Sunshine Beach Surf Lifesaving Club is going from strength to strength. Recently, Electra Outram really put her club on note by becoming the first female to win a major interstate Iron Woman Event. Competing against the best in the country, her performance was truly outstanding: and all indications are that this is just the start of what could be a great career.
With a very good and positive coaching panel, one that not only could produce future champions, but also one that believes in the importance creating a great culture from within the ranks, the season ahead has the potential to produce, one of their best competitive seasons ever.
To ensure that their core business of beach patrolling is still number one, the club is in the process of organising another Bronze Medallion Course at Sunshine Beach. To get the ball rolling the course starts with an Information Night, Monday 3 February, 6pm-7.30pm. This will be followed by an assembly Wednesday 5 February at Noosa Aquatic Centre.
This will be just the start of the training program: a program that will take them through to their final assessment Sunday 23 February at 8am. If interested, the first requirements are to be 15 years of age, become a financial member and easily cover a 400m pool swim.
For further information regarding registration, call 0448 120 337. Spaces are limited, so don’t miss out on this chance to help make a difference in the community.
Over the hill at the Noosa club, there is a 21-year-old senior who has been with Noosa since joining as a U9 nipper. His name is Kai Thompson and because his big love is beach events, he and other beachies get little publicity: despite winning at state and national level.
‘’The first time I competed at the Australian Titles was in the U14 and I won the bronze medal. However, the next season as a U15 competing at Perth in the Aussies, I won both the sprint and the flags. Leading up to these, I have also won medals in the sprints and flags, in various state titles.”
Then when contesting the U19 flags at the Australian Titles, he again won gold. Then, last season on moving up a division to contest the toughest competition of all, the Opens, he finished 4th in the flags. Definitely a great performance. However, his dedication and self-discipline has certainly paid dividends: as his medal count, through the many seasons of State and National competition, have shown.
Perhaps one of Kai favourite competitions of the year is the Super Surf Teams League. This is made up of four Queensland Teams, four teams from NSW, two teams from South Australia, two teams from West Australia, two teams from Victoria, one from Tasmania and one team from California.
“You are selected on the team to perform your chosen category ski, swim board or beach, with one male and female for each category, making it a team of 8. It took place in Wanda, over the same weekend as the Iron Series. Two days of back-to -back, high level of competition, and great atmosphere.”
For Kai he had two solid days with a 2nd in the flags and 6th in the sprints on day one and 1st in the flags and 8th in the sprints in day 2. “My team the Marlins, finished 4th after the two days. A very big thank you to Surf Life Saving Qld for the trip: without it, it wouldn’t have been possible. Also, a big thank you to Nat and Swanny and the rest of the coaching crew.
Recently the Noosa Club took their beachies down to compete in Manly Shaw and Partners Summer of Surf events: a competition within a big series, with races all over Australia. Despite being ill with influenza, Kai competed taking 2nd in the flags and 4th in the sprint: again, showing his attitude of never giving up.
But all this success did not come easy. Kai went through a time when there was no coaching available at Noosa for top beach competitors. This was resolved when Kai travelled down to the Gold Coast on Friday evening to train under the legendary flags coach Simon Harris: he would then return to Noosa late Sunday afternoon.
Since leaving school, Kai has been working with his father as a chippie. Other than beach events, his other passion is Downwind Foiling. Last year he went over to Hawaii for the month of July to race in the Molokai to Oahu Downwind World Championships. This year he intends to once again try this tough event.
“Downwind racing, a sport that is really starting to take off, is considered by many to be the pinnacle of ocean racing: where you utilize, the wind and the swell, travelling with it as fast as you can.” In the last three years people have started to move away from the more traditional Downwind styles, like sup and surf ski and moving towards the hydro foil: this category is growing exponentially.
The equipment consists of a board that is about 8ft long and 17 inches wide. Attached is the mast that connects to the foil, that functions same as an aeroplane wing, where speed generates lift. The racing aspects of all sports is what pushes it to develop and grow, with races now starting to popup all over the world.
With a Foil club being formed on the Sunshine Coast, it is only natural that our young Kai Thompson should join. “I am still heavily involved in lifesaving and use it as a great base of training. I have grown up doing Surf Life Saving, and I believe that even if you don’t compete, surf lifesaving is truly great for developing ocean skills and learning how to connect with people from all around Australia.”
With Foil sponsorship such as Cloud IX, plus the backing, and support of the Noosa Surf club, (who are providing this water warrior with the best training), anything is possible. So far Kai’s venture into this relative new sport, has seen him visit such places as Hawaii and France. Good luck to Kai and family.
