MOOLOOLABA AND PANAMUNA LEAD SUNSHINE COAST OUTRIGGER ONSLAUGHT
OUTRIGGER CANOE, February 3: Mooloolaba Outrigger Canoe Club will arrive in force for this weekend's Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (AOCRA) National Sprint Titles at Coomera Lake, Oxenford on the Gold Coast.
One of Australia's strongest and go-ahead outrigger clubs will field a host of crews under the guidance of head coaches Danny Sheard (men) and Leigh Townsend (women), noted junior coach Alan Rasmussen and newly appointed men's mentor, outstanding waterman Todd Cohen.
"Mooloolaba will have entries in every race in every division except Golden Master," said club spokeswoman Anne Brimacombe today.
"The club is especially strong in all Junior events, Senior Master Men, Senior Master Women and Master Men.
"Our Open crews are in a rebuilding season, but are always competitive. Depending on which Master Women is nominated, they will also be top contenders and we are usually strong across OC6, OC1 and OC2."
Rasmussen has spent the last decade nurturing and coaching the juniors and providing a pathway onto the senior ranks.
He will bring around 35 juniors from under 12s to under 19s to the Championships to compete in various events.
"It is so important to encourage the youth and give them the opportunity to compete in what is a very exciting sport," said Rasmussen, who has been credited with providing guidance to juniors throughout the Australian Outrigging community.
"We are determined to see Outrigger paddling in the schools and will start a pilot program in the Kawana College and Buddina State Schools and we will also host a Trans Tasman Series in September against a visiting New Zealand team.
"Next year is also a World Championship year and we want to be ready for the world stage."
Over 2000 competitors from almost every State in Australia, stretching from the Cradle Coast in Tasmania to Cairns in the north, will converge on the Gold Coast for the three-day event.
The program will feature open, masters and junior events across the V1, OC1, OC2, OC6 and the exciting V12 class.
Appropriately, all proceeds from the three-day event will go towards funding initiatives and programs to kick start the growth of the junior development in Australia.
Another Sunshine Coast Club, the Panamuna OCC has been a thriving paddling Ohana on Queensland's since 1992.
POCC still trains out of its original location in Minyama which has now been accepted by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council as ‘Outrigger Park'.
This season, Panamuna will field its youngest Open Women's crew in a decade at this weekend's National Sprint Championships.
"Steered by U19 paddler Georgia Martin, this crew has great potential and paddle power is stacked to the gunwales," says club spokeswoman Michelle Forbes.
"Stroke Hannah Rienks has only just completed her senior school years and has already proved her ability to focus on the prize when she achieved the State's top OP 1 score and was accepted directly to study Medicine at UQ in 2011.
"Sarah Fitzhenry, Mary Wickham, Kerry Hodge & Liz Campbell are all in their second competitive year paddling with POCC and their ability has quantum leaped.
"Lisa Ratana is another young gun on her way up and one of Panamuna's highest achievers, winning her first World OC1 title in 2008.
"Liz took out POCC's Most Improved Paddler award for 2010."
WHAT: National Outrigger Sprint Titles, 2011
WHEN: February 4, 5, 6, 2011
TIME: Heats from 7am every day, followed by finals
WHERE: Coomera Lake Regatta Waters, Oxenford, Gold Coast (UBD Ref Map 6 R13)
HOW TO GET THERE: Heading South - Take Exit 57 onto overpass heading inland. Turn right at the second set of lights onto Old Pacific Highway. Continue along this road heading north and take the first street on the left - Watersport Lane. Heading North - Take Exit 57 onto the Old Pacific Highway. Continue along this road north and take the first street on the left - Watersport Lane.
RACE PROGRAM: Day One - V1 and OC2 in straight 500m format; Day Two: All races in straight 500m format; Day 3: All OC6 races in turn format (on 250m marker); V12 is 500m straight.
