The Coolangatta Gold is probably the second most prestigious surf lifesaving event on the Australian calendar outside of Carnival Nationals. I flew up to the Gold Coast with Tim J on Sat 18th October. I would be competing for the NSW Freshwater lifesaving club team in a 5 part event. I would kick things off on Sunday morning with a 23km paddle leg from Surfers Paradise to Coolangatta Beach. I was in with a great team of youngsters, including Tim and Ben Kirkby who completed the board paddle and run legs respectively. Parents, Mike and Joe did a great job at getting us to and from our respective start and finish points.


My race began with my paddle blade connecting with the boat alongside me, which slowed me down sufficiently to perfectly time the shore break wave that swallowed me whole. Thereafter I spent the following 22km of the race climbing way up through the field to eventually finish in 4th place, just seconds behind third. For my first race ever in a spec ski, I had a great time and what a super way to get a feel for the Gold Coast.

Our team competed well and although we lost a few places in the swim and board paddle legs, we finished strong in 10th place overall. Tim Jacobs team took top honours after Tim put them in pole position after a strong paddle on his part, giving the team a head start, a lead of minutes on the rest of the field.

The Lion Island Challenge saw a record number of more than 250 paddlers take to the water for the second NSW Ocean Racing series event. The big storm that brushed through Sydney the week leading up to the event left sufficient residual swell to make for a dynamic race course condition.




The race circuit followed a course from within the Palm Beach Bay, out through the heads, around Palm Beach and back around Lion Island, totaling 14km.

The standard mass beach start once again proved hideous as boats and paddles clambered together at the sound of the gun to signal the start. I was alongside Mark Anderson and remember watching at least 100 boats stream off as we both battled for space to place our blades in the water and get going. So once again it was a fight through the ranks to get into a position that I could mark the front pack.

By the time I reached Palm Beach I'd done well to pull up behind Dave Kissane, who was lying 3rd at that stage, with Jeremy Cotter and Tim Jacobs tussling for pole position just ahead. On the way back to Lion Island, I opted to go deep and follow a straight line across the Bay to the Island, while Jeremy hugged the Heads and avoided the outgoing current. It turned out that took the better line and in the space of just 3km I saw myself fall back three places in the field.

Thereafter, it was just a straight grind back to the start/finish line. I held a constant pace, but didn't feel that I had anything extra for a zippy finish. I think that Murray Stewart realized this when he put in a sprint at the finish from just behind me to place me in 9th when I crossed the line.


All in all I thoroughly enjoyed the race. Good weather, good conditions, good turnout and some good hurt to top it off.

The training and 'heavy labour' work that I have been doing over the last couple of months in Sydney has certainly made me fit, but has not been enough to develop my paddling sufficiently for Hong Kong and Dubai this year.