RIPtIDE. Newport s Max Brooks was hellbent on a big MAX SHOWS PLENTY OF FIGHT ON SUNSHINE COAST FINALLY ON THE PODIUM

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1 RIPtIDE MAX SHOWS PLENTY OF FIGHT ON SUNSHINE COAST FINALLY ON THE PODIUM Newport s Max Brooks was hellbent on a big improvement when he travelled to Coolum on the Sunshine Coast for the second round of the Nutri Grain series last weekend. And he certainly made amends for the disappointment of Queenscliff in the first round late last month by producing his best ever result with a podium finish, second behind Surfers Paradise star and former Nutri Grain winner Ali Day in the M-shape eliminator final. Definitely his greatest performance but he really had to do it tough to make the final, Newport coach Trent Herring said. He had to get through three qualifying races on the Saturday and the conditions were very testing. He may have struggled at times on Saturday but he came back the next day full of confidence. He really went on with it after making the first cut (10 dropped out). This format was something different but quite exciting. Two would drop out at certain stages of the race and then it became a battle between Max and Ali. They went head to head on the board leg but then Ali got the better of him. Max should be very proud of his achievement. After two rounds of the Nutri Grain series, Day leads on 178 points from his Surfers Paradise club mate and first round winner Trevor Hendy (153) and Brooks is now in third place (134 points) one ahead of defending champion, Kurrawa s Matt Poole. LOUIS BACK NEXT ROUND Manly s Kendrick Louis, who was second to Hendy in the opening round at Queenscliff, wasn t at Coolum as he was at his brother Howie s wedding. But Louis will be back in his battle for points when the third round is held at North Wollongong on December After a great start to the series at Queenscliff with a second to Jemma Smith in the ironwoman, Newport s Georgia Miller just missed the cut for the final 10 at Coolum. But she is third on the leaderboard with 140 points, 10 behind Umina s Smith, who came 13 th at Coolum, and just one behind Northcliffe s defending champion Harriet Brown. Brown bounced back on Sunday and finished second to Kurrawa s Brielle Cooper. Danielle McKenzie (Northcliffe) was third. Newport had winners in the open surf (Ollie Signorini), beach sprint (Jake Lynch) and double ski (Jayke Rees and Luke Jones). Rees partnered Jones as Mitchell Trim was in Bryron Bay for a wedding. I am good for the rest of the summer though, Trim said. I am off to Perth this weekend for the Doctor (long ski race) and then I am available for the rest of the Ocean6 series, he said. At last Max Brooks (left) on the podium for the first time and in good company with former series winner Ali Day and current Nutri Grain champion Matt Poole. Photo courtesy OCEAN6

2 JAKE FIRES UP FOR NEW ZEALAND Athlete of the Year Jake Lynch had the perfect hit out in the second round of Ocean6 at Coolum before he heads to New Zealand with the Australian team. Lynch flashed home an easy winner in the open sprint final last Sunday. He also finished third in the flags, the event he won at Queenscliff in the first round. Lynch and his Newport clubmate Blake Drysdale were the two beach specialists selected for the three Test series in the International Surf Rescue Challenge at Mount Maunganui, starting on November 30 and held over three days. Drysdale is racing the clock to be fit for the Tests after badly injuring his wrist in the flags at Queenscliff late last month. Kendrick Louis (Manly) and Georgia Miller (Newport) are also members of the Australian team. Manly s Naomi Scott and Emily Doyle will represent Australia in the International Surf Rescue Youth Challenge. Scott had yet another second in the female surf race at Coolum over the weekend. She was beaten by Maddy Dunn in the first round and this time by Claudia-Rose Slaven, from Burleigh Heads. But Scott heads the leaderboard on 176 points from Northcliffe s Dunn (155) and Megan Kreuter (121), who is also from Northcliffe. Scott missed the final of the ironwoman but Newport s Maddie Spencer joined her clubmate Georgia Miller in the last 20 on Sunday. It was a big improvement by Maddie from the first round, Newport coach Trent Herring said. Young Newport allrounder Madison Louw took on the big girls and gained third place behind Kreuter and Bonnie Hancock (Kurrawa) in the run-swim-run. Louw also finished second in the under 17 board and ironwoman events. Young Zach Morris had a big weekend. He won the under 17 board and ironman and was third in the surf. He came fifth in the open run-swim-run. Pictures: Top: Jake Lynch in sizzling form at Coolum; Below: Naomi Scott (right) in a battle with Lana Rogers (Noosa Heads) during a heat of the ironwoman.

