Sports News

Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens

Supplementing performance

The recent claims that the Manly Sea Eagles rugby league club has significantly increased their players' performance by supplementing their diets with an extract of French pine bark piqued my interest (even if it didn't work on the weekend).

I did some research into the extract, which is called pycnogenol. It's an intense anti-oxidant with a host of potential health benefits, specifically for circulatory problems.

Perhaps the most significant area of research relating to pycnogenol was in the treatment of second stage diabetes and the autoimmune disease, Lupus, where it offers effective pain relief and limits cellular damage to the extremities. Pycnogenol's strengthening of the capillary walls also makes it very handy in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis, PMT, gingivitus and the healing of wounds.

So as much as I'm opposed to sportspeople being used as guinea pigs for loony scientists, I am grateful to the Sea Eagles for opening my mind to the possibilities of pycnogenol. By the way, it can be purchased as a tincture for as little as $8/50ml bottle from any reputable naturopath. Each bottle should last many months, as the recommended dose is only 2 drops twice a day.

During my discussions with one of Lismore's leading naturopaths, the therapist seemed surprised that pycnogenol would have any truly profound effect on performance and wondered what else the Manly players might be taking at the same time? Again this stimulated my interest, as I'm sure some of my sporting readers would be interested in putting in better performances, so I asked the healthcare professional what supplements would help with endurance and strength. He pointed me towards another product called Q10.

Q10, another powerful anti-oxidant, is a legal dietary supplement produced by the fermentation of algae, resulting in an enzyme that allows the mitochondria of the cell to accept and process more energy from the surrounding cell fluid. Our bodies tend to produce less of this enzyme as we age.

Obviously I'm not going to suggest that sportspeople start taking this supplement without personally putting it to the test. So I chose a fellow worker, who we shall call Victim 1 (V1), who is still involved in competitive and aerobic sport, to trial the additive. To insure the test results, V1, has promised not to change any of his dissolute habits during the trial months. So far V1 hasn't felt any significant changes but I don't expect any changes to take place for at least three weeks. Stay loony tuned for results, same loony time, same glorious publication.

At The Net - with Ken Wray

Young champs make the cut

Champion of champions

From February to June, local juniors have been competing in the State Classic round robin series. The Classic is a state-wide event. At the completion of this series, the top four boys and girls from each age group now travel to Inverell to compete in the Champion of Champions event, August 13-14.

Congratulations to the following players from our region who have been selected this year.

Girls: Zoe Devlin, Amanda Way, Katty Paterson, Georgia Redmayne, Stella McWilliam, Ellie Wray, Kristy Jones, Rosie McWilliam, Madeline Ilic, Jane Rowed and Sarah Wray.

Boys: James Rigby, Bryce Devlin, Billy Bruce, Daniel Baxter-Wright, David Hannigan, Mick Sherry, Nathan Moore, Steven Gort, Luke Edwards, and Luke Devlin.

These juniors will be competing against juniors from Mid North Coast, North West and Central West regions of NSW. Four players in each group will then be selected to go to the State finals in Gosford in October.

Lismore Tennis Association Mixed Comp

The next association mixed comp will be starting on August 31. Teams consist of two men and two ladies with play starting at 6.30pm. This is a very popular comp but we would love to see some new or maybe even some old faces getting involved this year.

Nominations, which close on August 19, can be made through

Terry or Nerida 6625 1707 at East Lismore, Bill Davie 6624 1409 at Goonellabah, Joy Collins 6629 1494 at Clunes, or Ken Wray on 6621 3417 at Lismore Tennis Club.

Anyone wishing to get tennis news in this column can contact me on 6621 3417 or 0403 161 855, or email lismoretennis@bigpond.com.

Netta Netta Netta Italo Stars' Erin Bryant tussles for the ball with Caralie Wilson from Rous 16 in a Netta match, under the watchful eyes of Celeste Walsh (Stars) and Chloe Hughes (Rous), at Lismore last weekend. In the top flight Rous 2 edged out All Saints 36-32 and Workers Purple defeated Woodlawn Herrons 32-29.

