Surf Life Saving NSW has taken out both Divisions of the 2019 Interstate Championships held on Newport Beach Thursday, January 24th. The win makes this a back-to-back victory for the teams.
The NSW Pathway Cup team, led by Newport's Joel Piper as Captain, amassed 214 points, from Queensland (197), SA (117), Victoria (114), WA (110), Tasmania (50) and NT (7).
Queensland led New South Wales by two points as the afternoon events commenced but strong teamwork by the Opens and Youth Teams secured a good margin by day's end. Captain of the NSW Open's Team Mitchell Trim praised the whole team - ‘’Everyone did their bit in the water but Max (Brooks) and Emily (Doyle) were great. Emily was unreal and she did so many events, ’’ Mitchell said.
At the end of the 2019 Interstate Championships President of Surf Life Saving Australia Graham Ford thanked Newport SLSC and the volunteer officials for hosting a great event.
Surf Life Saving Australia and Surf Life Saving NSW's post-event reports:
New South Wales conquer Interstates Championships
By Surf Life Saving Australia
A traditional competitors march, followed by the official opening from Jason Falinski MP, Member for Mackellar and Michael Regan, Mayor, Northern Beaches Council signalled the start of the 2019 Surf Life Saving Australia Interstate Championships, at Sydney’s Newport Beach today.
The key to NSW’s win lay in their calculated approach to today’s racing. It was their strategic selection of choosing additional male and female beach athletes and their tactical approach to the relays that saw them win eight of the eight relay events. The clever use of the power plays late in the day with Sam Zustovich and Blake Drysdale earned them 26 points for the team and this, together with the stand out performances from Jay Furniss, Jackson Borg and Emily Doyle contributed to NSW’s 35 point triumph.
The Queenslanders were not to be dismissed fighting hard throughout the day showing strength in the female events with wins in the Open Female Board, Surf and Beach Flags and Youth IronWoman, Ski and Beach Flags as well as winning three out of the four Taplin Races. Lani Pallister outclassed the field all day in ideal swim conditions with standout performances from fellow Queenslander’s, Cooper Williams, Adam Palmer, Ruby Nolan, Hannah Sculley and Grace Gurr.
South Australia hit the score board with drafted athlete Britney Pierce claiming gold in the Open IronWoman race and WA gained their key points with wins in the Open Male and Female Beach Sprints with Sophie Watts and Jackson Symonds claiming victory in both events.
Leading NSW athlete, Jay Furniss, said it was the comradeship and sportsmanship within the NSW team that added to their win.
“We all worked together and aimed to not make it about any of us winning individually – it’s just about getting points for NSW. Usually you race for the first spot but in this case, we were happy that we did it for the team and it paid off and we’re stoked with the result,” said Furniss.
Placing State Points
1st New South Wales 289
2nd Queensland 254
3rd Western Australia 168
4th Victoria 167
5th NSW Country 158
6th South Australia 119
7th Tasmania 38
For full results from the Interstate Championships 2019 click here
Talented Teens Help NSW Defend Pathway Cup
By Surf Life Saving NSW
Some outstanding individual results and a strong team first culture helped ensure that the Youth Pathway Cup would remain in the hands of NSW for at least another year after a successful competition at Sydney’s Newport Beach on Thursday.
From start to finish the Baby Blues were in outstanding form as they shrugged off the pressure of being inaugural Pathway Cup winners in 2018 to cap off what was an outstanding day of surf sport for the home state after the NSW State Team were also crowned champions.
The Youth Pathway Cup offers an opportunity for some of the most talented athletes across the Under 14 and 15 age groups to test their skills against the best in Australia.
All mainland states were represented this season with Tasmania too crossing the Bass Strait for their first attempt at the event.
NSW fielded an exceptionally strong team with the vast majority of the squad having won state or even national medals, while a handful of the U15 competitors were able to utilise their experience after backing up for a second straight campaign.
In what is sure to have historians reaching for their books this NSW team also named two sets of twins in the one squad from the one club. Newport’s Mitchell and Jake Morris and Katelynn and Kimberley Doyle were all in action in the U14 age group.
It was a successful day for NSW who ended the competition in first place on the overall standings with 214 points ahead of Queensland (197) and South Australia (117).
In fact so impressive was the performance from this talented NSW team they finished in the top three in every single one of the 38 events contested.
The final record will show that NSW competitors achieved 26 first place finishes, 10 second places, and two third placed finishes in what was an outstanding display of consistency.
On the water the team was led by some fantastic individual performances from Kimberley Doyle Doyle, Lily O’Sullivan, Mitchell Morris and captain Joel Piper, while beach counterparts Emelyn Wheeler, Lucy Flanagan, Joshua Gedz and Peter Thoroughgood all powered through their events.
The team then capped off the day with a number of outstanding races in the relay events which were enough to ensure that they would be lifting the trophy by the end of the competition.
Team Manager Monique Williams said it was a fantastic result that reflected the hard work that the athletes had been putting in.
“When they came into camp over the last few days they really put a lot of effort into their training. What was really impressive was the way they put everything aside to focus on putting the team first as we had Mitchell Trim who is the NSW Open Captain and Jemma Smith herself an experienced athlete now come in and give a talk to reinforce just how important it is to be part of a team.
“I am really proud of what everyone achieved throughout the competition and there is so much talent in this team and I believe that they will certainly be making a case to be included in future representative teams,” said Ms Williams.
Head Coach Rachelle King and Williams have been part of the campaign for the past two seasons and are keen to ensure that success in the Youth Pathway Cup for NSW continues into the future.
“Rachelle has done an amazing job first as an assistant coach and now as head coach in her own right. Two from two is a great start and we definitely both will be back and trying our best to help us get that third win,” said Monique Williams.
2019 Youth Pathway Cup NSW Team
U14s – Mia Cracknell (Avoca Beach SLSC), Chelsea Jones (Bulli SLSC), Emelyn Wheeler (Terrigal SLSC), Katelynn Doyle (Newport SLSC), Kimberley Doyle (Newport SLSC), Joshua Gedz (Freshwater SLSC), Charlie Walker (Cooks Hill SLSC), Bailey Clues (Newport SLSC), Jake Morris (Newport SLSC) & Mitchell Morris (Newport SLSC).
U15s – Poppi Lever (Macmasters Beach SLSC), Lily O’Sullivan (Cudgen Headland SLSC), Lucy Flanagan (North Cronulla SLSC), Lily Finati (North Bondi SLSC), Holly Holmesby (Bulli SLSC), Daniel Chisholm (Swansea Belmont SLSC), Ryan Green (Terrigal SLSC), Lucas Ottaway (Bulli SLSC), Peter Thoroughgood (Elouera SLSC), & Joel Piper (Newport SLSC).
Team Management;
Head Coach - Rachelle King (Terrigal SLSC), Team Manager - Monique Williams (Cooks Hill SLSC), Assistant Coaches - Michael Gedz (Queenscliff SLSC) & Thomas Simpson (Shelly Beach SLSC).
