Bundaberg Sailing Club will host the 2020 Australian Sports Boat Association (ASBA) state titles off Burnett Heads near Oaks Beach this weekend.
It's certain to be a hotly contested regatta with 15 of the state’s best and one New South Wales crew from Lake Macquarie, who are the current national champions and defending Queensland champions.
They will battle it out over eight races to see who will be crowned champion in the sports boat measurement system rating (SMS) and in the ASBA long term performance handicap system (ASBA LTP).
The ASBA website says Bundaberg Sailing Club is a great club and platform to host the regatta and their four local Viper 640s will keep all the other teams on their toes.
Swimming
Rising superstar Isaac Cooper turned it on in his home-town, breaking three records in his 10 victories in taking out the open men’s division age championship at the 47th annual City of Charm Swimming Carnival at Norville Pool on the weekend.
Swimming for Toowoomba Grammar School, where he has just completed year 12, the 16-year-old set the new 50m freestyle mark at 23.66sec, erasing the time that had stood for 12 years, and also broke own records in 50m backstroke with 26.72sec, and 100m backstroke, clocking 57.15sec to slash 2.51sec off the record set in 2002 by former Olympian and world championships silver medalist Robert Van Der Zant.
He also powered to victory in 200m backstroke, 100m butterfly, 200m Individual Medley (IM), 200m freestyle, 50m breaststroke, 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle
Isaac was however beaten for the Swimmer of the Meet, which is awarded to the competitor who broke the record which had stood the longest, by Taryn Roberts, of the Rocky City, with her 2:37.67 in the girls 14 years 200m breaststroke, bettering the standard set 21 years ago by Kelli Waite, and she also broke two other records.
Rocky City, which also has a local connection through their long-time coach, Bundaberg born and bred former state junior star Shane Kingston.
Age champions were also presented in all other divisions, and apart from Taryn, her club Rocky City picked up two other titles, Amelie Smith (12yr Girls) and Lachlan Kuss (13yr Boys).
Fraser Coast claimed the most age champions with four, Lucy Wright (10yr girls), Isla Baker (11yr girls), Alix Woods (13yr girls) and Xavier Metcalf (14yr boys).
Host club Bundaberg Swim Team (BST) produced one age champion, Ethan Giles, who took out the boys 9 years crown with wins in 50m freestyle, 50m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 200m IM.
The other age champions were: 8 yrs boys: Oscar Bundfuss Cooroy (Dolphins), 8 yrs girls: Gypsy Evans (Kawana Waters), 9 yr girls: Kirra Whitford (Hervey Bay), 10 Boys: Henry Adams (Goodlife Community SC), 12 Yr Boys: Kaden Gibson (Gladstone South), 15 Boys: Jakob O'Sullivan (Good Shepherd SC), 15 Girls: Emma Doherty (Emu Park) and 16 & Over Girls: Stephanie Elliott (Gladstone Gladiators). Kirra also picked up the trophy for the 12 & Under highest points.
Indi Bland was also outstanding for BST, beating all comers in the girls 11 years 50m freestyle, 200m IM, 100m breaststroke, 200m freestyle, 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle, while another club-mate Aarj Day achieved dual success in the boys 10 years 100m butterfly and 200m freestyle
Former club-mate Toby Street, swimming for the Bond University Club for the first time, turned it on to win the open men’s 400m freestyle, and also finish second to Isaac in 100m freestyle, and third to Isaac and 32-year-old Cooroy Dolphins’ 2019 City of Charm Swimmer of the Meet Andrew Cowan in 50m freestyle, in a string of great performances across the program.
Alexandra Whitaker, of the Isis club, took out the women’s 200m and 100m backstroke double, while Isaac’s young brother Ben Cooper made the men’s 15 years 200m IM his own, and BST had two other victors, Madison Nordberg in girls 12 years 200m backstroke, and Kasey Krueger in girls 12 years 100m butterfly.
Kasey will represent Queensland Country at the Surf Life Saving Queensland Interbranch Championships at the Gold Coast, starting today, together with her Bundaberg SLSC club-mates Xavier and Ariana Ulbl, and Lana Grant, and Elliott Heads SLSC trio Ethan’s elder sister Casey, Max O’Brien and Kobi Holden.
Cricket
Good luck to Bundaberg’s four representatives as they don South Queensland caps against North Queensland in the Queensland Country Open Championship in Cairns from today through to Sunday, Chris Duff, Brendan Handley, Arden Lankowski and Nathan Van Eekeren.
Tonight, in the Aussie Bundy Big Bash, Betta Heat will get the chance to join Searle’s RV Centre Vikings at the top of the table if they are able to beat them in their clash at Salter Oval at 6.30pm.
