Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

Richmond Valley Anglers Action Group supports sanctuary

Richmond Valley Sports Fishing Club's Hans Jenson displays an impressive 4.5kg flathead just before he released it back into the 'drink'.

A year surely goes fast! It is already four weeks since Christmas and only 48 weeks to the next. Someone said to me, good fishing time is like that - it just flies. However, there have been many times when it has been just the opposite, but this is fishing. One day we really get amongst them and the next, rarely a bite.

I was disturbed by the tone of a recent letter in the Northern Star. The letter praised the establishment of the sanctuary near the southern approach to the Burns Point Ferry and condemned recreational angling leaders who supposedly opposed it. I'm not sure who opposed it. Certainly not the Richmond Valley Anglers Action Group that represents Clubs and anglers in the Richmond Valley. In fact, this group is at the forefront of negotiating with NSW Fisheries and commercial fishermen for a new recreational fishing haven on the Richmond River between Tatham and Casino with no commercial netting along this prime bass area. The Action Group is also supporting several sanctuary areas in the new Cape Byron Marine Park. As far as the Richmond River goes, it was never the intention of the government or Marine Parks to include any areas of the river in the Marine Park, let alone declare some of them sanctuaries. This seems to be the view of some extreme green groups and I emphasise the word "extreme".

NSW Fisheries have carefully set regulations governing size and catch limits, set after research by Fisheries scientists and responsible Clubs, and anglers are happy to accept their judgment.

Concerning fishing, the news at the moment seems to be of whiting at Rileys Hill and Goat Island. Some crabs are in North Creek of a night and around Dungarubba. The keen sports angler will always be chasing flathead at this time of year with lures and plastics and hopefully releasing more than their immediate needs.

SYL opens up for Suns - Soccer FNC

Jenna Gollan strikes one of her hat trick of goals against the Holiday Coast earlier in the season. The Flames will be playing their last game together at home in the 5pm game at Italo Stars Barrow Lane ground on Saturday.

The North Coast Suns have been thrown a lifeline in the Summer Youth League by their opponents on Saturday, the Palm Beach Sharks.

With two rounds to play the Suns chances of reaching the SYL final depended on the Sharks either drawing or winning their round-nine match against Rochdale Rovers. As all round-nine matches had to be rescheduled due to last weekend's rain the Sharks - Rovers game was played on Tuesday night with the Sharks prevailing 2-nil.

The Suns' round-nine game against Redlands will be played at Redlands at 4pm (Qld. time) on Monday.

The Sharks victory puts them on top of the ladder - one point ahead of Rochedale and five points ahead of the Suns. Both Palm Beach and Rochedale have one remaining game, while the Suns have two games left and are playing for a possible six points.

The leading teams from Pool A and Pool B contest the Summer Youth League final after the home and away rounds are completed. This season the Pool A ladder leader will be hosting the final.

To make the final the Suns will first have to defeat the Sharks in their match at the Italo Stars Barrow Lane ground in North Lismore on Saturday night. Should the Suns win that match they will then face the lowly ranked Redlands on Monday night.

The Suns will also need the Queensland Lions to either defeat, or force a draw with Rochedale on Saturday night. The Lions are a capable outfit and this is a result that is well within their scope.

Flames last flicker

The undefeated North Coast Flames will play in the early game against Mt Gravatt. Although there is no formal women's competition the Flames have put together a season that deserves a premiership.

The team has been undefeated all season with their only scare being their 1-all draw with the Queensland Lions a fortnight ago.

The team has shown strength across all areas of the park and have a number of lethal weapons in front of goal in Martene Edwards, Jenna Gollan and Kim Wraight.

This is the last opportunity for the public to see the young Flames team in action, as they have no further matches scheduled on the north coast. Later this week they will know if they will be playing on Monday night ahead of the Suns game at Redlands near Brisbane.

Clubs prepare for pennant

With the pennant season just around the corner clubs across the region are busy conducting trials to sort out their preferred teams.

One club that has things rolling right from the outset of the new-year is the Lismore City Bowling Club. Their fours championship is already down to the final pairing, pitting club stalwart Russell Britt's team against Paul Cochoran's four.

