Laura Taylor turns Commonwealth Games silver into Aussie surf teams gold

 

Surf Life Saving Australia, April 18, 2017: Super swimmer Laura Taylor turned a Commonwealth Games silver medal into a golden double at the Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships at Scarborough Beach today.

Taylor, a product of the club’s Nipper program, dashed across the country after finishing her Commonwealth Games commitments to join the Northcliffe surf lifesaving team and made the most of her trip in a golden hour in the surf.

Just over a week after finishing second to Alys Thomas of Wales in the 200m butterfly, the 18-year-old from the TSS Aquatic program and coach Chris Nesbitt, was the cornerstone of a Northcliffe winning double in the open and under-19 surf teams finals.

It continues a love affair with Scarborough for Taylor, who won the under-15 surf race the last time the Aussies were held in the West in 2014.

The Northcliffe men matched the double with victory in the corresponding events, with Bailey Armstrong leading the way by crossing the line first in both races to make it a winning start to the champion club’s Aussies campaign.

Taylor and Northcliffe’s first gold came in the under-19 final that saw her match strokes with Manly’s Naomi Scott at the front of the field, with Scott crossing the finish line just in front.

Taylor’s second-place finish combined with the efforts of Tahlia Kollen, Imogen Rees and Olivia Corrin to give Northcliffe a comfortable win in the points-based race, ahead of Wanda and the Kurrawa.

Doubling up in the open surf teams final, Taylor was sixth across the line, two places behind the team’s leading swimmer, Courtney Hancock, and one ahead of Harriet Brown.

With Maddy Dunn not far behind in 13th place, Northcliffe finished clearly ahead of Noosa Heads, with Kurrawa again third

In the men’s races, Armstrong was unstoppable, although a nasty stumble in a hole near the finish of the open race could have proved disastrous.

What looked an ugly fall seemed to have no effect on the lanky swimmer who was still able to bounce up and cross the line ahead of teammate Shannon Eckstein, with Caine Eckstein in fourth.

However, with fourth swimmer Lucas Allan placing 20th, there was a nervous wait for the Northcliffe quartet as the sums were done to see if they had won. In the end they were three points ahead of second-placed Newport, with Surfers Paradise third.

The victory continues a mammoth winning run for the Shannon Eckstein-led open surf team, which is unbeaten since 2006, with the Ironman champion the one constant member.

In the under-19 final, Armstrong led home clubmates Mitchell Coombes, Toby Wilson and Riley Clout to defeat the club’s B team and City of Perth.

Meanwhile Maroochydore had a golden start to the open championships with three wins yesterday – including two gold medals to Under 17 star Tiarnee Massie.

They struck gold with gun open water swimmer Hayden Cotter adding the under 17 surf race to his win in the Under 17 2km Ocean Swim.

Cotter, an Australian open water champion, who clocked the fastest 2km time of the Championships will also have a crack at the Open surf race where he will run into defending champion from Ollie Signorini (Newport) and Under 19 champion Nick Sloman, now with Noosa.

He will also line up in under 17 ironman and the Maroochydore Under 17 Taplin Relay and surf teams.

While the club’s great history in surf teams swimming continued with gold in the Under 17s to Tiarnee Massie, Summer Short, Sarah McGrath and Phoebe Wills-Grace while Tiarnee combined with cousin Jenaya Massie and Alicia Fay to win the under 17 surf teams.

Maroochydore claimed the surf teams, ahead of North Bondi and fewllow Sunshine Coast club, Sunshine Beach and the ski relay ahead of Newport and Northcliffe.

Northcliffe also found success in the Champion Lifesaver, with Jack Moore winning the under-19 gold medal ahead of Alexandra Headland pair Corey Cumner and Corey Linton.

Alexandra Headland took the double in the open Champion Lifesaver events, with Michael White winning ahead of clubmate Bradley Doughan, with Northcliffe’s Lucas Allan in third.

Kate Thornton came out on top for the Sunshine Coast club in the open women’s event, beating Newport’s Phoebe Savage and City of Perth’s Talia Jakubans.

Ironwoman Jemma Smith (Umina) took out the under-19 female gold medal ahead of Elizabeth Rudland (Tweed Heads & Coolangatta) and Umina clubmate Mollie Murphy.

Umina also won the under-17 female Champion Lifesaver event, with Kirsten Miller beating Sarah McGrath (Maroochydore) and Emily Thornton (Queenscliff).

The male under-17 gold medal went to Maroochydore’s Ruben Zikarsky ahead of Ben Regan (Mooloolaba) and Joe Jenkins (North Steyne).

AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFESAVIG CHAMPIONSHIPS, Scarborough Beach WA, Open Competition, DAY 1:

Male

Open:

Champion Lifesaver: M White (Alex), B Doughan (Alex), L  Allan (N’cliffe). Surf teams: Northcliffe , Newport, Surfers Paradise

Under 19: Champion lifsaverJ Moore (N’cliffe), C Cumner (Alex), C Linton (Alex). U17: R Zikarsky (Maroochy), B Regan (Mool), J Jenkins (N Steyne). Surf teams: Northcliffe A, Northcliffe B, City of Perth.

 

Under 17: Surf race: H Cotter (Maroochy) Z Morris (Newport), H Came (Cronulla)

Female

Open: Champion Lifesaver K Thornton (Alex), P Savage (N’port), Talia Jakubans (City). Surf Teams: Northcliffe, Noosa, Kurrawa.

 

U19: J Smith (Umina), E Rudland (TH&C), M Murphy (Umina). U17: K Miller (Umina), Sarah McGrath (Maroochy) E Thornton (Queens). Surf teams: Northcliffe, Wanda, Kurrawa              

 

Under 17: Surf Teams: Maroochydore, North Bondi, Sunshine  Beach. Ski Relay: Maroocjydore, Newport, Nothcliffe,

 

Mixed

Open: Surf boat relay: Palm Beach (NSW), Avoca Beach, Currumbin.

 

PHOTOS:
1. Northcliffe's women's winning open surf teams (L-R) Maddy Dunn, Courtney Hancock, Laura Taylor, Harriet Brown
2.Open men's surf teams start with Caine Eckstein in the middle (cap with maroon star)

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia
Ian Hanson
Hanson Media Group
M: 0407 385 160
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Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia Managing Director
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