haven’t been at Aussies for the last two years I’m very happy with how it went today,” the 24-year-old said. “I love it here competing in surf, the atmosphere and being with the club is good fun.” The top side of the track also proved the place to be in the Open Men’s final where
I love it here competing in surf, the atmosphere and being with the club is good fun. Elly Graf
DAVID MOASE ELOUERA speedster Elly Graf has won her fifth Open Women’s Beach Sprint title, a day after being named in the Australian team for the IAAF World Relays in the
Bahamas next month. A top-eight place at the World Relays could put Graf on a path to the Rio Olympics and victory in the beach dash has her well on the way to becoming the surf lifesaving’s greatest female sprinter.
Currumbin’s Jordan Caldow took his third Australian title, a month after winning the backmarkers’ invitational at the Stawell Gift carnival. “I fell behind for about 12 months and last year I was sort of pulling myself out of the dirt. It’s good to finally feel that I have,” Jordan said. Currumbin enjoyed a big day on the sprint track, also claiming three relay gold medals, the Open Women’s and the men’s and women’s in the under-19s. Mooloolaba’s Jason Gough and New Zealander Zoe Hobbs (Fitzroy, NZ) won the under-19 sprint titles. Jack Fildes (Northcliffe) and Jessica Thornton (Coogee) took out the under-17’s.
CLUB IN FOCUS NORTH COTTESLOE SLSC, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
THIS close-knit club is only small but they are mighty. North Cottesloe SLSC members pride themselves on their sportsmanship and social environment, but they also love a good race. This year they have just over 50 competitors at The Aussies, made up mostly of some fierce boat crews. The young beachies say they “love” the club because they have fun and they have “dedicated” coaches. They have won four of the past 10 Western Australia Club of the Year awards.
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IRONMAN LOUIS HAS SIGHTS ON SUNDAY’S SEMIFINALS DAVID MOASE NEWPORT’S Kendrick Louis showed why he is one of the men to beat for this year’s Open Ironman title with an impressive quarter-final win yesterday. He moved quickly to the front in the opening board leg and stayed there in the swim and ski sections of the event. “It was good I had a ski race prior to that. I like to get a race in prior to the Ironman to get the heart rate up, hit the gun and get those anxious nerves out,” the 24-year-old said. “As soon as you make the quarterfinals they’re cut-throat. I just wanted to set myself up and not leave anything to chance.” Along with Louis, the favoured competitors for Sunday’s final all safely progressed to the semi-finals. The biggest casualty was NutriGrain series competitor Jack Moyes from Terrigal, who placed ninth in the opening quarter-final won by Luke Cuff (Mooloolaba).
As soon as you make the quarterfinals they’re cutthroat. Kendrick Louis Six-time national Ironman champion Shannon Eckstein was as smooth as ever in winning his quarterfinal, while four-time winner Ky Hurst also looked in good condition as he led the field home in another of the races. Nutri-Grain Series winner Ali Day flirted with elimination early in the quarter-final won by Eckstein but eventually qualified in sixth place, just behind his clubmate and 2013 Australian Ironman Champion Cam Cole. Matt Poole is hopeful of being fit for the next round after aggravating an ongoing back injury.
The 1991 Championships in Scarborough, WA were the first to have a FM Broadcast Transmission of the carnivals public address system on SLSA FM 90.5. The convenience of listening to the program from ‘Observation City Hotel’ was popular with the competitors staying there, who could relax in their rooms between their events whilst staying up to date with the events happenings.
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RIGHT : Under-17 Sprint Champion Jack Fildes from Northcliffe SLSC.
RIGHT : MacMasters Beach Open Women’s boat crew surging over the lip.
RIGHT : Point Leo boys take on the Tube Rescue.
BELOW : Nathan Smith from Manly and Hayden White from Mooloolaba competing in the Ironman quarter-finals. RIGHT : Lachlan Tame competing in the Single Ski heats.
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Saturday April 18, 2015
LEFT : Angela Leadbeatter salutes after winning the Open Women’s 2km Run.
FAR LEFT : North Cronulla on the hop in the Board Race.
ABOVE : Warilla Barrack Point strong in the Swim.
ABOVE : The Surfboats in action at Tugun beach.
LEFT : The under-17 Board Relay Champions from Newport.
LEFT : North Bondi women’s boat crew push through the break.
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Championship photos available at harvpix.com
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THE OLYMPIC LORNE ROWER
ABOVE : Sonia Heath and youngest daughter Indiana.
LEFT : Sonia and her Lorne surfboat crew teammates.
PAUL COCHRANE AMONG the boat fleet at Tugun is an Olympic rower embarking on a new chapter in her sporting career. Sonia Heath is competing at her third Australian Championships. How she got here
has been an unusual journey. “A fellow river rower gave me a call and said come across, it’s a lot of fun and I was pretty much hooked as soon as we hit our first wave,” Sonia said. The Lorne surfboat rower is a former television journalist who was encouraged to
try her hand at rowing while filming a story in Bundaberg. Until 2002 she had never raced a boat. That soon changed with one of the more remarkable rapid rises in the history of Australian sport. You see, when Rowing Australia assembled a new women’s eight following its 2004 Athens Olympic failure, Sonia had a seat in the boat. It won the gold medal at the world championships the following year. There was world championships silver in 2006;, she helped qualify the boat for the Olympics and in 2008 she was in Beijing rowing in the double scull. She retired from the sport after finishing eighth and after running a half marathon
joined the Surf Life Saving movement. “What stands out to me is the camaraderie. It’s a great team sport and you learn a lot of skills along the way. And the skills that you learn in getting your bronze medallion are invaluable,” she said. “I think it’s great that we are able to give something back to the organisation and the community. During the season you are away competing so it’s rewarding to come back and do your patrol hours as well.” That’s in between her other role as a Mum. Sonia and her husband Chris are the proud parents of two little girls under the age of three! ALSO at Tugun, Austinmer super sweep Jack Patison has steered his three crews to win the 2015 Aussies surfboat relay. Patison, a master strategist, knew his U19 rowers were a cut above others in their division and knew his women were faultless under pressure and would rise to the occasion. And together with his open men they delivered the goods to win the prestigious opening gold medal in the boat area, ahead of Palm Beach (NSW) and WA powerhouse North Cottesloe.
