Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

A typical top bass fishing spot on the Upper Clarence (not far from Tabulam).

Last weekend brought big tides, big currents and clear water and it made for difficult estuary fishing but some nice catches from the headlands and on the end of the breakwaters.

Offshore there were good numbers of fish but not all were huge but there were some nice reds around the 3kg size. It was a good few days for flathead offshore on the 32 fathom line.

Blackfish (Luderick) have improved markedly. We managed 16 last weekend on green weed from the Porpoise Wall.

NSW Fisheries will be closing its office in Ballina but will maintain some staff, probably compliance officers. Certainly we need to at least have some kind of presence.

The dry weather continues and there are even a few bream and flathead being caught in Lismore (97km from the Entrance).

The new week will bring better tides and it should be a good week to get into some bream in the river of an evening and tailor at the end of the breakwater late of an afternoon and early morning.

The cold weather has caused the dams to go quiet in the last few weeks. Better to stay at home at present and try for a saltwater species.

Be a Winter Olympian

North Coast Academy of Sport (NCAS), through its Talent Search partnership with the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), is looking for a explosively fast female sprinter who is willing to take on a high speed challenge and represent Australia in the sport of skeleton.

Skeleton is a winter Olympic sport where athletes sprint fast from a standing start then race head-first on a single sled down on the same course as used for bob-sled. Overall success in this sport is highly dependant upon a fast start and precision driving. The objective of the search is to find the right female athlete/s and have them commit to an intensive training program that will prepare them for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Candidates must be a minimum of 18 years of age, and must be able to run 100 metres in under 13 seconds. Preliminary screening by NCAS will involve verification of past performances then conducting a light gate sprint test to ascertain sprint speed over 10, 20, and 30 metres.

If the right athlete is found, they will be nominated to attend a fully-paid intensive two-week selection camp at the AIS in Canberra in late September, with the successful athlete/s being granted a full-paid scholarship to North America for professional skill and fitness coaching.

Imagine a North Coast girl competing at the Winter Olympics in 2006!

For further information, contact the Tony Clarke at the NCAS on 6620 3073.

Honour Roll

Big time local golfer

Michelle Ellis from Casino tied for 10th in the US open on Monday, only ten shots behind winner Megan Mallon. Ellis, who has only been part of the tour since the turn of the millennium, is staking a claim as a serious contender in this most challenging of competitions, even taking the lead for a short time during the earlier rounds.

Baggaley and Robinson in form

Clint Robinson and Byron Bay's Nathan Baggaley defeated 2004 World Champions Markus Oscarsson and Henrik Nilsson of Norway in the K2 500m at the 24th International Olympic Regatta in Hazewinkel, Belgium, on Monday.

Baggaley and Robinson won gold by a mere .12 of a second over the Swedish pair.

Timberjack Friendship Series - Baseball

Although not finishing up with one of the trophies, the Far North Coast Under 14 and Under 16 teams worked hard all weekend against often physically larger opponents during the Rex Airline Far North Coast Baseball Association Timberjacks Friendship Series.

Brendan Gillespie, Daniel Muggleton and Travis Lees all put in strong performances for the Under 14 team, while Shane Davis, James Linger, Jarrod Snow, Bryce Martin, Zac Keehn and Jake Turcato fought it out for the Under 16s.

The Under 16 division ended up being a close contest between the USA team and the Country Baseball NSW Red team. In the end Country NSW Red team took the honours, however, they didn't ever go head to head with the US team.

Chip Stahl, ex-professional player and coach of the USA team said, "I was a little disappointed that we didn't get to play a final, like we did last year. We would have liked to have taken on the Country Baseball Red team."

The large number of teams taking part and the unavailability of Baxter field meant that a final was a practical impossibility.

In the Under 14 division Gold Coast Gold ran out victors with a fine display winning all the six games they contested. The runners up closely behind were Country Baseball NSW Blue team.