The 10-week NRDBA pennant season will begin in February.

Fitness leaders course

The NSW Department of Tourism, Sport & Recreation is currently accepting applications for an eight-day fitness leaders course to be run in Lennox Head during March. The course will prepare participants for a career in the fitness industry working in a wide range of fields, including gym and aerobics instruction and working as a personal trainer. The course, costing $650, will run from March 22-31 at the Lennox Head Surf Lifesaving Club. For further info call 1800 655 248.

What a difference a week makes - Cricket

After an untimely rain burst cruelly robbed Casino of victory against Norths Goonellabah RSL a fortnight ago the Cavaliers have benefited from hosting the only fourth-round one-day fixture to be spared by the weather.

Their match against Marist Brothers went ahead while the others games, two in Ballina and one at Wollongbar, were cancelled due to the rain.

In a game reduced to 40 overs-a-side Casino won the toss and sent Marist Brothers in to bat. Young opening bowler Al Nowlan had another exceptional day with the ball taking 4-16 off seven overs for the Cavaliers, helping to dismiss Brothers for just 118. Casino captain Adam Shields had a fine all around match taking 3-18 and then starring with the bat. Not wanting to see another run chase thwarted by the threatening weather Shields opened as though there was some Gilchrist blood running through his veins. Opening the batting he contributed 66 not out as Casino reached the target with almost 17 overs remaining.

The victory has placed Casino in the final against Alstonville, to be played on a date to be announced by the LJ Hooker League executive.

This weekend the Hooker League returns to it's two-day competition format with a full round of matches. A meeting held last week decided that Brunswick Valley could remain in the competition after they had dropped out of the one-day series due to lack of numbers. Hooker League rules state that if a team forfeits a match their place in the competition can be withdrawn. However, the members of the Hooker League decided at the meeting on Wednesday that Brunswick Valley could maintain their place in the two-day competition for 2003/04. A proposal that applications to play in the one-day series next season be open to all clubs, not just those in the Hooker League was raised and will be decided upon during the off-season.

Alstonville will travel to Thomson Oval in Brunswick Heads to take on Brunswick Valley. It should be a victory for the visitors, even though Brunswick will have the advantage of not having to travel and could possibly have a full strength side available.

Souths will be looking to get their season on-track when they take on Norths Goonellabah RSL at Nielson Park, South Lismore.

Tintenbar East Ballina have also had an uncertain year to date and they will be looking to make a run at the finals in their game against Marist Brothers at Nesbitt Park.

The prospect of bowling to Easts sensational young batsman Tom Cooper, fresh from his 168 not out for New South Wales against Victoria in the Australian under 17 championships, will no doubt be giving the Lennox Head bowling staff a few sleepless nights (See article this page). The only hope the visitors will be clinging to is that Easts will line up against Lennox Head at Oakes Oval. The surface of the Oakes Oval strip is notorious for it's uneven bounce and has cruelled many skilled batsmen over the past few seasons. But their job will not be complete should they get past Cooper. Easts boast a very strong batting line-up while Lennox's notable days with the bat are few and far between.

The Casino Cavaliers v Ballina Bears match at QEII Park will not commence until Saturday, January 31; with the second day's play scheduled for Sunday, February 1.

Cooper to tour with Aussies

The cricket world is starting to sit up and pay serious attention to young Easts number-three batsman Tom Cooper.

Playing in the Australian Under 17 championships in Victoria earlier this month he clouted two centuries and a half-century to finish with an average of well over 100 from five matches.

So impressed were the selectors that Cooper was selected in the Australian Under 17 merit squad and named the player of the championship. The merit squad will be spending four days at the Australian Institute of Sport Cricket Academy during April. Additionally, the player of the series award has a special one-off prize associated with it this year. Due to Cricket Australia's windfall of not having to pay Shane Warne's wages for a year CA will send Tom overseas to spend a week with the Australian team on tour. Tom told The Echo that he was uncertain if it would be to the Champions Trophy in England in September or to India during the national team's tour there in October. "I'm not sure yet which tour it will be as I have to fit in school commitments," Tom said on Tuesday morning after the award was announced to the public.

