Sport dşĈëōƆ ƐëŊĕ żşĶŕƐƆ Ķŕ ǕſƆƐ ëōōȒĪĕŔëōĕ ƆƖſĪ ĕưĕŕƐ Ross Kendall The Le-Ba Ladybirds won the final event of the inaugural, and Australian first, All Women’s Surf Series held at Lennox Head over the weekend. Over 100 women and girls competed in the Challenge Her Team’s Classic, coming from Sawtell, Lennox Head, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. The youngest surfer was just eight-years-old and the oldest 63-years old. Teams took to the water at Seven Mile Beach in pumping waves of four to six foot. The swell was challenging but rewarding for every level and age of surfer. The teams of eight surfers ranged from beginner through to ex-World Tour professionals, including 1993 World Champions Pauline Menczer and Serena Brook. Teams were made up of four longboard and four shortboard surfers, a format developed by the Surfing NSW Her Wave team to specifically create greater opportunity and inclusivity.
ōō ƱşŔĕŕ ŇƖĎīĕƆ The 80-minute heats were relay-style; whereby
Ross Kendall
Plenty of all-women surf action at Lennox over the weekend. Photo Michael Talbot (Surfing NSW) surfers ran out, caught their best wave and returned to shore to tag their next team member. The heats were judged by an all-female judging panel, something Olympic and World Tour Judge Tory Gilkerson said she’s never seen before. ‘Today we’ve got four women judging this event. It’s a pretty amazing day for surfing to be honest. I’m proud to be part of this event and overseeing the judges here today,’ she said. ‘It was just gold! My heart’s singing today with
this event, it’s the way surfing should be and where it should have been long ago,’ said Pauline Menczer who surfed for Lennox All Girls Mermaids. ‘There is nothing like this and it was such a great day for everyone. You’ve got women’s over 60s and girls’ under 10s.’ As well as the main surf team event there were a number of workshops and clinics being held at the Lennox Head Cultural Centre that ran throughout the day, hosted by local and industry professionals.
Bangalow clinches thriller in rugby derby against Byron Bay Ross Kendall Bangalow beat Byron Bay on the final bell 21–20 in front of a home crowd last Saturday after a tough and hard fought contest in the rugby union premiership. Bangalow trailed on the scorecard for the whole game until they were able to convert sustained red-zone pressure with a try in the final stages of the game. On the hooter the conversion went over to give Bangalow the win and joy to nervous supporters.
Muddy work Both teams played quality rugby considering the slippery and muddy conditions after two days of rain. Byron lead 10–0 going into the break after dominating the set pieces. They scored another try after half time, as well as two conversions to keep ahead of Bangalow who were able to keep themselves in the game with two tries, taking the score to 20–14 in the dying minutes. www.echo.net.au
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Try time for Byron Bay, but it wasn’t enough to win the day. Photo Alex Bartlett Byron, with a man in the sin-bin, couldn’t withstand sustained runs at their try line, finally conceding the try and the game. Teale Pyne, Will Latham and Jed Erickson scored tries for Bangalow and Troy Doughty converted all three. Craig Wallace and Joe Grindle scored tries for Bangalow, and Joel Stocks converted them, along with two penalty goals. Man of the Match was awarded to Byron Bay’s Joe Grindle.
The win puts Bangalow well out in front on the competition ladder with 34 points, ahead of Casuarina (21), Wollongbar (20), Ballina (19), Byron Bay 16, Lennox Head 1(12), and Lismore (1). Other games in the round were postponed because of the weather. Earlier in the day, in the second grade fixture, the Mullumbimby Moonshiners scored 55 unanswered points against Kyogle, taking them to fourth place on the ladder.
For the first time in almost 20 years, the NSW Junior Championships and JNJG State Age Championships are being held in the Northern Rivers from Tuesday 5 July through to Friday 8July. The tournaments will include some of the best young golfers in Australia and will be jointly hosted by the Byron Bay Golf Club and the Ocean Shores Country Club. Covid forced the cancellation of the event in both 2020 and 2021. More than 230 players have registered for the junior championship that holds both Golf Australia Order of Merit and World Amateur Golf Ranking status. The four-day 72-Hole Championship is also a qualifier for
Ann Jang will be ready to defend her title this week. Photo supplied both the Men’s and Women’s NSW Open Golf Championship, opening the door for the champion boy and girl to dip their toes into life as a professional golfer. With two-time defending Australian Boy’s Champion Jeffrey Guan competing in the USA, a first time
boys’ winner will emerge from the pack looking to take home the trophy in 2022. The defending Girls’ Champion will be present, with Ann Jang (Toukley Gold Club) looking to go back-to-back after claiming the rescheduled 2021 NSW Junior Championship title at Lynwood Country Club last December. Showing the strength of junior golf across the country right now, an incredible 83 players in the field will enter the tournament on handicaps of scratch or better. All players will play at least one round at both host venues. Players will also contest the JNJG State Age Championships, NSW Junior Champion of Champions, and NSW Country Junior Championships throughout the week.
Decades of volunteering earn prestigious NSW Sports Award Ross Kendall Brenda Zakaras and John Beasley from Lennox Head were two of 19 sports volunteers from a wide cross-section of sports who received a Distinguished Long Service Award at the 2022 NSW Community Sports Awards held at Commbank Stadium in Parramatta last week The Awards recognised outstanding achievements and contributions to community sport in NSW, which is largely carried out by a volunteers. Brenda has been a volunteer at Lennox Head Football Club since its inception in 1978. She was integral in getting the club off the ground and continues to be a pillar of the club today. She has held many positions over the years including Secretary, Treasurer, and team manager. Her greatest contribution to the club is the running of the canteen, which she has done for over 40 years without any remuneration. The canteen provides significant fundraising to the club and is used to improve facilities at Lennox Head Football Club.
Unsung heroes John is a member of Lennox Head-Alstonville Surf Life Saving Club and has demonstrated distinguished service to the movement for over six decades and has received a number of
Brenda received her award from Minister for Tourism and Sport, Stuart Ayres. Service and Recognition Awards. These include being honoured as a Life Member of Surf Life Saving NSW in 1978, Life Member of Surf Life Saving Australia in 1999, and his 60 Year Long Service Award in 2014. Beasley has also been honoured with an award only few members have achieved, which is the 60 Year Officiating Award at the 2022 State Championships. John is also Life Member at several locations, including: Central Coast Branch, Far North Coast Branch, Lennox Head SLSC, and The Entrance SLSC. John was also recognised as the Senior Citizens of the Year for Ballina Shire and continues to volunteer and support Surf Life Saving activities in various
roles at this time. Sport NSW Chairperson, Carolyn Campbell congratulated Zakaras and Beasley on their Awards. ‘Volunteers such as Brenda and John are the backbone of community sport in NSW,’ said Ms Campbell. ‘They are the dedicated, hard-working individuals who contribute countless hours to enable thousands of men and women, girls and boys, to enjoy the health and social benefits of community sport each weekend. ‘They are the unsung heroes on which sports clubs and sports communities are built, and we are delighted to honour their unflagging, dedicated work with this prestigious Award,’ she said.
`ƖōƷ ǭǽ ǩǧǩǩ The Byron Shire Echo 47