Maroochydore Surf Life Saving Club members have made the most of home beach advantage at the annual Murphy Homes Maroochy Surf Classic.
The hosts impressed in several events at the historic carnival, which first ran in 1967.
And it was an ideal precursor to the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, to be held at the same venue in April.
While Maroochydore’s Tiarnee Massie and Adam Palmer showed their potential in the feature iron events on Saturday, the local club tasted success in other disciplines.
They won the open male surf teams race, the open female ski event and the under-19 female ski relay, while their six-member open male Taplin team finished second to an all-star Northcliffe line-up.
They also dominated the beach events, winning relays for open male and female, under-17 male, under-14/under-15 male and under-14 female. They also won sprints for under-14 male and female and under-15 male, along with flags for under-15 male.
Maroochydore coach Nathan Greig said they “had a good day of racing” amid 4-foot surf.
“The guys are used to the conditions and have grown up on the beach and every time we have a major meet there, we seem to go pretty well,” he said.
He believed the local athletes should fare well at the national championships.
“We’ve got some good kids and all the way through our under-17s, 19s and opens. They’re coming along really nicely so we expect to have a great Aussies.
“They’re capable of doing really well in all events.”
Two to watch
Rising star Massie finished eighth in the ironwoman final. It was won by Northcliffe’s Harriet Brown.
“She was sitting near the front most of the race but didn’t get any luck in the swim,” Greig said.
“It’s also her first full year in the Ironwoman Series.”
Palmer finished eighth in the ironman final, behind Northcliffe’s Matt Poole.
Greig had high praise for the 19-year-old, who will compete in the Next Gen Series, for the nation’s top under-19 surf lifesavers.
“He’s very talented,” Greig said.
“He can beat anyone, it’s just a matter of him doing it on the day.”
Palmer enjoyed his first serious race in months.
“I hadn’t raced this year, so coming into the first carnival I wasn’t expecting too much,” he said.
“I was really stoked with my performance, just to make the final with the great competition that was there.”
He’s intent on making his mark in the Next Gen Series.
“I want to try and win it. It would give me a wildcard (entry) into the Nutri-Grain Ironman Series next year.”
He also has his eyes on The Aussies.
“I’m definitely looking forward to racing at my home beach for Aussie titles. It’s definitely going to be to our advantage, being at our home beach and I just love the atmosphere we have at Maroochydore.”
Palmer has been with the club for the past seven years. He moved from Brisbane to Maroochydore about three years ago and is a lifeguard at the club.
“I’m down the beach the whole day and I’m studying the surf,” he said.
“I’m also able to train while working, which is a positive.”
Unusual training for champs
Maroochydore fared well in the Queensland surf boat trials, which were held at the carnival on Saturday.
Their under-19 crew claimed victory and snared a spot at the inter-state championships.
“They’re the real deal,” sweep Michael Brooks said.
“I was expecting they should win. They’re the best junior crew we’ve had at the club for at least 10 years.
“They won convincingly so it was a good day, but there’s bigger plans for them.”
The inter-state championships and national titles at Mollymook in March are the target.
“They’re really focused and haven’t been distracted by that goal.”
The crew consists of Maleny trio Matt Eggins, Sean Cauley and Masen Lough, along with Tom Barrett.
Training stints at Baroon Pocket Dam have helped them become a force.
“That’s pretty unusual for a surf boat, in a freshwater hinterland dam,” Brooks said.
“It’s probably why they’re so good at their skills. They do so much technical work there.”
Hundreds converge
Meanwhile, club president Rob Elford said the quality of racing at the carnival was “spectacular”.
“It was a massive carnival,” he said of the 650 competitors.
“In two weeks, we’ve got branch championships so all the locals will get another crack at our beach before The Aussies (in April).”
Among other results, Olympic swim hopefuls Nick Sloman (Noosa) and Lani Pallister (Alexandra Headland) won the male and female open surf finals respectively, while Akexandra Headland won the female Taplin relay.
Amid surf boats, Noosa won the reserve women and the under-19 women divisions while Dicky Beach claimed victory among under-23 women.
There was more surf boats action at Maroochydore on Sunday, with a round of the Queensland Cup.
