Sports News

Hooks and Slices

with Stan Bendall

The Red Cross Charity Golf Day set down for last Sunday at the Lismore Golf Club had to be postponed due to the rain. A new date for the popular event will be set down for April 2004.

Ballina

This Saturday's events will be a backmarker stableford for the men and a single stableford for the ladies. On Sunday the cadets will have their wind-up day with the RTSL to play a 4BBB Pink ball, with a single stroke being played for Christmas hampers. The Vets will play a nine-hole Chook run the following Sunday.

Peter Galloway was the victor last week, beating home Steven James in very wet conditions. Young Luke Watling tasted victory in Friday's event.

Casino

This Saturday will be the first of two consecutive 2-ball stablefords with single stroke events running concurrently.

It was a toss up on Saturday as to whether it was the morning or afternoon players that had the best of the conditions. Tony Snow, playing in the morning, recorded the best score of the day to take out B grade and the December monthly medal. Brett Dean took out A grade in the afternoon with another morning player, Wayne Morrison, taking out C grade.

Coraki

This Saturday will be a single stroke event. The winners of last weekend's 2 person ambrose were Brian Walker and Mark McDonald from club legend Roger Wilton and Chris Knight.

Lismore

Saturday's event will be a 2BBB stableford plus a single stableford and an Irish teams stroke and single in three grades. Michael Hughes won on Thursday with a 62! Steve Morrissey won Saturday's A grade with young Nick Ryan winning B grade and Allan Hughes taking C grade. There were far too many Bradman 'winners' to name. Something to do with the weather, no doubt! The medal play-off was postponed as the weather had reduced the field size considerably. The 2003-04 committee positions for the club are - president: Charlie Johnson, vice-president: Stan Bendall, captain: Ed Bennett, vice-captain: Phil Luckie, committee: Danny Morton, Barry Hart, Wal Whaites, Pierre Faletti, Phil Lobban, Wayne McInnes, Graham Robertson and Michael Ball, with David Noble as handicapper.

Woodburn/Evans Head

Next week will be a single stableford. Andy Brown won the A grade veterans round on Thursday with Tom Durbridge getting up in B grade. Saturday's single stroke event went to past club champion, Bill Ferrier. Bill also took out the gross in the wet and windy conditions.

Hook, Line and Sinker

with Lindsay Doust - Suffolks Sports Store

Anglers create representative body

Martin Kennedy, 16, of Lowood, Queensland, caught this shark off the wall at Evans Head while holidaying on the north coast. It weighed in at 100lbs and took an hour to land off a 30lb line (for the uninitiated there are 2.2 lbs to the kilogram).

We are pleased to be able to announce the establishment of the Richmond Valley Anglers Action Group Inc.

It is not a fishing club but a peak body that will represent recreational fishing issues in an area that forms the Richmond basin - from Evans to Lennox Head and west to the foot of the ranges. Because the group is made up of both Club and non-Club anglers, it will be the organisation that NSW Fisheries will relate to in this area.

Within this area, there are several thousand recreational anglers and over twenty fishing clubs, and on most occasions critical issues are not addressed, or often we do not speak as a united group. Commercial anglers have a very formal structure that takes up major matters on their behalf. This will now happen for the amateur fisherperson.

Membership is available at only $2 per year for individuals and $20 for a Club. There will be 4 newsletters per year and an annual meeting held each February to elect the executive. An initial executive of twelve has been appointed.

In the coming few weeks, we expect the executive to be very busy as we address the final report on the Cape Byron Marine Park.

Other issues we will be addressing in the next few weeks are that of the traditional mullet shot for commercial fishers at Shaws Bay in Ballina and the closing of the Richmond River above Tatham Bridge to all commercial netting.

Lismore swimmers vanquish Borg

It's morning swimming training as usual for some Lismore Swim Team members after the big weekend.

More than 500 people turned out on Saturday to witness or participate in the last Lismore Swimming Club carnival to be held at the old Lismore pool.

The event, which attracted swimmers from 19 NSW and Queensland clubs, was indeed an historic occasion as it coincided with the Lismore Swimming Club's 75th anniversary.

