Sunshine Coast surfboat crews were right at home racing the state’s best at Maroochydore on Sunday, claiming six of the nine divisions in round two of the Queensland Cup.
The carnival was run as part of the Murphy Homes Classic and held in testing conditions as the wind increased during the day and a tricky swell lingered.
It was an exciting precursor to title events in a few months time with Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba set to host the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships from April 16-24.
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Hosts Maroochydore won the U19 men’s division with the Force and placed second in the open men with the Meat Trays and over 200 years (average age 50) masters with the Old Boys.
Dicky Beach won the U23 women’s category with the super consistent Tooshies crew and also dominated in the over 160 masters (average age 40) with the Flashbacks, who remain undefeated this season.
The Mooloolaba Badgers won the reserve men’s final and placed second in the open women, while Alexandra Headland’s Brass Monkeys took out the over 240s masters.
In one of the most exciting races of the weekend, the Dicky Beach U19 women’s crew, swept by Rob Flood, snapped a sweep oar when hit by a freak wave, but still showed excellent teamwork to complete the course, with Flood using his body as a “human rudder” to steer the craft in the final stages. The crew received a standing ovation and still finished second on points to Noosa in their division.
Results of the Murphy Homes Classic (also Rd 2 of the Wessel’s BP Queensland Cup):
OPEN WOMEN
1st – Currumbin Cockatoos
2nd – Mooloolaba Mavericks
3rd – Noosa Heads Bandits
OPEN MEN
1st – Northcliffe Thunder
2nd – Maroochydore Meat Trays
3rd – Currumbin Gunners
U19 WOMEN
1st – Noosa Heads Kookaburras
2nd – Dicky Beach Dandelions
3rd – Mooloolaba Joeys
U19 MEN
1st – Maroochydore Force
2nd – Marcoola Mochas
3rd – Alex Headlands H&H Assassins
MASTERS 160 (combined age)
1st – Dicky Beach Flashbacks
2nd – Mackay
3rd – Noosa Heads Macaws
MASTERS 200 (combined age)
1st – Mermaid Beach Mayhem
2nd – Maroochydore Old Boys
3rd – Dicky Beach Prime Beef
MASTERS 240 (combined age)
1st – Alex Headlands Brass Monkeys
2nd – Noosa Heads Condors
3rd – Mooloolaba Wombats
U23 WOMEN
1st – Dicky Beach Tooshies
2nd – Noosa Heads Honeyeaters
3rd- Noosa Heads Scrub Turkeys
RESERVE MEN
1st – Mooloolaba Badgers
2nd – Marcoola Matatas
3rd – Mermaid Beach Mayhem
