Sports News

Hooks and Slices

with Stan Bendall

NRDGA

The Northern Rivers junior side won the NSW Country Championship at Bathurst on the weekend with an impressive total of 289. Newcastle won the senior title by just one stroke from the Northern Rivers team. Additionally, the open and junior winner was Northern Rivers rep Nathan baker out of the Coolangatta Tweed Heads club. Nathan, a member of the Queensland junior squad started the tournament off with a course record 64!

On Sunday the Northern Rivers Scratch and Veterans teams will compete in the inter-district tournament at Coolangatta Tweed heads club. The Scratch team is made up of Brad Oliss, Richard Cross, Gary Tozer, Warren Colefax and David Hobday. The Veterans team is Peter Callen, Joe Long, Dean Milson, Earl Kerr and Greg Gazel.

Ballina

On Saturday the men's and women's Monthly Medal will be played, as will the men's Medal of Medals. On Sunday Brownies golfers will play in Murwillumbah, while the Goonellabah Tavern Social Golf Club will be playing in Ballina. Scott Davis won last Saturday's overall with Peter Gerada winning A grade, Gary Patten B grade and Albert Enzerink winning C grade.

Casino

On Saturday the Monthly Medal will be up for grabs. Last Saturdays winners were Claude Viel, Jim Small, Ian Elkerton and Keith Larsson on a count back.

Kyogle

Ray Williams took out A grade on Saturday with Paul Hillery winning B grade.

Saturday's event will be the monthly medal. Sunday will be the closing day ceremonies with a 4BBB stableford to be played along with presentation day.

Lismore Workers

The Monthly Medal will be played on Saturday. On Wednesday the ladies will play a single stroke event. After the first round of the Interclub against Mullumbimby the Lismore team has a 2 1/2 to 1 1/2 lead with the return round to be played at Lismore on Saturday week.

The final of the shootout last weekend was Chris Barbary, taking out the $450 first prize. Rob Smith won $150 for coming runner-up. The Rotary Charity Day will be held on Sunday November 9. The event will be a four-person ambrose with a shotgun start and noon after an 11am barbeque. Nominations are $25 and there are heaps of prizes to be won while supporting a host of local children's charities.

Woodburn Evans Head

Saturday will be a single stroke event. Kel Walker and John Levett won last Saturday with Maureen Noonan taking the ladies event. Luke Turner, James Luke, Nathan Williams and Terry Butler won the Empirevale Public School Charity Day.

Hook, Line and Sinker

with Lindsay Doust - Suffolks Sports Store

For the love of Cod

A very nice rainbow trout caught by Jim Price near Ebor on the opening weekend of the season, earlier this month. It was one of several good fish taken on the weekend.

There are numerous fishing TV shows that are a mix of promoting sponsors, their goods and services, through to advertising great venues for adventure travel, and, importantly they also provide some good hints for catching fish.

The recent programme on the eastern cod on the ABC was an interesting profile of an endangered species. The science we heard was very good.

Over the years, a small group of people has been involved in breeding this fish and releasing it back into the Clarence and Richmond rivers in good numbers. We are told they were almost extinct, particularly in the Richmond, and the programme on TV reminded us of their vulnerability. A fine for having an eastern cod in possession is $220,000. We do know they are re-appearing in several areas and I know this from the experience of fishing these waters for bass over the past 25-30 years.

If we do catch one while fishing, please try to release it without handling the fish at all. Using barbless hooks will always make the fish easier to release and if possible, try to do the releasing whilst the fish is still in the water. The fish will fare much better if it is not touched. If everything is done in order, the day may well come when we are able once again to fish for this species.

All too often, we hear of people who are keeping some, often from using 'set' lines or nets, and we must discourage this totally.

One very good report from the Richmond last Saturday was of 22 flathead to 3kg caught on soft plastics. All the large fish were released.

There is one very happy lady angler from Lismore who has recently landed an 11kg barramundi at Lake Awonga. Brian Burns from Lismore caught a 24kg cobia off Ballina last Sunday week.

For the adventurous fisher who would like to get active with some lures or soft plastics this weekend, the tides will be good from about 12 noon to about 4pm.

Miyagi Kan Karate is here

In a change of karate form Goonellabah's Arjuken Karate has now merged with Miyagi kan Go-Ju Ryu karate-do.

