SC2015
SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND MASTERS & SENIOR STATE
CHAMPIONSHIPS / 27–29 MARCH 2015 / MAROOCHYDORE
GET ON BOARD
Surf Life Saving Queensland would like to proudly acknowledge and
thank the Queensland Government – Department of National
Parks, Recreation, Sport and Racing for their ongoing support of the
delivery and development of Surf Sports within our association.
Through committed funding support, Surf Life Saving Queensland
continues to create sporting opportunities to enhance grassroot
participation, talent identification, participation pathways, athlete
development, mentoring programs and club engagement through
structured state-wide programs, activities and events.
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2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 3
4 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
CONTENTS
2015 SLSQ MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
OFFICIAL PROGRAM
FEATURED
6Welcome
8Gold and glory
on the line at State
Championships
10Summer of surf set
for sizzling finish
14 Ones to watch
24Through the lens of
Harvie Allison
39 Shock and oar:
surf boat crews set
sight on State Champs
40 Lifesavers feel the
need for speed at
Maroochydore
42Teams march to
their own beat
at State Champs
44 Event map
30 Flash back
46 Event schedule
33Five minutes with...
Amy Nurthen
47
Club caps
36Senior athletes set for
masterful display
SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
18 Manning Street, South Brisbane QLD 4101
t. 07 3846 8000 | w. lifesaving.com.au
Program Staff
Writers/Editors: Cameron Ward, Saira Manns
Designers: Chloe Koklas, Hannah West
Printing proudly
donated by:
Photos by Harvie Allison Photography
t. 0417 285 133 | w. harvpix.com.au
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 5
WELC
Welcome to my home beach,
Maroochydore, for the Masters and
Senior Championships of 2015. This
region celebrates a Century of
Lifesaving on 1 January 2016 – 100
years since patrols were mounted at
Maroochydore or “Maroochy Heads”
as it was known then.
On just the second day of operations
– 2 January 1916 – five rescues were
performed, including one resuscitation.
This was at a time when there was no
road to this place – a journey from
Nambour on the cane tram, and a
transfer to a motor vessel to come down
the Maroochy River to a camping ground
that held up to 2,000 holidaymakers at
peak times, even back in 1916!
What traditions were begun.
Mooloolaba Club started in 1922, then
Alexandra Headland in 1924, and our
largest Branch in Queensland, the
“Sunny Coast”, was away. Today, these
6 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
three surf clubs in this strip are among
the strongest and most successful in
Australia, both in competition and the
provision of lifesaving services, our
core business.
A big thank you to John Brennan OAM,
the SLSQ Chief Executive Officer, and
to all our dedicated SLSQ staff, for all
you have done to provide a happy,
safe and exciting Queensland
Championships for 2015.
I wish all competitors, spectators
and officials a pleasant stay, a
successful competition and a safe
homeward journey.
Ralph Devlin QC
President, Surf Life Saving Queensland
COME
I would like to extend a very warm
welcome to Sunshine Coast visitors
arriving for the Queensland Surf Life
Saving Championships.
to a huge range of activities to enjoy –
and they offer a wonderful environment
to re-charge your batteries in
preparation for the year ahead.
The Queensland Surf Life Saving
Championships events are no
strangers to the Sunshine Coast, which
offers a perfect environment for the
championships. And as you may know,
that perfect environment has resulted
in the Sunshine Coast being selected to
host The Aussies next year, which we are
very much looking forward to.
Meanwhile, may I wish you the very best
of luck in the 2015 Championships.
The Queensland championships attract
elite athletes at the peak of their game.
We look forward to seeing you in action,
and we hope you and your family and
friends can find time to make the most of
your visit and take a look around.
