By Jo Searle
Last weekend Noosa Outrigger Canoe Club had 20 crews racing at the Bell’s Beach, Clontarf regatta hosted by Scarborough Outrigger Canoe Club. What a great day it was.
Beautiful blue, sunny skies and a relatively calm bay welcomed everyone with the first race at 7.30am.
The men’s 10km long course was the first to hit out, and Noosa teams set a benchmark for the day with Team Bensted placing first in the Golden Master Men’s division in a time of 50 minutes 17 seconds. Noosa’ two other Golden Master Men crews, Bullsharks and Team Dinsey placed third and fifth in respective times of 53:28 and 54:15.
In the strongly contested Master Men division, Noosa’s Team Rocco placed third in 49:06 and Team Bodo was fourth in 49.44. Our Platinum Men, the only over 70’s crew to race, crossed the line in 59:39.
The women’s OC1 and OC2 10km long course race set off soon after the men’s race. Noosa’s Manu and Cath McKee took Line Honours and won the Senior Master OC2 division in 58:51. Then Nicola Cameron took Line Honours, in only her second OC1 race ever, and won the Senior Master Women’s OC1 division in 1:07:28.
The next race for Noosa crews was the women’s 10km long course with all Noosa teams finishing strongly. Team Phillis won the Senior Master Women’s division and crossed the line second in the full field of number crews in 55.30. Team Irving placed third in the Senior Master Women’s division in 58:36, very well placed against the 14 contesting teams in their age division.
In the Master Women’s division, Noosa’s crew finished first in 55.55 and the Golden Master Women’s crew placed third in their division in a time of 1:01:41.
The men’s OC1 and OC2 10km long course race set off soon after the women’s race had started. Noosa’s Simon Currie placed first in the Golden Master Men’s division in 1:05:27.
Next up our NOCC Juniors Adler, Liv, Ry, Jett, Sam and Jasper had a great day of racing.
“They all stepped up and worked with other juniors from our zone so that everyone got the opportunity to race, which is what it’s all about.“ said Juniors coach Flea White. “I’m so stoked they got amongst it and it all helps towards building better friendships and paddling skills into the future“.
Liv, Adler and Ry joined Fraser Coast to win U12’s. Jasper and Sam helped out Bayside coming 1st in U16 and Jett helped out Fraser Coast placing 2nd in U16. Congrats to Jett and Ry for your first Outrigger Canoe races!
The last races of the day were the 5km short course, with a little more breeze and slight chop in the bay to add some interest. Firstly the men’s race with Noosa’s Platinum Master Men finishing in 37.00.
In the women’s race, Noosa teams again placed well in the overall field of 23 teams. Novice Women Team Hegarty was third over the line and won the Novice division in 34:44 and the Senior Master Women’s team were fourth over the line and first in their division in 35.44.
Noosa’s Master Women’s crew were sixth over the line and second in their division in 37:39 and Novice Women Team Bluementals was eighth over the line and second in their division in 38:24. The Platinum Master Women’s crew, the only over 70’s crew to contest this race, finished in 43:34.
The final race of the day was the Mixed 5km short course. Three Noosa teams contested this event with Senior Master Mixed Team Brown crossing the line in fourth position overall and winning their age division in 32:53. Senior Master Mixed Team Lawrence finished in 38:16 and the Golden Master Mixed team finished fourth in their division in a time of 36:28.
Overall, a great day was had by all. In amongst all of the racing there was camaraderie and dancing with the Noosa ladies taking centre stage!
Now we all.turn our attention to the Noosa Outrigger Regatta on Saturday 5 December in Laguna Bay. Teams from across the South Queensland Zone will be here to contest the ocean races. You can catch the action from Main Beach and the National Park headland.
For more information or to come and try please go to our website www.noosaoutriggers.com.au