The battle for a final spot heats up

Considering the fisticuffs that went on in Maclean over the weekend, some of the Premier Division players could learn a thing or two from this pack of Under 7s about enjoying their sport. Rovers striker, Tamara Virtue, shows a clean pair of heals as she races away from a crowd of chasers from Alstonville. Rovers won 2-1 in a close 'morale boosting' game for the Alstonville side.

Tursa Men's Premier Division

Fortress Wherritt Park proved, once again, a difficult place for the top sides on Saturday when last year's minor premiers, Rovers, drew with Maclean in a spiteful match which ended with both sides only having 10 players on the pitch.

Since the game a furore has erupted, with plenty of finger pointing, teeth gnashing and chest beating but all to no avail. The Bobcats Craig Anderson and Rovers Andrew Gray will miss some games and Rovers, who dropped out of the top five after the draw, will try to return the momentum to their finals campaign. Getting back on track shouldn't be to hard for the ever-reliable Rovers when they receive a visit from last placed Casino on Saturday at 3pm.

Casino was on the end of 4-nil hiding last Saturday at the hands of Workers. Last year's premiers are growing in confidence as the finals approach and their match with top placed Byron Bay is definitely the match of the round. The Redmen run on against the Rams at Rec 12 on Saturday at 5pm.

Byron, although still leading the competition, only managed a 2-all draw against the second placed Goonellabah Hornets at home on Saturday and they will need to lift if they want to lift the minor premiership trophy.

The Hornets, who are the only side in shooting distance of the minor title, have a very hard draw ahead of them. This Sunday they play Stars at Barrow Lane at 3pm, next weekend Workers and then Ballina the weekend after. If they make it they will have earned it.

Meanwhile, Ballina are choking after leading the competition for most of the year. The men in sky blue have only managed one win from their last five matches. On Saturday they drew 1-all with Thistles, which virtually secured the Blues another year in the top flight. This Saturday Ballina will play Bangalow in the local derby in Bangalow at 5pm. The Bluedogs went down 4-1 to Stars last weekend and a win for Ballina against their arch-rivals could be just the tonic the flagging Seahorses need.

Pointscore

Byron Bay 30, Goonellabah 28, Ballina 25, Lismore Workers 24, Italo Stars 24, Richmond Rovers 23, Maclean 14, Thistles 12, Bangalow 7, Casino 7.

SCCU Womens Premier Division

Renee McIntosh has firmed as this year's Golden Boot Award winner with five more goals over the weekend for Rovers as the women in black and white took the lead in the Womens Premier Division. Renee started her onslaught in Rovers' 7-nil demolition of Casino with four goals, then knocked one in against Byron Bay to force the draw against the Rams.

In other matches Workers stayed in touch at the top of the competition with a 1-nil win against Goonellabah, thanks to the reliable boot of Abbey Moss.

Rose Argent found the back of the net for Byron in their coastal derby against Ballina throwing the Seahorses' minor premiership campaign well off track.

Meanwhile Italo Stars surged into finals contention with a powerful 3-nil win over Lennox Head.

This weekend Italo Stars play Richmond Rovers at Stars at 6pm on Friday. Ballina play Lennox in Ballina at 7pm. Rovers double up against Lennox on Sunday at 11am on East Lismore 2, while Stars host Ballina on Sunday at 11am.

SCCU Womens' premier ladder

Rovers 32, Lismore Workers 31, Ballina 28, Italo Stars 18, Goonellabah 18, Byron Bay 14, Lennox Head 10, Casino 8

Constellation Hotels (www.constellationhotels.com) Golden Boot Award Standings

Men's premier division:

21 - Peter O'Neil

10 - Grant Nielson

8 - Wayne Mortimer, Stewart Coughran

Women's premier division:

27 - Renee McIntosh

20 - Lisa Kelly

11 - Abbey Moss

Local derby thrill-a-minute

Easts Under 9 Jarrad Arundel at full stretch against Ballina at Humbly Oval, Lismore, on Saturday.

