Aussies 2015 On Beach Newspaper issue7

SUNDAY APRIL 19, 2015 • #AUSSIES100 • SLS.COM.AU/AUSSIES

THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME ECKSTEIN WINS IRONMAN TITLE #7

ROYAL PROCESSION FOR OUR IRON LADY DAVID MOASE QUEEN Elizabeth of Ironwoman racing now wears three crowns.

Liz Pluimers’ victory in the Open Ironwoman made her the first woman to win the sport’s triple crown – the Coolangatta Gold, the Nutri-Grain series and the Australian title – in the same season.

It was her also second successive Aussies triumph and could not have come in more emphatic fashion.

The North Burleigh star opened a 13-second lead in the ski leg and extended it in the swim before completely clearing away from her pursuers as she turned the ski leg into a lap of honour ahead of second placed Rebecca Creedy (Northcliffe) and third placed Amy Nurthen (Mooloolaba).

“Except for my start I think it all

came together perfectly,” Pluimers said.

By the time Pluimers leapt on her ski she appeared to have the race safely in her keeping, before her pursuers ran into trouble at the shore break, making the win all but certain.

Questions about retirement were also asked of Pluimers, who is getting married in October, and she was noncommittal about being back to defend her title in 2016.

“Good question, no-one knows,” was her immediate response.

“I’m definitely coming back to do the (Nutri-Grain) series next year but that’s the only one that’s confirmed at the moment.”

Pluimers enjoyed double gold yesterday, taking out her fourth Open Board Race title and her second in the past two years.

GEORGIA COMPLETES A WEEK SHE WON’T FORGET LEFT: Female competitor of the carnival Georgia Miller shows off her medal haul.

DAVID MOASE GEORGIA Miller described it as one of the best weeks of her life and no one at North Kirra would disagree.

Miller competed in an almost endless series of events across the Open and Under-19 areas and cemented her place as the leader of the surf lifesaving’s Generation Next.

Competing at The Aussies in the colours of Newport for the first time, Miller won four gold medals, and a slew of minor medals to be named Female Competitor of the Carnival.

On the last day of competition she added the under-19 Surf Race to her Open Surf Race title before winning the Under-19 Ironwoman title for the second year in a row and taking silver in the Open Taplin Relay.

She also won the Under-19 Board Rescue

with Lara Moses.

“It’s definitely one of my best weeks,” Miller said after her Ironwoman win.

“I didn’t have a great board leg so I had to use my best leg, the swim, to my advantage.

“Once I was in front on the ski I didn’t want to do something stupid.”

I It’s definitely one of my best weeks.

Georgia Miller Miller became the first Aussies competitor to claim the Surf Race double since Belinda Gladstone (Coogee) in 1997.

Wanda’s Stacey Gartrell also claimed the double in 1993.

Only one other competitor has gone back to back in the Under-19 Ironwoman, Lilli Miller of North Wollongong in 1999/97.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT THE AUSSIES? COLIN LAING & JEFF BANKS NORTH ENTRANCE SLSC, NSW & FAIRY MEADOW SLSC, NSW “The competition, camaraderie and being able to see the same friends every year. Sunday, finals day is also a highlight. It’s such a good spectator sport and all the races are really exciting.”

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02 The Aussies 2015

JEFF BEERE AVOCA SLSC, NSW “The atmosphere and the amazing talent that’s out here to watch.”

LEE PHILLIPS NORTHCLIFFE SLSC, QLD “The excitement and the atmosphere. It’s fantastic seeing all the big names you hear about and seeing the young ones interact with them.”

Sunday April 19, 2015

ECKSTEIN CELEBRATES HIS MAGNIFICENT SEVEN DAVID MOASE

ABOVE: The history books will show Shannon Eckstein is the greatest Ironman in The Aussies history.

SHANNON Eckstein became undisputedly the most successful Ironman in Australian Surf Life Saving Championships history when he claimed his seventh title at North Kirra today.

The win moved him ahead of his childhood hero Trevor Hendy, who won six Aussies Ironman gold medals.

Close the history books, the debate about who is the greatest is over.

Eckstein ensured his place alone at the top of the list of the best ironmen in typical flawless style.

