Club Outrigger Whitsunday wins 13 medals at National Sprint Titles, competes in Takapuna Beach Cup New Zealand

Club Outrigger Whitsunday wins 13 medals at National Sprint Titles
 
Members of Club Outrigger Whitsunday of Airlie Beach, North Queensland, were highly successful at the National Sprint Titles held at the Sunshine Coast (Feb 1st to 3rd), with a medal tally of two gold, ten silver and one bronze medals won by senior members of the team over the three-day competition. A further two Silver and one Bronze medals were won by junior members.
 
Organised by the Australian Outrigger Canoe Racing Association (AOCRA), the event was held at Lake Kawana, home to AOCRA on the Sunshine Coast.
 
Members of Club Outrigger Whitsunday contested events in V1 (rudderless canoe), OC1 (ruddered canoe) and OC6 and V12 (six and 12 paddlers) over sprint distances of 250, 500 and 1000 metres, in the categories of the Junior, Senior and Golden Masters Divisions. 
 
Club Outrigger Whitsunday Senior and Golden Masters team members included Tanya Faust, Michelle Lynes, Maree Mullett, Mark Bell, Glen Bray, Sean England, Geoff Harrison, Terry Kemp, Henry Mauri and Joe Wilson. Coby and Ella Doblo of the Club Outrigger Whitsunday Juniors competed in the under 12 categories in the OC1, V1 & V12 events.
 
Team members won Gold medals for the 12-person Golden Master mixed 500m V12 sprint event and Silver medals for the Senior Master mixed 500m and 1000m sprint event. The team also won a Bronze medal for the OC6 Golden Master Mens 1000m sprint.
 
 Michelle Lynes won a silver medal for the Senior Master Women’s OC1 500m sprint event, with team member Joe Wilson winning a further Silver medal for the Senior Master Mens V1 solo sprint event and also Gold in the Senior Master Mens OC1.
 
Coby Doblo of the Club Outrigger Whitsunday Juniors won a Silver medal in the under 12 boys 250m OC1 Sprint event. Coby also teamed up with the Gold Coast Outrigger Canoe Club junior team to compete in the V12 250m sprint event where they scored a further Silver medal. Ella Doblo competed in the OC1 250m sprint event winning a Bronze medal, also teaming up with the Redcliffe Outrigger Canoe Club under 12 years V12 sprint event, winning a Bronze medal.
 
Club Outrigger Whitsunday achieved ninth overall position out of 25 clubs competing at the National Sprint Titles, the highest ranking the club has achieved at this annual event.
 
 “It was a great result for the club which faced the highest levels of competition from some of the leading Outrigger Clubs in the country,” said Mark Bell of the Club Outrigger Whitsunday team, who also competed in the event.
 
“Competition was very strong with only 1.3 seconds separating the first five team placings in the OC6 Senior Masters event,” added Mark.
 
Newcomers interested in outrigger paddling are invited to enjoy an introduction to the sport and to meet members of the club on February 20th at Shingley Beach from 05.30pm onwards.
 
Club Outrigger Whitsunday wishes to thank its major sponsors of Abell Point Marina and Reef Cool Air Conditioning of Airlie Beach for their valued and continued support.