The second stage of the Timberjacks Friendship Series continues this Friday when Under 12 and Under 18 teams from Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Country NSW and the Far North Coast strut their stuff on the Albert Park diamonds.

Chip, who has been coaching touring youth teams for more than ten years, was very impressed with the facilities.

"The facilities here in Lismore are fantastic," Chip said. "They are comparable with any similar sized place in the States. You've got more fields than the ground we go to in Adelaide."

The Coast to Coast USA team is drawn from trials which take place across the country.

"We have kids here from seven different states. We've even got one guy from Alaska who sent in a home video try out. That's the kind of enthusiasm and commitment we're looking for," Chip said.

Speedway clubs unite for awards

By Ben Daley

After a tremendous season of racing at Lismore Speedway, the Summerland Street Saloon Club (SSSC), the Lismore Automobile Club (LAC) and the Ballina Club Sedans (BCS) united on Saturday night for their annual speedway awards night at the Italo Australia Club in Lismore.

With around 120 people in attendance, the awards night got underway after a minute's silence was held for Australian speedway hero and LAC life member, Grenville Anderson, who passed away at the end of May.

Taking out the Rookie of the Year honours were Daniel Middleton (BCS), Phil Balzer (LAC), John Haydon (SSSC Streeters), Matt Gamble (SSSC 4 Cyl) and Steve Morrissey (SSSC Stockers).

Driver of the Year awards went to Greg Worling (LAC) and Allen Kratz (BCS). Luke Gray (SSSC) and Jason Jolley (LAC) both topped the charts as Club Champions. Winners of the Club Person of the Year award were to Jodie Foster (BCS), Jaimie Smith (SSSC) and Gerry Flood (LAC).

Taking out the all-important Overall Pointscore awards were:

Ballina Club

Sedans

1st Rhonda McAdoo, 2nd Stephen McAdoo, 3rd Andrew Masarik

Summerland Street Saloon Club

Stockers - 1st Quinton Clarke, 2nd Ken Deuchar, 3rd Gene Alder-Con

Streeters - 1st Luke Gray, 2nd Nick Duncan, 3rd Jason Haydon

4 Cylinders - 1st Scott Owens, 2nd Paul Reeves, 3rd Tim Gamble

Juniors - 1st Allan Jarvis, 2nd Noel Clarke, 3rd Tom Duncan

Lismore Automobile Club

Modified Production Sedans - 1st Jason Jolley, 2nd Darren McDonald, 3rd Phil Balzer

Super Sedans - 1st Wayne Brims

As the speedway season has now officially ended, the 2004-05 season is just around the corner with the Lismore Speedway set to fire up again on November 6.

The coming season also promises to be a huge one for Lismore with the Australian Modified Production Sedan Title, the annual East Coast Grand National and the inaugural running of the yet to be confirmed Grenville Anderson memorial meeting.

Bowlers challenge

Nominations are open for the Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Challenge Shield scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, August 14-15, at the Alstonville Bowling Club.

This triples event requires each team to complete three rounds of 15 ends per day under the following rule variations.

Each team can only kill one end per round. If a team kills a second or more ends, they lose three shots and the end.

A popular aspect of the event is that after the first round, which is an open draw, winners play winners and losers play losers. This method continues after each round, so that by round six, the best of the best end up bowling it out for the honours. Mixed teams will not be allowed.

A total of $7,000 in prize money, holiday tickets and trophies are up for grabs during the weekend. The overall winning club will walk away with the VVCC Shield, CR Hose Trophy, three nights at a Twin Towns resort and $1200.

Winners of each round receive $75 and there is a tail end Charlie prize.

The entry fee of $108 per team covers greens fee, morning tea, hot lunch, sweets, and high tea each day.

Ring the AMBC on 6628 0497 or Bruce Ravenscroft on 6682 2420 to nominate your club. Nominations close on August 7.

Straining for pace

Jeremy Cowin bends his back in front of coaches Kate MacGibbon and Tom Cooper.

