LEONARD’S WINNING RETURN TO ‘HIS’ BEACH April 4, 2008
SCARBOROUGH BEACH WA: Defending national iron man champion Pierce Leonard is aiming to make Perth’s Scarborough Beach his own at this week’s 2008 UBD Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships.
Leonard achieved the biggest win of his career at Scarborough 12 months ago when he outraced the cream of the country’s elite surf lifesavers to win the Australian championship.
Yesterday, the Northcliffe, Qld, star returned to the scene of his triumph and cruised through the first two rounds of the iron man.
“I was a little nervous being the defending champion but once you start racing that goes away,” the 21-year-old said.
“This beach seems to suit me because I do a lot of endurance training at home and you need that type of fitness here because you don’t get much help from the surf.
“Hopefully I can repeat last year’s win and make this known as my beach.”
All of the main contenders for Leonard’s crown made it through the opening rounds of the iron man.
In-form Zane Holmes (Northcliffe), who has dominated iron man racing this season, was untroubled in qualifying for today’s semi-final when he expects to increase the pace of his racing.
“I was just happy to coast this morning but I know I will have to step up the pace in every race all the way to the final,” Holmes said yesterday.
Holmes was beaten to the line in round one by 38-year-old Dean Mercer of Mooloolaba, Qld, who set a cracking pace in the final swim leg.
“At my age you have to limit your races so I ‘m only doing the iron man here this week,” the two-time national champion said.
“That’s why I went so hard today because you need a tough hit-out and I don’t have the other events to do that in.”
The qualifiers for today’s semi-finals are:
Race 1 – Daniel Moodie (Northcliffe), Andrew Mosel (Cottesloe), Wes Berg (Burleigh Heads/Mowbray Park), Dean Mercer, Luke Richmond (Southport), Hayden Smith (North Burleigh), Phil Clayton (Kurrawa), Mark Simpson (Cronulla), Nathan Smith (Cronulla), Daniel Shade (Kurrawa), Corey Jones (Met Caloundra), Pierce Leonard, Ryan Lysaught (North Burleigh), Thomas Trembath (North Burleigh), Luke Nisbet (Burleigh Head/Mowbray Park), Stuart Snell (Northcliffe).
Race 2 – Drew Cairncross (Bulli), Jack Hansen (Mooloolaba), Wade Kreiger (Burleigh Heads/Mowbray Park), Dylan Newbiggin (Mooloolaba), Kyle Garrett (Mooloolaba), Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe), Matt Poole (Northcliffe), Jonathan Stock (Manly), Brendon Sarson (Cottesloe), Cameron Cole (Mooloolaba), Zane Holmes, Hugh Dougherty (Burleigh Heads/Mowbray Park), Hayden Allum (Wanda), Tim Peach (Mooloolaba), Chris Allum (Cronulla), James Stewart (North Burleigh).
JUNIORS FLOOD SCARBOROUGH BEACH AT 2008 UBD AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Australia’s finest junior surf lifesavers have flooded Scarborough beach, with increased competitors in the U15 and U17 ranks making for long days of competition.
But they’re not complaining – they have all come here to compete and have fun, so going from event to event is just all part of the job.
The number of junior competitors has continued to grow nationally, with more and more nippers coming right through the ranks and continuing on into the U15 and U17 divisions.
Surf Life Saving Australia’s Director of Surf Sports, Dave Thompson, said it is extremely pleasing to see so many juniors getting out and being active.
“The forecasts for entries this year, as a whole, have exceeded our expectations. To see such great numbers in our Under15 and Under17’s is really great,” he said.
“We have some great programs and initiatives happening right around the country including the development camps and SLSA endorsed coaching clinics.
“These programs in particular are really targeted at our Under 13, Under 14 and U15 competitors and we are really starting to see some great results and a strong growth in competitors in these age divisions.
“When the Board of Surf Sports decided to reintroduce to the ski events in the U17 age division, that gave a big boost to our younger membership and has certainly been a good incentive for competitors to stay involved in the sport, by providing more events to participate in,” he said.
Surf Life Saving Australia‘s talent ID program now provides the opportunity for U15 and U17 competitors to participate in High Performance programs and present a clear pathway for athletes.
The strong growth in the junior ranks highlights the overall building of surf sports across the country.
RESULTS:
2008 UBD Australian Surf Life Saving Championships: Scarborough Beach WA: Day 2: Finals: Male: Open: Surf Board Relay: Northcliffe A, Queenscliff A, North Burleigh A. U19 Yrs: Surf Board Relay: Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park A, Warilla / Barrack Point Black, Currumbin Beach A. U17 Yrs: Surf Board Relay: Terrigal B, North Burleigh A, Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park A. U15 Yrs: Cameron Relay: Manly A, Redhead A, Cronulla A. Surf Board Relay: Cronulla A, Redhead A, Manly Blue.
Female: Open: Surf Belt: B Sharkey (Bulli) E Van Gysen (Northcliffe) L Mahoney (North Cronulla) R Creedy (Met Caloundra) Rescue Tube Rescue: Alexandra Headland Alex Gold, Northcliffe A, Cottesloe A. U19 Yrs: Rescue Tube Rescue: Alexandra Headland Alex Gold, Manly Blue, Trigg Island A. U17 Yrs: Surf Board Relay: Kurrawa Team1, Alexandra Headland Alex Gold, Warilla / Barrack Point Black. U15 Yrs: Cameron Relay: Alexandra Headland 1, Mooloolaba 2, Copacabana A. Surf Board Relay: Mooloolaba A, Copacabana, Cronulla A.
Mixed: Open: Restricted Surf: N Smith (Cronulla) S Eckstein (Northcliffe) P Clayton (Kurrawa) Single Ski Relay: Northcliffe A, Maroochydore 1, Kurrawa U19 Yrs: Single Ski Relay: Burnie Burnie A, Warilla / Barrack Point Black, Northcliffe A. First Aid: Picnic Bay 1, Mullaloo Mullaloo, Dicky Beach 1. U17 Yrs: Surf Belt: L Swann (Alexandra Headland) S Carlton (Ocean Grove) Z Abdallaoui (Cronulla) First Aid: Noosa Heads 1, Picnic Bay 1, Dicky Beach 1.
Progressive Club Pointscore: Alexandra Headland 98 Northcliffe 92 North Burleigh 64 Cronulla 62 Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park 56 Manly 54 Mooloolaba 48 Terrigal 39 Swansea Belmont 38 Noosa Heads 38
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