While touring with the Australian team Cooper will be treated as part of the touring squad, attending training sessions (in full national team training kit) and all team meetings, as well as staying with the team at the same hotels.

Obviously the national selectors believe that Tom is someone who will need to get used to the rigours of touring with the national side in years to come.

World at Tony's feet - give or take a few thousand feet

For former Kadina High School student, Tony Coombes, the world is fast becoming his home 'base'.

The former bricklayer is one of the world's leading exponents of 'base-jumping': the practice of leaping off tall buildings, structures or cliff faces with a parachute.

Base jumpers have about four seconds to open their parachute, or ...

After completing his apprenticeship in bricklaying here in Lismore, with Davis Brothers and Riordan, Tony has become heavily involved in skydiving and base-jumping - so much so that in 2002 he was a part of the team that took out the Australian Sky Diving Free Fall championship. He then went on to be part of the Australian team that took out the 2002 World Cup.

Tony's role in both was critical as he was the team camera operator. The score for a team jump is evaluated from the footage. He is also an award-winning short filmmaker, having won the Australian Parachute Federation Video Competition (twice) and the Extreme Week Short Film Competition in Voss, Norway.

He is also booked for jumps from the Oslo Plaza, Norway, in June and the Jinmao Tower, Shanghai, China, in October.

To help fund his international jumping program Tony works as an instructor at Toogoolawah

Special tamdem jump offer for Echo readers

Anyone who reads this article and would like to learn to sky dive or try a tandem jump, contact Tony at Toogoolawah Drop Zone, approximately two kilometres north of Toogoolawah township along the Brisbane Valley Highway, Toogoolawah, Queensland.

The drop zone can be contacted via their website at www.ramblers.com.au

Echo readers can take along a copy of this article to be eligible for a special rate.

Skydiving obviously keeps Tony Coombes very fit. Read on to discover how Echo readers can receive a special rate to take a tandem leap with Tony, a member of the World 2003 Australian base-jumping World Champion team.

Double-header moved to Saturday

Casino's Steve Wright, last season's V8 Dirt Modified Sportsman title winner, and his new Tom Soward-built chevvie, formerly run by Sam O'Connor.

Lismore speedway organisers have had to think fast after news of a major burglary in Brisbane left a big hole in Saturday night's planned sprintcar feature.

The workshop of Brisbane-based John Dean, the owner of a team of three sprintcars, was broken into last week, with $40,000 of his tools and spare parts being taken. This left Lismore Speedway organisers with only six quality sprintcars for Saturday night.

As a result they have amalgamated the Saturday and Sunday night meetings into one big show on Saturday, starting at the earlier hour of 6pm.

The night will still feature sprintcars racing off in a series of match races, The V8 Dirt modified event planned for Sunday will now be the centrepiece of the Saturday meeting. Most of the top local V8 Dirt Modified drivers from the region have spent the past week down at Avalon, near Melbourne, contesting the Australian championships.

Local drivers returning from down south for the meeting include Mark Robinson, Stuart Herne, Steve Wright, Wayne Reynolds, Aaron Suffolk and Simon Jupe.

Also included on the night will be races for Productions, Stockers, Streeters, Four-Cylinders and Juniors.

Thomas sets sail

Thomas Loquet, 15, of Goonellabah, has just returned from Sydney where he has had the rare opportunity to sail the Middle Harbour in twilight while under the watchful eye of some of the state's leading sail-trainers.

Thomas was one of 19 students from across rural NSW to be given the opportunity to spend a week in Sydney learning the craft of sailing under the Kay Cottee Encouragement Program.

The program is designed to provide opportunities for rural youth who otherwise would not have access to the sport. The program is specifically targeted at youngsters with no sailing experience.

Thomas' parents saw mention of the program in the media and suggested that Thomas should put in an application. He was already aware of the program. "A friend of mine, Heath Llewelyn, was selected for the program a couple of years ago."

The sailors were based at the NSW Academy of Sport at Narrabeen.