MOOLOOLABA'S SURPRISE OUTRIGGER WIN IN HOME WATERS
OUTRIGGER CANOE, May 14: Host club Mooloolaba surprised even themselves with a stirring gold medal paddle in today's Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (AOCRA) open men's long course OC6 National Championship.
The Mooloolaba crew, paddling a new Bradley imported canoe from Canada for the first time, proved too strong for pre-race favourites Outrigger Australia (Currumbin Creek) and NSW State Champions Cronulla in the 22 kilometre race ocean racing event.
Before the race Mooloolaba team captain and Mooloolaba's Mentor coach Todd Cohen admitted he was far from confident against a host of more experienced crews.
After a neck-and-neck battle with Outrigger Australia through the first half of the race, south towards Moffat Beach it was clear that the home town crew meant business.
They took a different tack ton Outrigger, deciding to paddle further out to sea on the way down and even further out on the paddle north.
The tactics paid off as Mooloolaba led by 30 seconds at the half-way mark and increased their lead on the paddle back around Point Cartwright and into Mooloolaba Bay as they mastered the conditions and to win by over two minutes.
Cohen praised his crew, especially rookie steerer Kurtis Reeder, who only celebrated his 17th birthday during the week.
"Kurtis did an outstanding job and steered us around the ocean like a seasoned campaigner," said Cohen.
"It was an outstanding effort for his first time in open competition and there is no doubt he has a very bright future in the sport.
"But all the boys dug deep and the boat went like a dream. There will be some celebrations tonight that's for sure."
The official team photo taken after the win only featured five of the six paddlers, Cohen, Reeder, Rhys Davies, Bryson Kelly, Klint Grabbe.
Missing was popular paddler Ray Chong, who received a phone call moments after arriving back on shore after almost two hours at sea, to say that his pregnant partner Jo had actually gone into labour while he was paddling.
"Gotta go boys....there's going to be more to celebrate than just the win," said Chong as he jumped in his car and drove to a Sunshine Coast hospital.
Outrigger Australia, with seasoned waterman Chris Maynard at the helm, hung on to second place with the dogged Cronulla crew, steered by Clint Roberts, grabbing a podium finish, just ahead of the fast-finishing Mooloolaba Senior Masters crew and the Sunset Bay club from Mackay.
Meanwhile there was controversy in the open women's race when original winners Surfers Paradise were disqualified for not 
being in uniform racing vests, leaving officials with no alternative but to award the gold medal to Outrigger Australia, with Brisbane Outrigger second and Townsville third.
AOCRA president Trish Johnston admitted the governing body were left with no choice but to disqualify the Surfers Paradise crew.
"We made it quite clear to all the clubs in the lead up to the Championships that they had to comply with the instruction for all crew members to be dressed in uniform attire," said Johnston.
"In our discussions with the Surfers Paradise crew, they admitted they knew what the rules were."
In other events, Outrigger Australia's Young Guns crew, with Peter Dorries at the helm were first across the line in the very competitive 10km short course event that saw the open men's gold medal awarded to Cradle Coast from Tasmania from Fraser Coast (Qld) and Caloundra (Qld).
The women's open short course race went to Brisbane River Dragons from Surfers Paradise and Mooloolaba.
Results Day One
2011 National OC6 Marathon Outrigger Canoe Championships: Mooloolaba:
Men:
Open: 22km: 1. Mooloolaba (QLD) 2. Outrigger Australia (QLD) 3. Cronulla (NSW).10km: 1. Cradle Coast (TAS) 2. Fraser Coast (QLD) 3. Mooloolaba (QLD).
60yrs+: 22km: Noosa (QLD).
55yrs+: 22km: Burleigh Point (QLD).
50yrs+: 22km: 1. Mooloolaba (QLD) 2. Te Ika Nui (NSW) 3. Hervey Bay (QLD).
40yrs +: 22km: 1. Coffs Coast (NSW) 2. Brisbane River Dragon (QLD) 3. Mooloolaba (QLD).
Novice: 10km: 1. Port Hacking (NSW) 2. Brisbane 3. Northcliffe (QLD).
Young Guns: 10km: 1. Outrigger Australia (QLD) 2. Mooloolaba (QLD).
Women:
Open: 18km: 1. Outrigger Australia (QLD) 2. Brisbane (QLD) Townsville (QLD). 10km:1. Brisbane River Dragon (QLD) 2. Surfers Paradise (QLD) 3. Mooloolaba (QLD).
55yrs+: 18km: 1. Northcliffe (QLD) 2. Noosa (QLD).
45 yrs+: 18km: 1. Mooloolaba A(QLD) Mooloolaba B (QLD) Brisbane (QLD). 10km: 1. Cronulla (NSW) 2. Brisbane River Dragons (QLD) 3. Panamuna (QLD).
35yrs+: 18km: 1. Coffs Coast (NSW) 2. Mooloolaba (QLD) 3. Brisbane River Dragons (QLD). 10km: 1. Noosa (QLD) 2. Tweed Coast (NSW) 3. Koa Kai (NSW). Novice: 10km: 1. Brisbane (QLD) 2. Caloundra (QLD) 3. Bundaberg (QLD).
Mixed: 10km: 1. Port Macquarie (NSW) 2. Coffs Coast (NSW) 3. Panamuna (QLD)
ENDS....