TANYN LYNDON
NEW LIFE MEMBERS INDUCTED
What is your best Aussies memory? In 2012, both our A & B team came first and second in the Open Taplin. It was the first time this has been done and that made it even better to celebrate with all our teammates. What do you think about having a dedicated youth program at The Aussies this year? It’s a great concept that allows kids to feel what it’s like to be part of this awesome event. I couldn’t wait to compete at The Aussies when I was a grom so I think it’s brilliant. What advice do you have for the younger competitors? Race hard and have fun. That’s what The Aussies is all about. What do you love about The Aussies? The atmosphere. The beach is filled with competitors from right around Australia, it’s awesome.
THE Life Members Dinner was held at The Outriggers Twin Towns Resort On Wednesday night. During the dinner two new life members were inducted by SLSA President Graham Ford. They were Michael (Mike) Smith OAM from Bunbury SLSC in WA and Peter Pearce from Garie & Burning Palms SLSC in NSW.
KELLOGG’S NUTRI GRAIN IRONMAN & FORMER UNDER 15, UNDER 17 & UNDER 19 AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE PART OF THE 100TH AUSSIES FRANK HOWARD HENLEY SLSC, SA “Great Event. The 100th has really got a bit of a significance especially since it’s the 100 years of ANZAC as well.”
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06 The Aussies 2015
JACK RAWLINGS MOOLOOLABA SLSC, QLD
SALLY WATSON ALEX HEADLAND SLSC, QLD
“It means a lot, you’re representing your team. “
“To represent your club and uphold team spirit.”
MAREE ABATE JAN JUC SLSC, VIC “It’s iconic of the Australian love for the ocean, saving lives, community work through patrols and the togetherness that we need in society today.”
Saturday April 18, 2015
BRAVE BRAEDAN’S TWO’S COMPANY … RIO DREAM FOUR’S A CROWD LEFT : Braedan Jason competing in the under-17 Ironman heats.
CLAUDIA FERGUSON You could be forgiven for seeing double on the 2km circuit yesterday when two sets of twins went head to head in the Open Women’s race. North Bondi sisters Amy and Lily Harding-Delooze were up against Bernadette and Bethany Williams from Swanbourne Nedlands in Western Australia. 38 year old Supermum Angela Leadbeatter of Swansea Belmont was too strong, defending her national title with a dominant performance, but the twins
certainly had heads turning. The Harding-Delooze girls had only minutes earlier crossed the line almost side by side after a gripping sprint finish in the under-17 final. Lily took the gold by a fingernail. Gilbert Olzomer won the Open men’s race in searing heat for Queenscliff after relocating from Wauchope Bonny-Hills last year. “I love these conditions. It’s a mixture of soft and hard sand. I do a lot of my training in the middle of the day in conditions like this so it doesn’t affect me.”
his board, adjusting his goggles, dodging boards and handlers and almost missing the first turning flag as his game continued through the swim. He went on to finish ninth, missing the quarter finals by one position – but he had a smile on his face as he received a pat on the back from dad Vince. Braedan and his little brother Nathan, 12, have both been diagnosed with the impairment.
It was a huge thrill to go to Sydney at the recent Australian Championships and swim so well. Braedan Jason IAN HANSON WHEN Braedan Jason lined up in yesterday’s under-17 Ironman heats, none of the other 15 competitors knew the race tactics he was about to execute. The game playing out in Braedan’s head was “follow the leader”. The 16 year-old from Alexandra Headland is legally blind – with only 10% vision after being born with cone dystrophy - a degenerative loss of vision. Jason paddled onto a wave, jumped off
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He has just been named in the Australian Dolphins Paralympic Swim Team for the IPC World Championships in Glasgow after qualifying at the recent national titles. He is currently ranked in the top three in the world. “It was a huge thrill to go to Sydney at the recent Australian Championships and swim so well and to hear my name read out amongst the Australian team members like Grant Hackett was amazing,” Braedan said. He’s know turning his attention to winning a spot on the team for the Rio Paralympics.
LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER JOEL BEVILACQUA EMMA HANRAHAN
memory of their late friend Dwayne Lally and the charity Livin’ which is named in his honour.
There is only one feeling better than winning a medal at The Aussies and that’s achieving it with your family. The Mispelhorn brothers, Jake, Ben and Sam (right), along with Paul Cracroft-Wilson won silver for the Kurrawa club in the Open Beach relay yesterday. “Every time we are on the beach and in the gym we are very competitive,” Jake said. The siblings dedicated their medal to the
Did you know that the winning Open Surf Team in 1950 at The Aussies in Greenmount, was the first team ever to win with their team members crossing the line in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place. The team members from the left of the photo are Tassie Barnett, Max Stringer, Neil Stringer and John Vaughan from North Wollongong.
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JOIN THE CONVERSATION Jenny Schofield @Mummaschoey Belt Racing aussies always exciting @Aussies100 @aussies2015 #aussies100 #aussies2015kirra CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : @kennywallace, Ken Wallace @rocksbrewchick, Bec Lock @surflifesaving_sunscreen, Surf Life Saving Sunscreen @matt_poole1, Matt Poole
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08 The Aussies 2015
Saturday April 18, 2015