Sunshine Coast athletes have savoured competing on their home beaches at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships after the nine-day carnival finished with a flurry of finals.
The Aussies, held at Maroochydore, Alexandra Headland and Mooloolaba, culminated with marquee races in almost flat conditions on Saturday.
Noosa Heads’ Nick Sloman claimed one of the main prizes, winning the men’s surf title for the second year running.
He finished ahead of Maroochydore’s Hayden Cotter and Northcliffe’s Bailey Armstrong.
“It gets harder and harder each year with the likes of Bailey and Hayden, and now even Sam Short from the under 19s coming out,” he said.
“The fact that it was still water as well, and no assistance, made it even harder.”
Sloman is on a quest to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in July and is in the running for a berth in the open water event.
“I’ve still got a couple of still water swims before I head off to Portugal for the Olympic qualifier and that’s the 10km open water swim,” Sloman said.
“That’s the main focus, training through Aussies and making sure I’m in the right shape.”
Alexandra Headland’s Emma Woods captured the Australian under-19 ironwoman crown, beating Northcliffe’s Lucy Derbyshire.
She went into the carnival after a successful rookie campaign in the elite summer Ironwoman Series, where she impressed against the top open age athletes.
Woods also helped Alexandra Headland to win the under-19 ski relay, board rescue and rescue tube rescue,
Her club-mate Lana Rogers finished second in the feature Ironwoman final, which was on free-to-air television.
The reigning Ironwoman Series and Coolangatta Gold champion, who has been ill during the week, finished behind Gold Coast’s Georgia Miller.
Miller was the star of the day as she also won open surf and board titles.
Surfers Paradise hotshot Ali Day won the ironman final, ahead of Newport’s Jackson Borg.
Maroochydore’s Joel Piper showed he is one to watch, finishing second in the under-17 ironman final, behind Newport’s Mitchell Morris.
The Sunshine Coast’s Jamie Perkins, who competes for Northcliffe, won the under-17 Ironwoman crown. A strong swimmer, she beat North Bondi’s Lily Finati to the line.
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Maroochydore won the under-19 male taplin relay, with Adam Palmer, Oliver Monaghan and Sam Short.
The host club also won the open male surf teams event and under-17 male surf teams event. Sam Short was among the best swimmers at the carnival, winning the under-19 surf race title.
Maroochydore also won the open male surf belt title, while Alexandra Headland won the under-19 category.
Maroochydore won the open male board rescue with Beau Farrell and Matt Palmer on Friday and Alexandra Headland won the under-19 female board rescue.
The club continued its good form to won the under-19 male rescue tube rescue event, while Alexandra Headland won the under-19 female event.
Maroochydore’s Kiara Rychvalsky won the under-17 female beach flags, with an awesome display and Alexandra Headland won the under-19 male beach relay.
The surfboats finals were frantic and hard-fought at Alexandra Headland.
Maroochydore was a popular winner, tasting Australian title success in the under-19 men’s division.
The crew consisted of sweep Michael Brooks and rowers Thomas Barrett, Sean Cauley, Matthew Eggins and Masen Lough, whose father David, also an Australian champion, helps coach the crack outfit. They staved off South Curl Curl and Bulli.
Mooloolaba was third in the open women’s race, while Maroochydore was third in the reserve men’s final.
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Dicky Beach and Mooloolaba claimed silver and bronze medals in the under-23 women’s final and Maroochydore and Noosa Heads were place-getters in the under-19 women’s final with Dicky Beach fourth.
Alexandra Headland snared the open mixed patrol team final and Mooloolaba took out the under-17 mixed patrol team event.
Dicky Beach won the under-17 mixed first aid event, while Noosa Heads claimed the top two places in the under-19 mixed first aid event.
Mudjimba’s Layne Baldock claimed the under-17 female surf board-riding event.
There was an unfortunate turn for Western Australian competitors, who missed the final day of action.
They went into isolation, after a COVID-19 outbreak in Perth.
About 6000 competitors and their supporters converged on the Sunshine Coast for the carnival, injecting millions of dollars into the local economy.
The last time The Aussies were held in the region was in 2016. It was previously held here in 1980, when ironman icon Grant Kenny famously won the main race.