JH Williams Men's Premier Hockey League

The more polished attack of Ballina prevailed over East Lismore in a thrill-a-minute encounter on Hepburn Oval on Saturday. In the end it is goals that win matches and though East's did break away against the run of play on occasion, Ballina made the most of the going. The win assures Ballina a spot in the finals along side the Waratahs who did enough to knock off the Allstars 2-1 in Murwillumbah.

Earlier in the day, Northern Star shot out of the blocks against Alstonville to grab a 4-zip lead by half time. However, Alstonville regrouped and found two goals in the second term to give the game an air of respectability.

In the other match in Lismore, Coraki toughed it out against Capri to come away winners 3-1. Capri's keeper Peter Hollis was in spectacular form and had it not been for the silken skills of Coraki centre half, Ben Moss, Capri could well have got away with the draw.

At Murwillumbah in a fast, entertaining game on Friday night the United Vipers outlasted a stubborn Redbacks 3-2. Kingscliff continued their good form and now remain undefeated in their last 9 outings with a 5-2 win over Mullumbimby.

On the Gold Coast on Saturday Labrador outpaced Burleigh, 4-1, and in the last of the deferred matches on Sunday, Labrador belted Redbacks 7-0. The double win promotes Labrador into serious finals contention.

Mudgeeraba had the Bye.

Hepburn Park will be the venue for another top quality triple-header this weekend as the Premier League moves into its penultimate round. The first match is between Redbacks and Northern Star at 2.55pm. United play Alstonville at 4.20pm with Alstonville still in fear of the spoon and United still a chance for the finals. The last of the local games is the Coraki verses Ballina derby. Coraki still hold a faint hope of making the finals, Ballina hold a faint hope of winning the minor premiership. This will be a fiery encounter.

On the Gold Coast, Easts need a win over Capri while Mudgee should cruise to victory over Burleigh. In Murwillumbah, Waratahs should set their minor premiership in stone against Mullum and Kingscliff need to beat the Allstars.

Pointscore

Waratahs 31,

Ballina 28,

Kingscliff 23,

Labrador 23, Mudgeeraba 23, United Vipers 22, Coraki 21,

East Lismore 21, Northern Star 18,

Capri 13, Mullumbimby 13, Allstars 10,

Alstonville 7,

Redbacks 6, Burleigh 4.

JH Williams Women's Premier Hockey League

Vipers maintained their stranglehold on the Women's Premier League after a tough win over East Lismore at Hepburn Park on Saturday. The win came thanks to the bedazzling stick work of Michaela Smith and the tireless midfield efforts of Kellie Roatz.

Glee, who had fallen off the pace, reasserted themselves with a 5-nil demolition of Northern Star. On the Gold Coast Kingscliff outclassed Capri 6-1, while the four other games were deferred to later in August.

The other scheduled games were deferred. Now Waratahs will play the Redbacks in Murwillumbah on Sunday, August 7.

While on the Gold Coast the Mudgeeraba and Griffith game is rescheduled for Thursday, August 18.  Previously deferred games to be played this Thursday August 4 are Mudgeeraba verses Labrador and Capri verses Griffith. Labrador had the bye.

This Saturday, on Hepburn, Easts meet Northern Star in the traditional local derby at 1.30pm.

In Murwillumbah Mudgee play the Redbacks, Waratahs should demolish Capri and United and Kingscliff go head to head at the top of the table.

Meanwhile on the Gold Coast on Sunday Labrador should make short work of Griffith.