Mark Jamieson
Mayor, Sunshine Coast Council
With best regards,
Our miles of beaches and magical
hinterland offer a marvellous backdrop
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 7
GOLD
& GLORY
ON THE LINE AT STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Some of lifesaving’s greatest rivalries
will be reignited this weekend when the
state’s top surf sport athletes converge
on the Sunshine Coast to contest the
2015 Queensland Championships.
As the pinnacle sporting event on Surf
Life Saving Queensland’s calendar each
year, the championships will see more
than 1,500 lifesavers from across the
state battle the surf, sand and each other
in their quest for glory.
The championships not only represent
the culmination of Queensland’s surf
sport season but, for many competitors,
it will also be their last opportunity
to build momentum and fine-tune
preparations ahead of the Australian Surf
Life Saving Championships in April.
The competition kicks off on Friday 27
March with the Masters Championships,
where competitors aged from 30 years
all the way through to over 70 years will
line up to contest the full suite of events
including beach sprints, surf boats, surf
ski and swims.
The action continues across the
weekend as some of the state’s top
beach and ocean athletes take centre
stage at the Senior State Championships.
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Last year’s ironman and ironwoman
champions Ky Hurst and Jordan Mercer
will be out to defend their titles, while
the likes of Shannon Eckstein, Ali Day,
Courtney Hancock and Liz Pluimers – all
former Queensland champions – will be
eager to add more gold to their alreadyimpressive trophy cabinets.
On the sand, Queensland’s fastest
lifesavers will put everything on the line
in the beach sprints and flags, while the
action will be as fierce as always in the
surf boats.
Surf Life Saving Queensland surf sports
manager Stuart Hogben is tipping some
exciting battles over the weekend.
“Each and every year the State
Championships bring thousands of
competitors together in the name of
lifesaving and mateship; but don’t
get me wrong, once they pull on their
respective club colours there’s definitely
no holding back,” Mr Hogben said.
“It’s literally mate against mate and
club against club out there and no one’s
willing to give an inch when there’s a
state title up for grabs.”
Surf boat crews in action at the
2014 Queensland Championships
at Kirra on the Gold Coast.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 9
SUMMER
OF SURF
SET FOR
SIZZLING
FINISH
It’s already been a fast and furious summer of surf with plenty of thrills,
spills and everything in between. Here, we take a look back over the
summer that was, highlighting some of the big moments and key results
from the 2014/15 surf sport season.
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2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 11
STATE ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
More than 500 competitors lined up
at Alexandra Headland on Sunday
11 October for Surf Life Saving
Queensland’s 2014 Endurance
Championships. The event saw some
of the sport’s top athletes go head-tohead in a number of gruelling events
including long-distance swimming,
board paddling, surf skiing and
beach running.
Making the most of the home
advantage, Alexandra Headland took
out the event ahead of Sunshine Coast
rivals Mooloolaba and Maroochydore.
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In the individual events, Jordan Mercer
showed why she’s the endurance queen
of racing, taking out the open female
10km ski and the 4km board paddle. In
the men’s, Mackenzie Hynard claimed
gold in the open male 10km ski and the
4km beach run.
COOLANGATTA GOLD
Josh Minogue couldn’t have scripted his
farewell to ironman racing any better,
with the Mooloolaba ironman closing
the chapter on his professional career
with a maiden win in the Coolangatta
Gold. In a gripping and dramatic finale
to the sport’s toughest endurance race,
five-time champion Caine Eckstein
was forced to retire mid-way through
the board paddle after succumbing
to a bicep injury. It paved the way for
Minogue to stamp his authority on
the race in conditions described as
“absolutely brutal”.
Minogue, off the back of the fastest
individual swim leg of the day,
celebrated a dream day to cross the
line in 4 hours 12 minutes 10 seconds
– to win by over seven minutes from
Northcliffe’s Jake Nicholson (4:19.47)
This year’s Championships went right
to the wire, with the title literally coming
down to the last race of the day. This year
it was New South Wales who claimed
bragging rights, edging defending
champions Queensland by just five
points. The gripping finale was a fitting
end to a see-sawing day of competition
in which both states held the lead at
various times.