The Northcliffe star put himself in the best positions, found the waves he needed and won by so far he could slow to accept the adulation of fans lining the finishing chute.

He was followed across the line by Mooloolaba pair Matt Poole and Ali Day. “It hasn’t sunk in; when I won six it still didn’t sink in because so much had work goes into them,” Eckstein said.

“That one was like last year. I got waves when I needed to.

You create your own luck and if you get to the front you get waves.

“I thought last year was perfect, but again

this was perfect.”

The gold medal was Eckstein’s 35th at the Aussies, one short of the all-time record held

by Clint Robinson.

The bad news for Eckstein’s rivals – and Robinson’s record – is that thoughts of retirement seem as far from his mind as at any time in the past couple of years.

I thought last year was perfect, but again this was perfect.

Shannon Eckstein “Mentally I’m pretty sure I can come back next year,” he said.

“I’ve got an Achilles problem that I’ve had for a couple of years and I can’t do the training that I want to do.

“I’ve got a lot of time off now to think about it, recover and get the body ready, more time off than I’ve probably had in five years.

“I’m still enjoying the sport, and when you see Trevor (Hendy) win like he did yesterday I’m not going to talk of retirement when he’s doing things like that.”

NEW PORT FOR TAPLIN GOLD DAVID MOASE

FAR LEFT: Celebration time for the jubilant Newport Taplin Relay team (from L to R) Mitchell Trim, Max Brooks, Kendrick Louis, Luke Morrison, Jonah Beard and Tom Atkinson.

NEWPORT stepped up its resurgence when it claimed the Open Men’s Taplin Relay, the ultimate test of a club’s depth in board, swim and ski.

The Sydney Northern Beaches club became the first NSW club to win the Taplin since 1996, finishing ahead of Redhead and Surfers Paradise.

I When I came to this club we had a plan to build something special and this is the ultimate reward.

Kendrick Louis The team of Tom Atkinson, Max Brooks, Kendrick Louis, Jonah Beard, Mitchell Trim and Luke Morrison were in a tight tussle with

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LEFT: Luke Morrison claims elusive gold.

a handful of clubs early in the final but took charge in the swim and ski legs.

“When I came to this club we had a plan to build something special and this is the ultimate reward,” Louis said.

Maroubra had been the last NSW club to win the title, which has since been dominated

by Tugun and Northcliffe. The last Sydney Northern Beaches club to win the Taplin final was Manly in 1993.

The Open Women’s Taplin gold medal was decided in a desperate four-team sprint to the finish.

Long-legged Maroochydore ski paddler

Alyce Burnett surprised even herself with her speed as she outran Hannah Minogue (Newport) to grab the gold medal for teammates Nicole Chapman and Laura Pettigrew.

North Burleigh and Manly were also in the sprint finish, with Brodie Moir beating Naomi Flood to the bronze medal.

So many of the athletes from The Aussies have gone on to compete at the Olympics, but did you know that we even have at least one athlete who has gone on to compete at the Winter Olympics? Cam Bolton from Portsea and Half Moon Bay SLSC’s in Victoria did, competing in Snowboarding at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.

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RIGHT : Matt Poole overcame a back injury to claim the silver medal in the Open Ironman.

FAR RIGHT : Happy times for Double Ski gold medallist Alyce Burnett (left) and Brianna Massie.

ABOVE : Jordan Mercer leads the pack during the Open Ironwoman final.

RIGHT : Luke Cuff gives everything for Mooloolaba in the men’s Open Taplin Relay final.

RIGHT : Super Sunday had the crowd flocking to North Kirra.

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Sunday April 19, 2015

LEFT : Under-17 Belt Race champion Ejay Schaffer celebrates with his Newport team.

RIGHT : Ironwoman silver medallist Rebecca Creedy gave everything as she chased home winner Liz Pluimers.

BELOW : Northcliffe’s triumphant Aussies 2015 contingent celebrate the club’s 12th consecutive pointscore victory.

BELOW : It took Nick Crilly 11 years to win his second Open Ski Race title and he enjoyed every minute of it.