To set the tone for the historic carnival, Lismore club member Scott Hahn donned old-style bathers and demonstrated the swimming style of Swedish swimmer Arne Borg who set the Australian men's 300-yard freestyle record of 3 minutes 24 seconds at the Lismore Memorial Baths in 1929. Borg won four Olympic medals, including gold in the 1928 1500m, beating home Australia's Andrew 'Boy' Charlton and the USA's Buster Crabbe.

Two heats of swimmers were keen to try to break Borg's record in a special 300-yard re-enactment event. The $300 prize money had to be split 10 ways after 10 swimmers finished well under Borg's time.

And 33 Lismore pool, carnival and/or FNC records were broken.

Lismore Swim Team successes included a record breaking 15 & Over 100m backstroke by Dennis Summerton and a fantastic effort by Emily Boyle, who broke her PB.

The Lismore team won the carnival point-score from Ballina Indoor Swim and Byron RSL Swimming Club.

The anniversary has prompted the club to re-establish its historical records. Chris Mills was pleased with the response to his plea for club information and memorabilia.

Racing to the Xmas races

If you have failed to organise a Christmas work function this year the Lismore Turf Club has the perfect answer.

Friday December 19 will see the first twilight TAB meeting held on the Far North Coast. After recent successful trial meetings in Taree and Coffs Harbour, the concept has shown itself to be very popular with the public. The first race on the eight-event card will start at 2.15pm, with the final race at 6.45pm.

The Cavaliers get serious - Cricket

Souths' Craig Bateman bends his back against Ballina's Brett Davis in their recent meeting at Heaps Oval. Bateman ended with 5-27 off 12 overs.

The LJ Hooker League returns this Saturday with a full round of two-day games to be completed on Sunday. The next heralds the start of one-day games.

With four of the nine rounds completed, the big improvers are Casino. After finishing down the list last season the Cavaliers currently hold down top spot on the ladder.

It's the result of some fine performances by the likes of Adam Shields, Michael Woods, Al Nowlan, Wade Sweeney, Sam Irvine and Mark Mison. The team has shown consistency with both the bat and ball and does not rely on one or two performers each week. The undefeated Cavaliers have upset the respective applecarts of Brunswick Valley (outright victory); Tintenbar East Ballina (1st Inns); Southern Districts (1st Inns) and Eastern Districts (1st Inns).

This weekend Casino travel to Lismore to take on the fast improving Marist Brothers at Oakes Oval. Brothers are still hurting from their finals near-misses last year in both the Hooker League two day and one-day competitions. Last round Brothers let slip a chance to get the points over Easts and they will be desperate to avoid ending up on the fringe of the finals once again.

Looming up behind Marist Brothers is Alstonville. They play sixth-placed Ballina Bears at Fripp Oval, Ballina, but may find it difficult to hold the powerful batting of the Bears.

Another important fixture this weekend is the Easts v Tintenbar East Ballina clash at Kingsford Smith Park. Easts, apart from their slip-up against Casino, have been able to answer all the questions posed of them this season. Tintenbar find that they are struggling down the pack in equal sixth. A loss this weekend by Tintenbar would see them start to drift out of the reckoning this season.

Another strong club that has yet to put its case this year is Souths. Level on points with Ballina and Tintenbar they will take on Lennox Head at Nesbitt Park this weekend. Souths will be looking to gain an outright victory from this game, as Lennox's batting can be shaky.

Brunswick Valley has been even more suspect with the bat in their hand this season. For Norths Goonellabah RSL to come away from their match at Thompson Oval, Brunswick Heads, with anything but an outright win will be a disappointment. However, this is a real danger game for Norths as The Valley are likely to be at full strength for their home fixture.

L J Hooker League Ladder

Casino Cavaliers 33
Eastern Districts 27
Norths Goonellabah RSL 22
Marist Brothers 21
Alstonville 20
Ballina Bears 16
Southern Districts 16
Tintenbar East Ballina 16
Lennox Head 3
Brunswick Valley 2
Round Five December 13/14
Alstonville v Ballina (Fripp Oval)
Lennox Head v Souths (Nesbitt Park)
Easts v Tintenbar East Ballina (Kingsford Smith Park)
Casino v Marist Brothers (Oakes Oval)
Brunswick-Byron v Norths Goonellabah RSL (Thompson Oval)

Rain dampens Suns prospect - Soccer FNC

The rain across the region meant the postponement of Round Six of the Summer Youth Soccer League, with the North Coast Suns now scheduled to replay the match against S-W Qld on 20th December at Stars Field.