In the individual events, Queensland’s
Matt Poole led from the front on his way
to winning the open ironman ahead of
Matt Bevilacqua and Kendrick Louis.
Poole would later finish second behind
Queensland teammate Ky Hurst in the
open surf swim.
“The greatest thing about this event is
you’re not just racing for yourself, you’re
racing for the entire Queensland team.
So much of our sport is individual, so to
be contributing to an overall team score
is awesome,” Poole said.
KELLOGG’S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN
AND IRONWOMAN SERIES
It takes a mighty effort to overthrow the
king of surf lifesaving and 24-year-old
Ali Day delivered in spades, completing
a dream comeback to the sport when
he toppled eight-time winner Shannon
Eckstein to take out his first series title.
with Alexandra Headland teenager Sam
Bull (4:25.03) third.
North Burleigh’s Liz Pluimers came from
behind in the toughest race of her career
to pass former Commonwealth Games
gold medalist Rebecca Creedy on the
board leg and become only the third
woman to win two Coolangatta Golds.
INTERSTATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
The nation’s finest crop of surf sport
athletes converged on Newport Beach in
Sydney on Friday 23 January to compete
in the 2015 Interstate Championships.
Their engaging battle for overall honours
across the summer months came to
a head as the pair fought out a legburning and lung-busting sprint finish
in the sixth and final round of the series
at Newcastle’s Main Beach. A gallant
Eckstein won the race, but Day’s
second placing in the round was enough
to secure a maiden series title by just
one point.
For Day, who required a wildcard entry
to compete in this year’s series, it was a
sweet vindication for his hard work and
determination after missing the best
part of 12 months because of severe
exhaustion and a liver complaint.
Earlier in the day, Liz Pluimers joined
some of surf lifesaving’s greats by
claiming her third IronWoman Series
crown. The Coolangatta Gold champion
was a dominant force over the summer
months and successfully navigated the
final round to hold off a late charge from
Rebecca Creedy and secure the overall
honours. Pluimers’ victory puts her
equal with Courtney Hancock on three
career series wins apiece, with the pair
sitting behind only Karla Gilbert (seven)
and Kristy Harris (five).
OCEAN ASSAULT SERIES
After a five-year hiatus, SLSQ’s Ocean
Assault series returned with a bang
this summer and attracted some of the
sport’s biggest names, who lined up to
compete across three rounds followed
by a finals showdown at North Burleigh
on 7 February.
Mooloolaba’s Karlee Nurthen claimed
bragging rights in the series final,
taking out the open ironwoman final
ahead of Gold Coast rivals Harriet
Brown and Rebecca Creedy. Meanwhile,
Alex Wright (Mooloolaba) took out the
open ironman final ahead of Sam Bull
(Alexandra Headland) and Dane
Farrell (Elouera, NSW).
Gold Coast clubs were a dominant force
in the taplin relay, with Northcliffe taking
out the women’s final and Currumbin
prevailing in the men’s.
QUEENSLAND SURF RESCUE
CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Championships saw more than
200 surf lifesavers from across the state
converge on the Sunshine Coast to
put their patrol skills to the test across
three days of intense competition.
In addition to gruelling fitness and
athletic challenges, the Surf Rescue
Championships also have a unique focus
on the lifesaving skills and knowledge
of each competitor with two of the three
events including a theory component.
Gold Coast’s Northcliffe took out the
top honours, edging out host club
and defending champions Alexandra
Headland by just three points.
After three days of fierce competition,
Northcliffe finished on 76 points ahead
of Alexandra Headland on 73 points,
followed by Sunshine Beach (40
points) and Maroochydore (33), with
Coochiemudlo Island and Point Lookout
(32) in fifth place on equal points.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 13
NORTHCLIFFE’S COURTNEY HANCOCK
CONGRATULATING FRIEND AND 2014
QUEENSLAND IRONWOMAN CHAMPION,
JORDAN MERCER OF NOOSA HEADS.
