By RON LANE
IF ever there were members of a surf lifesaving club on the Sunshine Coast that have earned the right to, “Walk Tall and Walk Proud,” it would have to be the members of Sunshine Beach Surf Life Saving Club.
At Friday evening’s 2015/16 Surf Life Saving Sunshine Coast Awards of Excellence Dinner, 14 clubs were vying for a total of 19 major awards.
With some of Australia’s finest contesting these, the standard of the nominees was of the highest level; and at evening’s end Sunshine Beach came away with a total of five.
As if this was not enough, at the completion of the awards the club was named as third place getter for the most coveted trophy of all; the Buhks-Wilks Trophy for the Surf Club of the Year.
The winner of the trophy was Marcoola and the runner-up Mudjimba. To all three a very big well done.
The five major award winners for Sunshine were as followers. Scott Summers – Club Captain of the Year, Johanna Redwood – Coach of the Year, Brock Redwood – Rookie Coach of the Year, Craig Law – Team Manager of the Year, and Handicap Champion Club of the Year (Competition).
When we look at Sunshine’s record regarding Awards of Excellence, it is interesting to note that this is the second time Summers has taken the captains award, having first done so in the 2012/13 season.
Johanna Redwood has also for the second time, taken a major coaching award having won the Rookie of the Year in the 2014/15 season.
In competition the Handicap Club award was also won – for the second year in a row – by Sunshine.
Also at the Youth of the Year Awards held two weeks prior to Friday night’s function, Jonty Redwood of Sunshine was named Athlete of the Year.
But the biggest individual award of the year was still to come and this was also to go to a member of the Sunshine Beach Club.
For the Noosa Club, Jordan Mercer was named as the Athlete of the Year Sunshine Coast; another award well deserved. Not only has this young lady continued to win in all levels of competition but her conduct and profile away from the beach has been a great example for our youth.
The recognition of Lorraine Buhk OAM, as the Official of the Year was greeted with much applause.
This lady, who is also a life-member of her both her club, Alexander Headlands and the Sunshine Coast Branch, once again made an outstanding contribution to life saving on our coast.
She never seems to stop, and is always there to help others.
One of the most respected life saving families in Queensland, the Buhks – our major trophy the Buhk-Wilkes, is named to honor the memory of her late husband Bill Buhk and fellow life saving legend Fred Wilkes. Both men were members of the Alexandra Headlands club
On Saturday at the annual general meeting of the Surf Life Saving Sunshine Coast Branch, Bill Twigger of Sunshine Beach was awarded the highest honor of all; life-membership of the Sunshine Coast Surf Life Saving Association.
This is awarded for long service, performance of duties and leadership over many years and in the case of this life saver was well deserved.
We congratulate Bill on his being named and thank him for not only his service to life saving on the Sunshine Coast, but also for his unselfish and outstanding contribution to the community at large.
In his report tabled at the meeting, president John Thorpe said: “A price can never be placed on the human element of this organisation. It is the heart and soul of Surf Life Saving and the very culture of how we get things done”.
And to the members: “No matter how big or small your contribution, each and every one counts”.
Well the unbelievable has happened. For the sixth time Noosa’s Jordan Mercer has won the Molaki-Oahu World Paddleboard Championship in Hawaii.
Conducted over a distance of 52km in windless, flat, hot conditions, Jordan won in a time of 5.32:41, and in second place was Elizabeth Pluimers from the Gold Coast in a time of 5.52:47.
In the men’s division paddling in the STKM category, Noosa’s Lachie Lansdown finished second in a time of 5.12:23. with the winner Stewart Lachlan home in 5.05:41.
For this 20-year-old young clubbie this was a great effort.
To Jordan and Lachie, once again you did Noosa proud.
