LAURA NOT SHORT ON COURAGE

March 12: Queenscliff's Laura Shorter (pictured in action left in pink) has dedicated the successful defence of her Australian open women's beach sprint championship yesterday to the memory of her late club mate Saxon Bird.

Shorter maintained her extraordinary 12-month unbeaten record with a determined dash across the sand, wearing the name of her late club mate and good friend taped to her arm.

"Saxon would have wanted a gold medal so I went out and won this for him," said Shorter, who was cheered on by her Queenscliff team mates. "We were so close and I just had to get in there and do it for him today."

Shorter and her coach Michael Gedz have spent the past 10 months, three times a week, preparing for her title defence. "She's a great girl and we have been through so much together - she so deserves this win, she has done so much work and she and Saxon were very close," said Gedz. "Laura has chalked up 13 wins in what has been a remarkable season."