Pointscore

Vipers 20, Kingscliff 16, Labrador 16*, Waratah 16*, Glee 12, Mudgeeraba 11**, Redbacks 11*, Capri 7*, East Lismore 4, Northern Star 1, Griffith 1**. (*deferred games)

Cricket

Local cricketer Matthew Phelps has been chosen to be part of this year's Speedblitz Blues NSW cricket squad to tour India next month. Phelps who is now in his 30s is one of the veterans of the NSW squad and after a solid season with the Blues last year he will be keen to play well in India and ensure his place in this year's Pura Cup 1st 11.

Cricket fans are also reminded that the NSW Blues will be playing a Pura Cup match in Lismore in mid-January on Oakes Oval.

Winter Cricket

In the winter cricket, South Station Hotel booked a finals berth against the young guns from Workers Club after losing only six wickets chasing down Souths Pirates' total of 116. Meanwhile, Workers bowled with great accuracy and fire to dismiss Goonellabah RSL for 74 after accumulating a solid 128 in the other semi.

A fond farewell for Edith

Edith Anderson is all smiles as she walks through the extended guard of honour.

Ballina Bowling Club turned on the sunshine for the District President's Day in honour of the outgoing Northern Rivers District Women's Bowls Association (NRDWBA) president Edith Anderson. Edith has been president for the last two years and she will retire on August 8 when the NRDWBA holds its Annual General Meeting.

All 16 clubs in the Northern Rivers district were represented at the president's day of bowls with N. Maxwell, M. Clark, H. Glover and V. Asi from Nimbin Bowling Club taking out the trophy. The Lismore Workers Heights Bowling Club team of C. Danalon, M. Kinsella, P. Curry and I. Harris were runners-up.

Redbirds spring back

Workers Under 18 short stop, Bryce Martin, exhibits perfect technique as he fields this ground ball on Baxter Field in Lismore on Saturday. The ever-vocal Bryce threw the runner out by half a yard. Excellent play Bryce.

Easts Redbirds pitcher Stephen Best celebrated his 21st birthday in exceptional style this weekend, with his arm taking the team to a 9-7 victory over Brothers in Rex Airlines Far North Coast Baseball. The win turned around the Redbirds' season, which had been on the slide.

Initially, Brothers looked set to ensure the Redbirds' run of losses continued as they crossed for five runs in their first three innings. However, the bottom of the third proved a crucial turning point as the Redbirds piled on six runs, and from there the young Easts team was never fronted. Matt Davis and Best both managed three hits for Easts, while Brothers Luke Sharpe picked up three hits and Mark Newstead plucked two.

In the other game of the afternoon, Workers romped it in over last placed Norths, 24-7 in seven innings. The Workers offence ran in 14 runs in the first innings on Saturday in a withering blitz that would have demoralised any side.  

Workers Martin Tucker, Sam Keehn and Aaron Olley (1 home run) all nailed three hits during the one-sided encounter, while Dallas Knapp set the bar even higher with five hits from six, including a home run. Michael McClelland also chimed in with four singles to boost his average for the season.

This weekend Redbirds will take on Norths on Baxter Field.  Workers meet Brothers at Thew Field. Both games get under way at 2.45pm.

More baseball information is available online at www.fnc.baseball.com.au. 

Ben's bodyboarding blitz

Ben Martineau took out his third straight victory in the fourth round of the Headlanders board boarders junior division at Lighthouse Beach, Ballina, on Sunday. Ben, who just pipped Troy Rosee in the final, has been performing brilliantly of late and is looking a certainty to pick up sponsorship in the near future.  

In the dropknee division, the ever-consistent Chris Clarson did enough to get the better of Matt Tyndale in the final.

Brody Zagar came away with the win in the men's intermediate division with Ben McDonald taking out second.

Meanwhile, Kristian Gerathy produced some insane surfing to take out the open division after picking up 18.5 from a possible 20 points with some extraordinary moves.

The next comp will be on August 28. Participants are to meet at Lighthouse Beach Lookout at 6.30am. For further information please phone Chris Clarson on 0422 776 468.