The league will have its last matches this weekend before a Christmas break and then resume with three final matches. The leading team in each group will then play off for the Champions trophy in the last week in January.

The Suns will now have to concentrate on getting the maximum return from their final four games of the season. This weekend they travel to Rochedale to try and repeat their Round 2 victory over the Rovers. The Suns are the only team to lower the Rochedale colours this season.

This is a critical game for the Suns if they are to progress into the Champions Trophy final between the top-placed team from Group One and Group Two.

This Saturday, Round Seven, Group One: 7pm - Rochedale v North Coast Suns, Rochedale Rovers Soccer Club, Underwood Park, Underwood; Queensland Lions v Redlands United; 3pm - Palm Beach Sharks v South West Qld.

SYL Southern Cross Golden Boot

6 - Jayce Gilchrist, QLD Lions; Serne Kemp, Palm Beach

5 - Nicholas Broomham, Redlands Utd; Steven Cleary, Peninsula Power; Farren Fleiter, Sunshine Coast Hawks.

The North Coast Flames will also be in action this week. The undefeated women's rep' team has taken all before them this season scoring 24 unanswered goals in just four games. They will be taking on The Brisbane Tornadoes, an under 18 metroplitan rep side in the 5pm game at Rochedale in what should be their sternest test to date.

Borkhardt and Bultitude top of the multitude - Table Tennis

The grand final night for the Summer Pairs competition was held on Wednesday, December 3, at the Goonellabah RSL Table Tennis Centre.

Division One was a close and tense encounter between Werner Borkhardt and Graham Bultitude against Geoff Lamberton and Ken Hudson. With one match to play the final was all tied up at 2-all. In a great doubles match Hudson and Lamberton triumphed 11-9 in the 5th game to take the title.

The Division Two final was a complete contrast to Division One. The highly fancied minor premiers Gary Kennedy and Geoff Simes steamrolled their opposition, Bruce Thomas and Brett Phillips, 3-nil.

Division Three minor premiers, Warwick Robson and Jacob Griffin, battled it out with Julian Dimbleby and Adam Kennedy. The two teams have been neck and neck all year and the final was no exception. Again after four singles matches it was 2-2 with the doubles to play. Robson and Griffin got off to an early lead in the deciding doubles and were never headed.

The other final contested on Wednesday was the A+B handicap competition. Although the expectation was for a close encounter Col Gradwell and Adam Kennedy scored a relatively easy 3-nil win over Geoff Simes and Paul Griffin.

A new handicap competition will begin next week while the club's Christmas party will be held on Wednesday, Dec 17.

Free women's self-defence workshop

A free two-hour seminar on self-defence for women is to be held at Richard Marlin's Success Martial Arts Black Belt Academy in South Lismore on Monday, January 12.

The women-only seminar is suitable for all ages with the teachers all being experienced female black belt holders.

The series of lessons in this popular two-hour workshop cover eight commonsense steps to avoid conflict, as well as some simple, effective physical self-defence techniques.

According to programme director, Black Belt Lisa Marx, "It is just as important, even more important; to know how to 'not fight' as it is to know how to defend ourselves. The only fight we ever really win is the one we are able to avoid or talk our way out of."

She says the skills and knowledge taught in this seminar will not only help in potentially life-threatening situations, but it will also help in everyday communication.

"This workshop teaches people how to be careful, rather than naïve or paranoid."

One problem, Marx suggests, is that most people tend to become emotional and react accordingly when confronted with an intimidating situation. "Logic and emotions are like oil and water; they don't mix. When you react emotionally to a situation, you are usually going to make a poor decision that will further provoke the situation," she said.

The workshop provides strategies for maintaining the calmness necessary to make appropriate decisions in dangerous or threatening situations.

Each participant will receive a workbook for use on the day that they can take away with them, and if they register by December 20, they will also be sent a booklet to study before the workshop, to help them feel confident and prepared.

This free workshop is presented as a community service for Lismore women by Richard Marlin's Success Martial Arts Black Belt Academy in South Lismore.

The course will be held at the Success Martial Arts facility in 81 Union Street, South Lismore, on Monday, January 12, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. To register call Lisa on 6622 4799.