Eighteen aspiring young cricketers came under the tutelage of Queensland State Cricket Squad member Kate MacGibbon and rising local cricket star Tom Cooper as part of a four day live-in coaching clinic at St John's College Woodlawn this week.

The camp is one of three that happen throughout the year at Woodlawn and Armidale.

Interested players between nine and 18 are now being invited to be part of the next clinic in Armidale during the September/October school holidays.

For more information phone Kate on 0421 769 841.

Umpire cam: Jeff Joubert and keeper Kate MacGibbon focus all their attention on the incoming delivery in an abbreviated winter cricket game last Saturday at Arthur Park, North Lismore.

Table Tennis

Tony Coronakes' close win in the final 1st Division match of the evening over Gary Kennedy gave Lismore the win over Lennox Head 6-5 on Wednesday, June 30.

Coronakes won each of his three matches.

Henning Hansen's three from three winning run helped Ballina to a convincing 9-2 win over Byron Bay in the other 1st Division match.

Soccer FNC

In an actuary's dream round, first takes on last, second takes on second last, fourth takes on fourth last and fifth takes on fifth last in this weekend's TNR premier division. The most interesting of these match ups are the mid table clashes of Ballina Seahorses verses Italo Stars and Lismore Workers play Maclean.

Defending premiers, Italo Stars, are fast falling off the pace, losing their last three games on the trot. This Saturday's game against Ballina is perhaps Stars last chance to get back on track. The Seahorses last locked horns with Stars in the TURSA Cup semi final where they humbled the Lismore team 7-0. Equalling up the odds for this encounter the Seahorses will be short striker Clint Colless after he got a red card for a bit of biffo in the box with Rovers keeper Andrew Marshall last game.

The ever structurally sound Workers looked the goods against Stars on Saturday last however they would be very unwise to travel to Maclean in hope of an easy win. The Bobcats play out of their skin on their home ground and many sides have left with their tails firmly between their legs.

By all rights competition high fliers Casino Cobras should easily account for competition crypt inhabitants Bangalow Blue Dogs. However, the Blue Dogs' home ground advantage isn't something to be taken lightly and the Cobras can expect it to be difficult to find the net in what promises to be a fierce encounter.

Rover midfielder Ian McGregor dispatched a hard working Ballina with two surgical strikes to keep the Lismore team in the running for the minor premiership. However a violent scuffle that brought about the dismissal of Colless also meant the finish of Marshall's game, so the keeper will miss this game. Alstonville, despite having the worst defensive record in Premier Division, held off a determined Bangalow outfit last weekend to come away with a 2-1 win. Rovers are equal top goal scorers in the competition and there is a real chance that the levee walls might come crashing down.

In late news, Harvey World Travel delighted the Northern Rivers Echo staff by offering to sponsor the Golden Boot awards. Harvey World Travel are enticing shots at goal from all angles and distances with a prize of two nights at The Australis Sovereign Hotel, Surfers Paradise, for both the men and women's golden boot of the year.

Golden Boot standings

FNC Premier Division

14 - T. Guttormsen (Workers)

13 - M. Olley (Rovers)

11 - A. Bostock (Byron Bay)

Women's First Division

16 - R. Argent (Rovers)

15 - K. Gollan (Workers)

13 - K. Parker (Rovers)

Feathers will fly - Rugby League

Kyogle's three match winning streak may come to sudden halt this weekend in the Westlawn Group One competition when they come up against the raw boned aggression and flanking speed of Lower Clarence. In round four the Magpies put Kyogle to the sword 62-20.

Last weekend Lower Clarence lived out ground hog day as they drew with Ballina 28-28, the exact same scoreline as the first time the two teams met earlier in the season. Considering their early game dominance of that match the Magpies will be keen to relieve their frustrations on the Bush Turkeys.

