By RON LANE
THE hot weather last weekend drew big crowds to our local clubs, and happy to say our visitors both local and tourists returned to their homes safe and sound.
On Friday morning at North Burleigh, those clubbies respectfully referred to as the Masters, gathered, to contest the Queensland State Championships.
In what coaches described as testing, surf Sunshine and Noosa both contested the Masters. With only a small team of six ladies and two men, Sunshine did extremely well to come home with a total of 18 medals. This was one of the smallest teams in the carnival and their results speak for themselves.
For Noosa, a big club which entered one of their biggest teams ever, their results were exceptional. They finished the day with a total of 49 medals. This tally saw them finish in second place overall in the state behind Alexandra Headlands.
It is good to see our two clubs contest these events as it gives our golden oldies a competitive interest in their club.
With so many young guns coming up through the ranks, the presence of the older members is of the utmost importance because in a good club they can often serve as a steadying influence.
So even though Sunshine Beach is a small club, the Masters presence is vital and necessary in the club’s future.
In the U/17 to Opens category held over the weekend, Sunshine again went well, finishing with nine medals; two gold, three silver and four bronze. Perhaps, the most pleasing aspect of their results was the fact that the majority of their medals were team events; in particular the taplin and the swim. This gives a good indication as to the depth of good members coming through the ranks.
To achieve such results, plus their results in the champion life saver and the patrol competition, contested last month, speaks volumes for the all-round standard of the club. Congratulations to all involved.
Noosa once again fielded a big team and their effort gave their club the best results ever; finishing the titles with eight gold, nine silver and eight bronze. Head coach Darren Mercer said, “I am really proud to see everybody working together as a team, and this includes the parents.”
The final overall tally in a field of 53 clubs saw Noosa finish in sixth place and Sunshine Beach in eight. This is definitely very pleasing for both. When you take into consideration that these are the two clubs that are responsible for the beach safety of tourists who visit two of the most popular beaches in the state, it gives you a nice warm feeling.
For Noosa there is the attraction of being a nice safe family beach and over at Sunshine you have the open beach concept; this can give the surfer great body surfing and board riding. Everything the tourist can desire.
Let us hope that those in the tourism industry appreciate this and acknowledge the standard and the vital role that the lifesavers of today play in their industry. No lifesavers, no safety, no mums and dads.
Apart from the medal count, there have been two major points of interest. One is the fact that the performance of the U/17 age group in both clubs has been outstanding. The other is that the Noosa U/23 boat crew won the gold medal, thus keeping alive the tradition of boats in the club that was started way back in 1949.
Last week, family, friends and representatives of the business and sporting communities, gathered to bid a sad farewell to Robert Henry Borger, affectionately known to one and all as Bob. On behalf of the Life Members and members of the Noosa Heads Surf Life Saving Club, I extend our heartfelt sympathy to his family.
Some years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Bob, when as club president I had the privilege of receiving Bob’s company Viridian as our major patrol sponsor.
Apart from the business side, this quiet, soft spoken man and I became good friends. As the Life Governor of the Noosa club and above all your club mate, your company was our pleasure. Gone but not forgotten.