Miyagi Kan is one of the most successful styles in the country boasting 16 gold medals at the national title this year.

Head instructor of Miyagi Kan, Shihan George, was named Australian karate federation's coach of the year at the national championships. Shihan Barounis will be teaching and grading at the Goonellabah's Dojo every three months.

This is a very exciting time for the people of the area because now they have an opportunity to train with one of the most respected martial arts styles in the country.

Head instructor of the Lismore dojo Dean Marshall (who is the current Oceania champion) says that the combination of low fees, the expertise of the instructors and the nationally recognised grading system makes Goonellabah the new home of karate in the area.

The classes are held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week at the Goonellabah R.S.L sports club.

If you are interested in finding out more, Miyagi kan is offering 2 complimentary trial classes for the first 20 people to call. For more details contact Dean on 66221754 or 0422 559 484.

Suns rise in the west

The North Coast Suns men's soccer team will open their Summer Youth League season this Saturday night against South West Queensland at Stadium Toowoomba. The Suns women's team has a bye this weekend and start their season at Italo Stars ground the following Saturday night.

The competition has been expanded from six teams last year to twelve, divided into two groups. The leading team from each group will play off in the final at the end of the home and away season.

The Suns dominated Toowoomba last year, notching up two 4-nil victories, but will have to compete against a side drawn from across the south west of the state this year.

The Northern Rivers Echo will have a full preview of the season in next week's issue, prior to the teams' first home games.

Four flush with success

Barely containing their excitement following their Queensland School Championship performances were (left to right) Zuben Brown, Alex Gardner-Marlin, Jo Gardner-Marlin and Rhiannon Beardow.

Four students from Richard Marlin's Success Martial Arts in South Lismore brought home five medals from the Queensland Schools Championships held at Carrara on the Gold Coast over the weekend.

Rhiannon Beardow, 8, competing in her first tournament, won 2nd place in the 10 years and under, in the 6th-3rd kyu Kata division. Zuben Brown, 16, also in his first competition, won third place in the Boys 15/16 years in the 10th-7th kyu Kumite. Silver medallist from the 2003 National titles, Jo Gardner-Marlin, won first place in the Girls 9/10 years in the 10th-7th kyu Kumite. Jo's sister, Alex Gardner-Marlin, also a medallist from this year's nationals (bronze), won first place in the Girls 13/14 years Black Belt Kumite and second place in the 13/14 years Black Belt Kata.

Big crowd expected for 8-ball stars

RSL Pool Club President, Greg Miller, getting in some table-time prior to the north coast's big 8-ball tournament this weekend.

The Goonellabah RSL Sports Club will ring to the sounds of clinking balls this weekend, when some of the best 8-ball pool comes to town.

After a one-year break, due to timetabling clashes, the 2003 North Coast 8-Ball Open Challenge is back bigger and better than before, with prize-money increasing to more than $2,000 in cash and trophies.

The event has attracted some of the finest players in the country, including two-time defending Australian champion, Peter Watt, from Tweed Heads. Other leading contenders include Brian Green, John Hudson and Brian Cameron.

Green was runner-up to Watt in the 2002 North Coast championship.

Also competing for the $1,000 first prize will be lone-female Caroline Hunter from Brisbane. Hunter is one of the favourites for the event, being a current member of the Australian Women's Snooker team.

"The locals are very fired up for this event, especially with so many leading Australian players competing. The word going around the club from some of our stronger and more experienced players is 'Bring them on,'" said RSL Pool Club president Greg Miller.

Accordingly, a large crowd is expected to witness the final on Sunday afternoon.

The 32-strong field will cue-off at 10am on Saturday with the finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

As of going to print there were still a few places left in the draw for locals to enter. Entry fees are $50 per player with the first-in best-dressed principal applying. If you would like to enter the tournament contact John on 6624 5924 or 0427 245 924.

Dual Alstonville honours

The Alstonville 14 years girls soccer team, runners-up in the NSW Champions of Champions tournament: Sally Anderson, Natalie Benhayon, Hannah Bruce, Hayley Cairns, Brooke Chamberlain, Rachel Chapman, Jemma Gale, Sarah Goldie, Jessica Haley, Emily Lewis-Hughes, Stephanie Payne, Katrina Scott, Tara Strudwick.

Coaches: Anne-Maree Kent and Frank Scott. Manager: Caroline Lewis-Hughes.