LEFT : Burleigh girlies Brodie Moir (right) and Liz Pluimers relax with Northcliffe’s Devon Halligan before the Open Ironwoman final.

RIGHT : Avoca Beach’s Kaitlyn Matuschka edges out Byron Bay’s Ela Heiniger for under-19 Ironwoman bronze.

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ABOVE : Three in a row for Redhead’s board paddling king Stewart McLachlan.

Championship photos available at harvpix.com

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FINALS FEVER AS SURFBOATS CONCLUDE AT TUGUN LEFT: Collaroy takes gold in the under-23 women’s following the relegation of Henley for interference.

VIKINGS FINALLY CLAIM ELUSIVE GOLD

GRAHAM CALLAGHAN ACCOMPANIED by the chorus of ‘We Are the Mighty Mighty Vikings” Currumbin Vikings saluted their two historic champion boat crews at Tugun Beach.

The Currumbin Barbarians and the Huscarls rowers had just won gold and silver in the elusive open Australian Surfboat championship and their supporters went wild.

“We have been chasing this open title

for 10 years and it’s really a great feeling to be a Viking when we have crews first and third,” said winning Barbarians’ sweep Lyle Clark.

“We did pick up four silver medals along the way but there is nothing like gold. This is a dream come true.”

The Collaroy Gunners won the under-23 men championship after Henley was relegated to the silver for causing interference. It was Henley’s first ever boat medal since it formed in 1925.

ABOVE: Victorious Collaroy U23 men’s sweep Gavin Scott steered his Knights to a hardearned championships victory over Palm Beach Pints (NSW) and North Cronulla Blue.

ABOVE: Mona Vale, swept by Matt Collins, surged home to beat Matt Hickey’s Currumbin Drifters and Gerringong NABS to take the reserve grade gold.

ABOVE: The South Curl Curl Straw Hat Pirates pulled off one of the closest wins of the day when they won the open women’s.

ABOVE: Matt Mitchell’s Avoca were also the toast of the beach after storming home to win the men’s U19 title ahead of Caves Beach and Cudgen Headland.

WHAT’S BEEN YOUR HIGHLIGHT AT THE AUSSIES? HARUKA NAKAMURA NORTH BURLEIGH SLSC QLD “Competing in the Ironwoman.”

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06 The Aussies 2015

MAO KAMIMURA NORTH BURLEIGH SLSC QLD

MIKE SCHETTER SURF LIFE SAVING SA

ROBYN PIERCE LOCAL FROM THE GOLD COAST, QLD

“Board Rescue.”

“Overall! Watching all of the athletes put in place all the hard work.”

“The March Past.”

Sunday April 19, 2015

CHARLIE PUTS SHEEN ON MEDAL HAUL

WELBORN TAKES PERFORMANCE TO LIZZY HEIGHTS

IS THIS THE END OF GOLD MEDAL FLOOD? DAVID MOASE

EMMA HANRAHAN MORGANA JONES AT a carnival full of the biggest names in surf lifesaving, Charlie Brooks has been crowned its King.

The Newport teenager capped an Aussies meet that reaped five gold and two silver medals by being named the male athlete of the carnival.

His final day performance featured victory in the under-17 Ironman, a race his brother Max won in 2012.

“It is always hard living up to him, he has done so well, but he always been pushing me at training,” Charlie said.

“This win is just so good, especially with all the Newport boys supporting me and the crowd is just unbelievable.”

SHE’S the one to watch and is even harder to catch.

North Bondi’s rising star, Lizzie Welborn, literally sprinted from winning the under-17 Board final to compete in the Open final which she finished in second place.

I just love the sport, I want to make the NutriGrain Series and keep on improving.

Shannon Eckstein The young gun put the rest of the field to shame blitzing the under-17 Ironwoman Race.

Both nervous and overwhelmed after the race, Lizzie’s coach and handler Scott Thompson said her achievements were well

ABOVE: North Bondi’s rising star Lizzie Welborn.

deserved and guarantee’s she’s a little legend in the making.

“My heart rate is at 180, I can tell you right now,” Thompson said.

“Winning this event is just awesome because I know how much commitment and dedication she has put into it.”

Clearly filled with job, Lizzie showed us she’s one to watch in the future, repeatedly expressing her pride and amazement at what she had just done.