3 WHO CAN STOP THE BANDITS Avalon Beach rowers Ashleigh Norman, Rachel Strong, Rebecca Elliott and Ellie Mackay wanted a change in competitive racing. They felt that racing in opens was not what they really wanted to do after one season together as a crew. So the girls have dropped back a division to reserves. We thought we d give it a real crack and hoped for much better results, Rachel said. The girls changed their name from the Ducks to the Bandits and also had a change of sweep. Pete Carter has taken over from Rick Millar. While we have all been rowing for several years this is only our second season together as a crew, Rachel said. It s something different having Pete as our sweep. Not that we didn t enjoy our time with Rick. But we found the competition a lot harder in As. Going back to opens is something we may look at again but we are having a lot of fun in reserves. The Bandits are also having a lot of success. They won the point score at the Bilgola carnival and were in great form again at Newport carnival last Saturday before the event was called off. The Bandits won all three races and were one of the crews to handle the edge and tricky bank at Newport. The Bandits in hot form Ashleigh Norman, Rachel Strong, Pete Carter, Rebecca Elliott and Ellie Mackay. One of the Avalon Beach new crews in action the Amigos: Picture: PAUL LEMLIN

4 NEWCOMERS ARE CERTAINLY TESTED Oscar Cowell s passion was beach sprinting. For Chris Thomas, it was surfboards. Now they have turned to rowing surfboats and had their first competitive outing with the North Steyne Tigers at the Newport carnival last Saturday. And what an experience it was for them. Oscar, who has just turned 17 but is certainly a strapping boy, said: I have been watching surfboats since I was four when I joined North Steyne as a nipper. As I have worked my way up through nippers and cadets I thought this (rowing) is something that I wanted to do. Oscar started out rowing in the bow seat on Saturday. This is my first competition and only second time in the surf. This is pretty mad stuff. I love it. Oscar spoke those words after the first two races. Chris said: When I was surfing I d see the surfboats training. I have wanted to be part of it for quite some time. I have been a member of Manly LSC for a long time and got my competition rights with North Steyne. It s a sport where there is real camaraderie and a real sense of teamsmanship, a sense of excitement and adventure and it s a way to push yourself mentally. I am well and truly green and have only been rowing for three weeks. This is my second time in the surf but the first time in the waves. I am delighted to have made it back without falling out of the boat. Now Chris spoke those words after the second race. Sweep Col Stanford was pleased with the way his crew rowed in the second race. A big improvement on the first, Col said. But all did not go so well for the Tigers in their third race. Their boat capsized and Chris split the webbing between his toes. Interesting day for the North Steyne Tigers Chris Thomas (left), Evan Tancred, Oscar Cowell, Rob Szewczak and sweep Col Stanford. The Tigers are surrounded by white water. Picture: PAUL LEMLIN

5 Photographer PAUL LEMLIN catches some of the action at the Newport boat carnival last Saturday.There were plenty of thrills and spills with the tricky Newport edge and bank. The carnival was later cancelled for safety reasons.

6 SAFETY CALL Newport boat carnival referee Ron Pomering issued this statement on why Round 2 of the SNB Boat Premiership was cancelled last Saturday. As the referee and in conjunction with intense discussions with the ESO, we asked the crews and the sweeps to look at the conditions going out to sea and coming home and they ignored our instructions. Hence, there was a lot of rollovers and injuries were increasing and we made a safety call and cancelled the carnival in the interests of all crews and competitors.