Stewart surfs to second title

Lauren Fitzsimons, Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Murray Stewart has continued his fine start to 2009 by taking out the open surf single ski title at the 2009 Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships last week in Perth.

Stewart, who will later this year race at his first senior canoe sprint world championships after being selected on the Australian team earlier this month, transferred his success to the ocean to lead home an impressive field on the beaches of Scarborough, Perth.

The Manly paddler proved too strong for 2008 Beijing Olympians, Tate Smith (Northcliffe) and Clint Robinson (Maroochydore), with these two paddlers crossing the line in second and third places respectively. Robinson is still considered the king of surf ski paddling, but was unable to add to his national title trophy cabinet this year.

Tate Smith joined fellow Northcliffe members to take victory in the Single ski realy ahead of the Manly club featuring Murray Stewart.   

In the mixed double ski, Stewart combined with fellow canoe sprint paddler Jo Brigden-Jones to finish in fourth place. Northcliffe continued their fine form in the ski events, placing first and third in the event. Nick Crilly, a former canoe sprint senior team member teamed up with Flora Manciet to claim the national title, while Rachel Simper, another ex senior team member, finished in third place with Tate Smith.

In the women’s open single ski, junior canoe sprint paddler Casey Leo-Litzow shocked the field to claim first place. Leo-Litzow, who also paddles for Currumbin Creek Canoe Club, proved too strong for the rest of the field taking the win. Youngster Hailey McGinty (Maroochydore) who was recently named to the U23 Sprint team, finished a commendable 7th overall.

The women’s double ski final resulted in a home-beach win for Scarboro’s Ruth Highman and Jane Humphrys.

The unlucky pairing were Manly’s Naomi Flood and Jo Brigden-Jones, who led the field from the start to all but within touching distance of the finish line.

It was then that Highman and Humphrys and Northcliffe’s Kelly Jury and Kristyl Smith caught a wave to sneak ahead and relegate the Manly pair to third.

In other results, Bernadette Wallace helped Burleigh Head Mowbray Park A to a third place in the women’s open single ski relay.

ECSTATIC ECKSTEIN’S BOARD TRIUMPH

Ironman king Shannon Eckstein is known of his unflappable personality but spectators at Scarborough Beach today saw another side of the champion.

Eckstein was almost reduced to tears after taking out the open board race, one of the few events to elude him over the years.

Four times previously Eckstein had been well positioned to win the board but had lost and he celebrated with gusto as he finally crossed the line in first place.

With pursuers arriving quickly on a wave, he bunny-hopped his board across the bank to take the gold medal ahead of defending champion Daniel Shade (Kurrawa) and Michael Saal (Currumbin Beach).

Eckstein was named man of the carnival, winning six gold medals and one silver across the week.

The event further reinforced the close links between canoe sprint and surf lifesaving and promises a continued bond which serves to strengthen both disciplines in the future.

See http://www.canoe.org.au/?Page=16582  or http://www.aussies.slsa.asn.au/2009/news_detail.asp?id=168 for more.

Garmin Wartrail

This is one crazy race! It consists of a three day staged event and involves a hike of 57km on day one, a 132km mountain bike on day 2 and finally a 62km canoe down the Orange river on day 3.

Jeanie Bomford won the women’s event (and was an incredible 4th overall!) and Andre Gie won the men’s. Here’s a race report courtesy of Hanno Smit of the McCain Adventure Addicts squad: http://www.mccainaddicts.co.za/news.html#26mar200902