“I can’t even believe it,” Lizzie said.

“I just love the sport, I want to make the Nutri-Grain Series and keep on improving.”

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER PAUL COCHRANE NORTH Cottesloe’s Tom Nolan survived elimination, a protest and the challenge of Australia’s best beach flag sprinters to defend his national title.

The full field was recalled to North Kirra after the event stalled on the first run in fading light last night. Nolan was the first man eliminated from the field but won reinstatement on appeal.

“For a few hours I didn’t really know how the protest was going to go and I was more focused on that,” Nolan said.

“I’d seen a few of the replays which affirmed what I thought so I was quite confident in the process but you’re never quite sure how the officials will interpret it.”

It went his way and eventually so did the final, with the West Australian defeating Collaroy’s Dean Scarff in the final two.

Veteran Simon Harris, The Aussies’ greatest ever beach flag champion defied a broken foot to reach the top three.

“I wasn’t really expecting that coming in. It was a really tough final so to come away with a medal, never mind taking it out back to back is incredible,” Nolan said.

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IT might be six and out for ski race champion Naomi Flood.

The Manly star, who was competing in her 16th Aussies, won her fifth consecutive Open Ski Race, and her sixth in total.

With her attention now turned to next year’s Rio Olympics, Flood, the Open Ironwoman champion in 2006, may not return to the sand in her beloved sky blue cap.

Meanwhile, Nick Crilly turned back the clock to win the Open Ski Race.

It was 11 years since Crilly’s first victory, and the North Burleigh paddler was ecstatic as he outlasted fast-finishing defending champion Lachlan Tame (Avoca Beach), with Bill Bain (Mooloolaba) third.

“It has been a difficult year,” he said after embracing his wife and two young children.

“My mum’s had cancer and we’ve had a new bub, but I do it for them.”

LEFT: Tom Nolan celebrates back-to-back gold medals in the Open Beach Flags.

SERGEANT OF ARMS ELYCE BEHRSIN IF you spent a day with the IRB crew you wouldn’t expect that they would have time to organise a function on top of everything they already do.

But between organising the days of around 200 IRB workers Neil Whittaker and his team managed to organise, and host their annual ‘Sergeant of Arms’ awards night, which went off without a glitch on Wednesday night.

A number of fun and novelty awards were handed out as well as two trophy awards, the Chris Thornton Award, and the Rookie.

The event is really important for the IRB fraternity as it not only acknowledges the hard work the group has done but it also enhances camaraderie as a lot of the team come back for The Aussies every year Whittaker explained to SLSA.

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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#AUSSIES100 PICS OF THE DAY

AUSSIES 2015

MERCHANDISE IF YOU MISSED OUT CONTACT OUR OFFICIAL SUPPLIERS VIA EMAIL AT SALES@INTANDEM.COM.AU OR CALL 03 9417 0707

JOIN THE CONVERSATION ABC Grandstand @abcgrandstand Trevor Hendy says the unexpected gold won with his son TJ yesterday at #Aussies100 was better than any #Ironman win Matt Poole @ matt_poole1 STOKED!! The back wasn’t feeling great but I’ve managed to get myself into the #Aussies100 Ironman Final

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : @shannglassonphotography, Shannon Glasson @ashleighgrace94, Ashleigh Grace @tarynlove7, Taryn Love @breemasters

Alyce Burnett @alyceburnett What a way to wrap up #Aussies100!!!

GOLD in the Open Taplin with two of the best

ON BEACH PRODUCTION TEAM: Paul Cochrane, Elyce Behrsin, Andrea Bryce, Emma Hanrahan, Abigail Blaikie, Morgana Jones (SLSA Media Team); Tom Parsons (SLSA Design); Ian Hanson, David Moase (Hanson Media); Harvie Allison, Kate Czerny, Shanta Allison, John Veage, Shannon Glasson (Harvpix.com)

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Margie McDonald @ MadgetheBadge If you are EVER in trouble on a beach you’d want these 2 - 13 Ironmen titles - Hendy/Eckstein...Perfection #Aussies100

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08 The Aussies 2015

Sunday April 19, 2015