Sport
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Byron nurture youth as they take on dşĈëō ƆƱĶŔŔĕſƆ ƐëŊĕ şŕ m ÉȜƆ Ǖ ŕĕƆƐ ëŕīëōşƱ Ķŕ ŕǀëĈ !Ɩż ĪşşƐćëōō Ǖ ŕëō Adrian Filipic
Dogwhistle The Byron Bay Rams enjoyed a heartening return to form this week, thanks in no small part to the emergence of an exciting new generation of football talent. Backed by the skills and determination of club veterans, the youngsters including Otis Adlington, Rick Muir, Jack Martin, and Zac Miletic took full advantage of their opportunity to shine. In the Anzac Cup semifinal against the Richmond Rovers the Services Club Rams put in an inspiring performance that helped drive the side to a 2–0 victory. Goals to Ethan Archer and Simon McCarthy secured a berth in the Anzac Cup final at Crozier Field in Lismore on this Saturday April 27. The Rams will take on the Bangalow Bluedogs with all the action from 4pm. The pre-Easter game in round three of the regular season against Goonellabah produced more outstanding performances from Byron’s young recruits. The reserves set the tone with a strong 3–2 win over their Goonellabah counterparts. The young Premier Division side then hit the ground running.
Ram Rick Muir put in an inspiring performance playing full games in reserves and prems. Photo Dogwhistle Three minutes into the opening stanza, 17-year-old Zac Miletic cut through the Goonellabah defence and curled a stunning strike inside the near post to give the Rams an early lead. Stung into a vigorous response, the Hornets fought back for the remainder of the first half and for much of the second, but were unable to penetrate James Tomlinson’s back line. With young legs showing little sign of tiring, Jonno Pierce came off the bench late in the match to reinvigorate the Byron attack. Young Jack Martin broke away from the Hornet’s defence and, after a solo
sprint towards the Goonellabah goal, slotted home number two for the Rams. Close to the end Pierce out-flanked the Goonellabah defence to deliver a superb cross from out wide as Martin and Miletic stormed into the box. A cool-headed move saw Martin step over the ball to allow Miletic a clean strike into the Hornets net, sealing a much needed 3–0 win. The victory, the first for the season, lifts the Rams from the bottom of the table and has them fired up for the next round in Alstonville on Wednesday, May 1. Reserves kick off at 6pm and the premier divisions at 8pm.
Tillman wins the golf at Teven Robert Tillman (the Winx of Teven) has triumphed at the Easter round at the Teven Golf Club. Second place was awarded to Steve Blackmore after a three-way count back, with Chris Gee being awarded third place. John Harbisher came fourth and was elated with his
maiden victory in the putting. Ken Luke and Paul Becky rounded out the field of competitors NTPs: fourth – Dave Fowler and eighth – Steve Marks On Saturday April 27 there will be a 9-hole Stableford and Final of Match Play Championship – Chris Gee versus John Harbisher.
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Tom Cheek (14) swam 10 events and had some freakish competition but pulled rank in the 100m freestyle to make the final and finish eigth, after
producing a 1.01 to secure a berth. Safranek and Ryan Schlederer also helped the Byron Primary junior boys relay team to finish 13th.
Winter Whales on track for another Ocean Swim Classic The Ocean Swim Classic is nearing a milestone of a $1 million in donations to community groups with over 200 early entries already lodged for the 2019 swim. ‘The usual last-minute rush is expected to push the final numbers up to around 1000 entries,’ a spokesman for the Byron Bay Winter Whales said. ‘These figures mean that we will be able to make similar donations to our usual local charities and organisations as we did over
Swimmers get ready for the 2019 Ocean Classic. Photo supplied the last seasons of these swims, which will bring our running total to nearly $1 million since our first in 1988,’ he said. The Byron Bay Property Sales Ocean Swim Classic and the coinciding Byron Bay
Mitre 10 Min-swim will be held on Sunday May 5. Enter online at byronbayoceanswimclassic.com. au or in person on the Friday and Saturday before the race at the Byron Bay Surf Club using cash or cheque.
Crystal Cylinders
Match winner Robert Tillman. Photo supplied
The Shire Shout has reached the pointy end with final places determined this weekend. Photo supplied Over 60 cyclists have competed in the event so far, with plenty left to ride for in the last round this weekend. ‘It is far from over just yet,’
(Back row) Sashi Wills, Tom Cheek, Ocean Shores Aquatics swimmers of the season, and Meg Porter. (Front) Mollie Cheek with Eve Porter, who took out OSA’s most improved 13 years plus for the season. Photo supplied
Girl groms get strong results
!ƷĈōĶƆƐƆ īĕëſ Ɩż Īşſ Ǖ ŕëō ſëĈĕ şĪ IJĶſĕ IJşşƐşƖƐ The Autumn Shire Shoot cycling series featuring riders from the Ballina and Byron Bay cycling clubs comes to a head this Sunday with a criterium in the Arts and Industry estate. Byron Bay Cycling Club members Marco Goldberg (29 points), David Scully (26), and Matt Jones (25) sit at the top of the leader board with just one race in the series remaining. Richard Brown is Ballina Bicycle Club’s best-placed rider in fourth spot on 23 points.
A mix of nerves, excitement, and expectation summed up the emotion for Ocean Shores Aquatics swimmers competing in state finals at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre before Easter. Swimming can be a little hit and miss, but as it all unravelled there were some great results. Sashi Wills (16 years) was outstanding making five state finals with a best ranking of sixth in the 100m freestyle and seventh in the 400 freestyle. Meg Porter (16) took out the North Coast Encouragement Award on the podium at the meet. Meg swam in seven events making a final in the 200 freestyle and finishing eighth.
Ballina Bicycle Club spokesman Andrew Downey said. Action from 7am Sunday morning at Byron Bay’s Arts and Industry Estate.
Our local female junior surfers had podium finishes at the Billabong Oz Grom Cup held at Park Beach in Coffs Harbour in small playful waves last week Lehani Kaloh-Zoric (Byron Bay) was runner-up in the U/10s girls, while Lennox Head surfers Juniper Harper and Ocea Curtis finished third and fourth respectively in the U/12 girls. Henley Smith (Suffolk Park) was fourth in the U/8 mixed division. Touma Cameron (Byron Bay) along with Jack O’Brien (Lennox Head) made the 16 boys semifinals. Most states were represented in the event, with surfers coming from Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and WA. Earlier in the month Ocea Curtis (Lennox Head) came
Lehani Kaloh-Zoric works through a cut back at the Oz Grom. Photo Ethan Smith runner-up in the U/12s at the 20th Barney Miller Classic at Sawtell. The annual event raises money for a different individual each year who has suffered a life-changing spinal injury.
Bells Beach Soli Bailey (Byron Bay) had a hard heat to start his campaign in Victoria at the 58th Annual Rip Curl
Bells Beach Pro. Bailey drew current number two Kolohe Andino from California and Seth Moniz from Hawaii. It turned into a fight for second place against Moniz after Andino took charge early in the heat. Bailey had the chance on a last second wave but fell short by less than half a point. He will now surf in the sudden-death round two.
żſĶō ǩǫǽ ǩǧǨǰ The Byron Shire Echo 55