Ballina Seagulls came home with a wet sail last week but it wasn't enough to take all the points. The Seagulls have made a habit of coming home hard and the Mullum Giants can expect to be made to play the full 80 minutes when they visit Ballina for the clash. The top of the table Giants were disappointed with their 62-0 drubbing of the Casino Cougars, last week, yet apparently they weren't happy with their completion rate. Maybe they were thinking ahead to this clash where the error count could prove vital.

South Grafton are coming off an impressive win against the Brethren 46-16 and should easily account for the Cougars who have taken a firm hold on this years wooden spoon. Last time the two sides met the scoreline blew out to 38-10, Casino will be lucky to hold them to that this time around.

In round four Byron's Red Devils easily dismissed Grafton Ghosts 51-16, however Byron's stocks are at a low ebb now. Handling errors littered their loss to an enthusiastic and resurgent Bush Turkeys in Kyogle last week. The revitalised Ghosts, who share the lower half of table with Byron, are coming off a bye and should prove a difficult customer for the Devils.

Young refs take off to talent program

Young whistleblowers Rory Richardson, 17, of Eltham, Renate Hotka, 15, of Goonellabah, and Bradley Jack, 15, of Tintenbar.

Renate Hotka, 15, of Goonellabah, Bradley Jack, 15, of Tintenbar and Rory Richardson, 17, of Eltham have been selected by the Far North Coast Referees Branch Executive Committee to attend Northern NSW Soccer Referees Commission Talent Acceleration Programme in Newcastle. The young officials leave next Sunday for an exciting week working under NNSW State Coach and National League Inspector, John Judd, and top National League referees, adjudicating and running-the-lines in Junior State Titles games.

Clive Owen, Chairman of the Referees Appointment Panel, said the three have all had at least two years of intensive training and experience, refereeing junior games and as assistant referees in local Premiership games.

"Rory has refereed First Reserves while Renate and Bradley have refereed the Womens' thirds, experience which will stand them in good stead in challenges they will meet in Newcastle against the best in the State," he said. "They are the product of our junior selection and junior development programme. They have shown great dedication to their training and studies, even giving up playing the game so that they could devote more time to their careers."

Glen Gibbs, president of North Coast Referees Branch, said refereeing at the local level is the first step to a career in the world game.

Glen should know. He has been an assistant referee at National League level, including grand finals for many years with referees like Queenslander, Mark Shield, who reached the pinnacle of refereeing at the last World Cup.

Star player at coaching clinic

Australian Matilda's star and Washington Freedom professional player Kelly Golebiowski will appear at next week's Hot Shots clinics at Riverview Park, Lismore. The camp runs from Tuesday July 13 to Thursday July 15, 9am till 12noon each day .

The $75 fee entitles each player to a free ball, t-shirt and drink bottle.

Register ASAP with Matt Kelso on 6621 5593.

The Rats are back in town - FNC Rugby Union

Return of gun five-eighth Mark Sherwood has given a new gloss to the smile of the Southern Cross University Gold Rats rugby team.

Sherwood added depth and variety to the Rats attack as they comprehensively ran sacked arch-rivals Ballina 32-12.

They were back to their exhilarating best on Saturday after a lean spell due to end of Uni semester disruptions. They take on Wollongbar at Lyle Park, this Saturday at 3.15pm.

Wollongbar were taken to the cleaners by Grafton 80-10 last week in an annihilation that beggared belief.

Grafton lie second last in the competition and went down to Wollongbar in the first round.

So either the Grafton Redmen have transformed into a premiership contender or Wollongbar will need to dig a hole to hide in after the Gold Rats visit.

Nathan Blumes dominance in the lineouts should help Lismore City control possession when they take on the Seahorses at home on Saturday.

Ballina will need to shake themselves into action if they are going to hold back City who are surging toward the minor title.

Grafton, after last week's brilliance, will probably come down to earth with a crash when they travel to Casino to take on the Bulls.

The Bulls lead the competition in bonus points mostly due to solidity and power of their tight five.

Hooker Dean Coggan is very mobile and will probably punish the Redmen around the edges of the ruck.