Noosa Outriggers Clinch Titles

Original Post December 11, 2013

The South Queensland Zone Outrigger Canoe Titles 2013 were recently decided, with several Noosa OC1 paddlers clinching Championship titles.

Following completion of the 6 race series, five paddlers from the Noosa Outrigger Canoe Club qualified for placings in the OC1/OC2 racing series, with an outstanding success rate overall.

In the men’s divisions, the champions are John Goller in the Master Division and Des Mabbott in the Senior Master Division, both in the long course category, and Harry Crockford in the Golden Master Division, in the short course category.

In the Senior Master Women’s Division, friends and rivals Pip Kay and Wendy Mabbott were runner up and third place respectively, with just two points separating them.

At the last race in the series, held at Southport Spit and hosted by the Northcliffe Outrigger Canoe Club, the conditions proved challenging.

Harry Crockford had a storming run and left his nemesis in his wake to win the Golden Master Division, while Wendy Mabbott and Pip Kay raced hard, with Wendy getting ahead for once and staying there to come second in their division with Pip in fifth place.

Buoyed by the success of these three, Des Mabbott and John Goller were fired up ready to compete in the Long Course of 22 kilometres. Unfortunately, and to their huge disappointment, the race was cancelled due to an approaching storm cell. Nonetheless John had been so successful in his previous five races that he was so far ahead in the points tally that no one could challenge him. So, Noosa had another Champion, in the Long Course Masters category. Des also secured his title of the Long Course Senior Master champion through the points tally of the five previous races.

Now these paddlers can turn their attention to the National Championships being held in Coffs Harbour on 6 and 7 December, where they will pit themselves against the best in Australia.

Story: Jo Searle