Two of Alstonville's junior teams have covered themselves in glory with outstanding results in the NSW Champion of Champions carnival.

The 14 years Girls team, the "Red Devils", reached the grand final on Sunday at the Soccer NSW Parklea ground in Sydney. Lining up against Ulladulla they were unlucky to lose 1-nil after having qualified for the final through a five-game preliminary series.

The Red Devils had overcome Pittwater 1-nil in their semi-final a fortnight earlier.

"We now have 7 teams of female teenage players and each year it increases", explained club president Paul Hunter. "Next year, our ladies team will be looking to play in the FNC First Division competition, setting a target for the teenage girls to aspire towards in coming years"

The 13 years Boys team, the "Allstars", also produced a fine effort reaching the semi-finals, losing 2-1 to Wetherill Park

To reach their finals, the Allstars had beaten Castle Hill 4-1, Eastern Suburbs 5-2 and Sutherland 1-0.

"It is always difficult to travel to Sydney every second weekend with your best playing effort but our boys had great heart against some much larger city boys." said Allstars coach Dave Cowan.

Norths set to turn tables

Daniel Cox is all concentration as he keeps out this short-of-a-length delivery from Tintenbar East Ballina captain Barry Crawford.

After knocking over the reining premiers, Tintenbar East Ballina, for just 147 Norths Goonellabah RSL made 29 without loss by the end of the first day's play at Oakes Oval. North will be looking to exact revenge against Tintenbar after losing to them in last year's LJ Hooker League grand final. Southpaw spinner Steve Lockhart (4-24) did the damage with opening bowler Nathan Bell (4-23) cleaning up the tail.

Casino Cavaliers have started the season well and could add Eastern Districts scalp to their belts on Saturday when they chase Easts first innings total of 174. Sending Easts in to bat after winning the toss at Nesbitt Park, Casino's Mark Mison (4-46) and Mick Woods (3-43) did the damage although Paul Simes showed stout resistance with a solid 50.

Souths put in a solid team performance to amass 7-204 against Alstonville at Hill Park, Wollongbar. Although many batsmen got a start Rex Parrish's 46 was the Southerners top score.

Brothers are in good shape to pull off an outright victory against Brunswick Valley at Heaps Oval, Lismore. The day started well for the Valley, winning the toss and electing to bat. Unfortunately they were scuttled for just 75. Steve Prosser (3-13) and Craig Ferguson (3-13) were both miserly and effective in keeping the wickets ticking over. Brothers reached Brunswick's score for the loss of just two wickets, although they lost Paul Foran before they passed that figure. Brothers resume on Saturday with Corey Bodley sitting ominous on 47 not out.

Ballina were saved by a fine 70 off Neil Lollback's bat in their game against Lennox Head at Fripp Oval, Ballina. The Bears were struggling at 6-57 after losing three wickets without any addition to the score, then again at 7-92. Ballina were all out for 193.

On Saturday the Lismore District Cricket Association representative team will meet the Ballina DCA in the second round of the Country Cup at Oakes Oval on Sunday. Lismore are coming off a decisive first round win against Tweed in a game that saw Easts Tom Cooper hit a fine century.

Local sailor wins state title

North Coast Academy of Sport (NCAS) sailor, Nick Peate from Ballina, has teamed up with former Academy sailor David O'Connor to convincingly win the Queensland Flying Eleven State Championships event.

The championships, hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron at Manly, on the south side of Brisbane, consisted of six races sailed on Moreton Bay.

Peate, who has been a member of the NCAS Sailing program for three years, has been travelling to Brisbane monthly since July to train with the Queensland-based O'Connor.

The pair was able to extract revenge on talented Sydney-based sailors, James Dorron and Holly Johnson who, on the previous weekend, won the NSW Flying Eleven Sprint State Championship sailed at Pittwater. Peate and O'Connor placed an unexpected fourth at that event.

The Queensland championships win to Peate and O‚Connor reflects a turnaround performance, with individual race results of three firsts and three second places.

Peate and O'Connor are continuing their training in preparation for other state regattas, and the Flying Eleven National Championships to be held in Brisbane next January

The Academy sailing squad, which consists of 18 athletes aged 9 to 17 years, will be training on the Clarence River at Harwood this weekend, with two elite coaches, Peter Vee and Nicholas Skulander flying up from Sydney to work with the squad.