OUTRIGGING RELIEF FOR SPIRIT OF BRISBANE

OUTRIGGER CANOE, February 6: The spirit that has brought Brisbane together through the worst floods on record shone through on the calm waters of Coomera Lake at Oxenford over the weekend.

The Brisbane Outriggers were dominant force in the open women's division over the three-day AOCRA National Outrigger Sprint Championships, which attracted 2000 paddlers from around Australia to the Gold Coast.

The Brisbane crews won seven gold medals despite having a disrupted preparation with their Bulimba training base shut down by the raging Brisbane River flood waters.

The club was forced to split their training between Manly, Northcliffe and Currumbin Creek, home of Australia's oldest club, Outrigger Australia - in between mopping up sessions with the "Mud Army".

They relied on a combination of swimming, surf ski paddling, personal gym sessions and a passion for paddling to steer them to the line in a busy weekend of racing.

Outstanding individual paddler Kathryn East led the way winning the women's OC1 and OC2 (with Mei Tuicolo) and the Mixed OC2 with Chad Raines as well as a key member of Brisbane's winning OC6 500 and the OC6 1500m crews, with Emma Buosi (steerer), Antje Voeller, Lyanne Seeto, Wendy Seeto and Mei Tuioto.

Coach, steerer, mentor and Australian Platinum (over 60s) champion Pam Prescott revealed just what a relief it was for the Brisbane paddlers to get to race at the National Championships.

"So many of our members were affected one way or another by the floods and everyone has pitched in to help those families that were doing it tough," said Prescott.

"We had to transport our boats out of the club house and on to higher ground to protect them until we can get back on the River.

"Racing has been a great relief for all of us and the outrigging community has come out in force to lend a hand - in our sport family comes first and the spirit that has bound this club together certainly shone through over the weekend.

"Many of the girls in particular have only been paddling for two or three years and some have graduated from novice to open class in 12 months - it's a credit to the club and all the paddlers."

While Brisbane Outriggers dominated the women's it was the Brisbane River Dragons crew that chimed in with their first gold medal of the weekend in today's Men's Open OC6 1500m.