There are two important games in the Rum City Foods Intra Cup at Salter Oval tomorrow as teams jostle for places in the Tallon/Giles Cup decider, with East Bundy Magpies without Arden for their clash with the unbeaten Waves who will be missing Chris, while Norths will miss Brendan and Nathan for their must-win clash with Brothers.
Last weekend, Adam McCoombe had a day to remember for Isis in Division 3, scoring 111 and claiming 2-44 in their win over Brothers.
Rugby
Third place and an accompanying semi-final berth will be up for grabs when Turtles Brothers and RB Renegades ruck it out in the penultimate round of the Bundaberg Elders Insurance Spring Cup at 5pm tomorrow at the Waves Sports Complex.
Renegades have struggled for numbers lately, but if they are at full strength, it will be a battle royale.
Leaders Fraser Coast Mariners unfortunately were forced to forfeit their clash with West Barbarians, but they will remain on top of the table.
Netball
Pool A top two of Brothers Hurricanes and Waves Crushers can cement those positions if they are able to continue on their winning ways against Alloway Purple and Natives Swans respectively in round 8 of the Bundaberg Spring Cup at the Super Park tomorrow.
The first group of matches will get under way at 4.30pm, with full schedules also at 5.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm.
Results – Pool A: Waves Rollers 28 d Alloway Blue 25, Waves Breakers 38 d Alloway Red 30, Waves Crushers 34 d Natives Eagles 8, Fusion Solomons 41 d Alloway Purple 11, Natives Magpies 37 d Natives Swans 15, Brothers Hurricanes 41 d Brothers Thunder 21. Pool B: Natives Rosellas 16 d Waves Sunrays 14, Natives Parrots 19 d Alloway Yellow 14. Pool C: Brothers Twisters 33 d Alloway Maroon 10, Natives Kookaburras 53 d Alloway Orange 10, Waves Angelfish 44 d Alloway Aqua 1. Pool D: Fusion Ocrete 32 d Waves Riptides 4, Waves Coasters 28 d Brothers Storm 23, Brothers Typhoons 33 d Natives Peacocks 24. Pool E: Natives Galahs 20 d Brothers Heat 2, Natives Falcons 18 d Natives Firebirds 9, Brothers Blizzards 13 d Waves Seaturtles 12. Pool F: Brothers Earthquakes 10 d Waves Seahorses 6, Fusion Dans Elite Auto 11 d Natives Kingfishers 7, Fusion Force 19 d Waves Seashells 5.
Softball
With just two points separating first to fourth on the Hervey Bay A Grade Ladies table, much will be at stake in tomorrow’s two matches at Brothers Sports Club, with United Firesticks taking on Bargara Bullets and No. 1 Terrors to do battle with Waves Tsunamis.
The situation is a little clearer in A Grade Men, although only two points separate first and third in a six-team competition.
Top three of United Heat, Misfits and Waves Schooners will suit up against bottom trio of Maryborough, Bargara Bombers and Terrors respectively, all also at Brothers.
Running
Don’t forget that Bundaberg and Bargara Parkruns resume at Queen’s Park (enter via Hope Street) and Nielson Park Bargara tomorrow for the first time since the Covid-19 shutdown in mid-March, both at 7am.
You can walk or run this free weekly 5km timed event, and one dog on a leash per participant is also welcome.
If you are new to Parkrun, go to Bundaberg and Bargara Parkrun Facebooks and follow link to register. Also print out your bar code and bring it along. All returning Parkrunners must also bring along their barcode as All barcodes that were stored by the Events team have had to been disposed of.
New Barcode wristbands, keytags etc can be ordered from https://parkrun-shop.com.au/
Touch
Brothers Social Touch grand finals will be played in 10 divisions at Brothers Sports Club this Monday night.
There are five games at 6pm and the other five at 7pm. Good luck to all teams.
Racing
Bargara trainer John Kuhn and Darren Taylor, of Bouldercombe, each claimed doubles at this week’s Bundaberg greyhound meeting.
John was successful with Precious Hope which snapped a 14-race losing streak in a 460m 5th Grade, and former Victorian Talking Numbers, which recorded his first win at Thabeban Park in the 550m 5th Grade.
Darren got the money with track debutant My Bro Breach in another 460m 5th Grade, and Off Break in the final 460m 5th Grade.
Three other locals trainers also shared in the spoils, Phillip Carter, who saluted the judge with ex-New South Wales chaser Amazing Archer in a Maiden, Paul Burgess, who continued his run of success with Jabril Bale in the Novice Non-Penalty, and Bundaberg Greyhound Racing Club president Ricky Hassall with Kiki’s Mom, which completed back-to-back victories in the Mixed 4th/5th Grade.
In horse racing, top Bundaberg trainer Darryl Gardiner was among the winners at Gympie on Saturday, taking out the Class B with Shenzi.
