OUTRIGGER AUSTRALIA CHASING NATIONAL OC6 QUINELLA
OUTRIGGER CANOE, May 12: Currumbin Creek's Outrigger Canoe Club of Australia has thrown down the gauntlet to the country's best crews in the build up to Saturday's 2011 Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association's (AOCRA) National Marathon OC6 Titles at Mooloolaba.
Mike Murray, Outrigger's experienced captain-coach and one of Surf Life Saving's foremost board and ski paddlers, believes the Outrigger club can dominate the podium in the prestigious 22km Long Course Division.
"It won't be easy but it is not an unrealistic goal to suggest we can claim a 1-2 finish in the open men's division," says Murray.
"We will be missing a couple of outstanding kayak, canoe and ski paddlers, like Olympians Tate Smith and Peter Scott and outrigger specialist Travis Grant.
"But such is the depth in our club ranks that we have been able to replace those guys with some equally talented paddlers.
"There is no doubt that teams from Mooloolaba, Northcliffe and NSW champions Cronulla will be amongst the leading clubs to beat, while there has been some talk that Sunset Bay from Mackay will also be right up there."
Outrigger's number one crew will be steered by champion Currumbin Surf Club waterman, lifeguard and ski paddler Chris Maynard, who is rated as one of Australia's finest outrigger paddlers.
Maynard will have Murray, Northcliffe's former Australian single ski champion Nick Crilly, another former Northcliffe paddler Beau O'Brien, champion open water board paddler Aaron Bitmead and another ski champion in Robert Pade in his engine room.
The club's number two team will be steered by Maynard's 18-year-old son Jackson, who has adopted his father's prowess for water sports after he finished second in the Under 19 ironman final at this year's Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at Kurrawa.
Joining Maynard Jnr in the second crew will be experienced paddlers Rob Pommie, Dylan Magee, Adam Fisher, Brett Williams and Todd Murray while club junior coach and former Ironman and ski paddler Pete Dorries will steer Outriggers third crew, made up of Dave Dempsey, Steve Puccini, Benny Cahill, Chris Chamberlain and Lee Wilkinson.
NSW Champions Cronulla will be looking to challenge the leading Queensland crews after their dominant season in Sydney which included the State gold medal at Gunnamatta Bay in March.
The crew that also won the Port Stephens changeover race, will be steered by Clint Roberts who will be joined by Phil Bagnall, David Bova, Grant Olufson, Rod Wyse and Steve Tatham.
Club spokesman Steve Whippy said his Cronulla crew had braved the early onset of cold weather in Sydney to prepare for their tilt at the National titles.
"It's been pretty cold down here on the Bay and I know the boys have been training in their ‘long johns' and are looking forward to some nice weather in Queensland," said Whippy.
"But they believe they will be right in the mix and have set their sights on winning the club's first National title or at least finishing on the podium."
Meanwhile host club, Mooloolaba will be spearheaded by one of Australia's finest outrigger paddlers in Todd Cohen, who will be joined by his flatmates in Ray Chong and former triathlete Rhys Davies along with Bryson Kelly, Klint Grabbe and emerging youngster Kurtis Reeder who has been brought into the steerer's seat.
"I thought it was time to give young Kurtis a crack - he's a good steerer who I'm sure will step up to the task," said Cohen.
"Realistically it is going to be hard for us to match it with the Outrigger crews who should dominate the race along with Cronulla, who have been dominating events in Sydney."
National coach Chris Kelly will be part of the Sunset Bay crew from Mackay despite moving from Far North Queensland to the Sunshine Coast this year and word is they could well emerge as a dark horse.
Meanwhile AOCRA selectors will keep a close eye on this weekend's results with two representative teams for men and women to represent Team Australia at the popular Vaka Eiva event in Rarotonga, Cook Islands in November to be announced.
EVENTS SCHEDULE
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Short Course
Start time: 9.00am
Categories: (Novice Women, Novice Men, Young Guns Women, Young Guns Men, Open Women, Open Men, Open Mixed, Master Women, Master Men, Senior Master Women, Senior Master Men, Golden Master Women, Golden Master Men, Platinum Women, Platinum Men) - 10km
Long Course - Women
Start time: 10:30am
Categories: (Open, Master, Senior Master, Golden Master & Platinum) - 18km
Long Course - Men
Start Time: 12:30pm
Categories: (Open, Master, Senior Master, Golden Master & Platinum) - 22km
Sunday, 15 May 2011
Junior's and Age racing starts from 8:00am
U12 - 3km
U14 - 5km
U16 - 10km
U19 - 16km
Senior Mixed (Open, Master & Senior Master*) - 16km
* Golden Master or Platinum Master crews wishing to nominate in the Mixed 16km race should nominate as Senior Master via the AOCRA site, but make note of the preferred division in the 'Notes' section. If three or more crews are nominated, medals will be presented.