ONES TO
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O WATCH
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 15
16 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
KY
HURST
2014 QUEENSLAND
IRONMAN CHAMPION
BIO
DOB 11/03/1981
SOCIAL
CLUB Kurrawa
ky_hurst
Since bursting onto the ironman scene as a
prodigiously-talented teenager more than a decade
ago, Ky Hurst has carved out a well-deserved
reputation as one of the most competitive and
respected athletes of his generation. With a sporting
resume boasting two Olympic Games and a raft of
state and national ironman titles, it’s not hard to see
why he’s also regarded as one of the all-time greats
of the sport. In last year’s Queensland ironman final,
Hurst stormed home in the swim leg to secure the
win ahead of Luke Cuff and Matt Bevilacqua, and he
should feature prominently once again at the pointy
end of this year’s Championships.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 17
SHANNON ECKSTEIN
ALI DAY
DOB 07/05/1983
DOB 20/07/1990
CLUB Northcliffe
CLUB Mooloolaba
WEBSITE www.shannoneckstein.net
SOCIAL
There’s not much in ironman racing that Shannon
Eckstein hasn’t achieved. With multiple state,
national and world titles already under his belt he’s
certainly etched his name into the record books
as one of Australia’s greatest surf athletes.
Nicknamed ‘The Professor’ for his racing and
tactical nous, you can expect him to be looming
large come race day.
Struck down by illness last summer, Ali Day has burst
back onto the scene in scintillating fashion, recently
solidifying his position as a genuine superstar of
the sport with a maiden victory in the prestigious
Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain IronMan Series. A former
Queensland ironman champion and Coolangatta
Gold winner, Day knows how to win under pressure
and will be one to watch come Sunday finals.
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alastairday
alastair_day
CAINE ECKSTEIN
MATT POOLE
DOB 16/11/1985
DOB 20/05/1988
SOCIAL
CLUB Northcliffe
caine.eckstein
caineeckstein
As a five-time Coolangatta Gold champion, Caine
Eckstein is the undisputed endurance king of
ironman racing. His reputation for breaking the pain
barrier was further enhanced in the off-season when
he broke a Guinness World Record for the most
number of chin-ups completed in 24 hours. He’ll be
hoping to add the Queensland ironman title to his
growing trophy cabinet.
SOCIAL
CLUB Mooloolaba
matt_poole1
A third-place finish in this year’s Kellogg’s NutriGrain IronMan Series once again confirmed Matt
Poole’s place amongst the sport’s elite. Matt grew
up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, but now lives and
trains on the Sunshine Coast. A former under-19
Australian ironman champion, he relishes the big
stage and will be out to claim a maiden Queensland
ironman title this weekend.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 19
JORDAN
MERCER
2014 QUEENSLAND
IRONWOMAN CHAMPION
BIO
DOB 02/12/1993
SOCIAL
CLUB Noosa Heads
jordanmercer_1
They call her ‘Magic’ and last year Jordan Mercer
showed why, with a dominant performance in the
open ironwoman final delivering one of the biggest
wins of her burgeoning career. Mercer led home
a star-studded field to take out the event ahead
of former national champions Kristyl Smith and
Rebecca Creedy. A solid summer of racing has
already seen Mercer claim two gold medals and
two silvers at Surf Life Saving Queensland’s State
Endurance Championships, before going on to win
the gruelling Molokai2Oahu paddleboard world
championship for a fourth consecutive year and
finish 5th overall in the IronWoman Series.
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2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 21
COURTNEY HANCOCK
LIZ PLUIMERS
DOB 07/05/1983
DOB 25/10/1986
SOCIAL
CLUB Northcliffe
courtz_hancock
A quick glance at Courtney Hancock’s sporting
resume shows why there’s no denying her position
as one of the sport’s premier ironwomen. To this
day she remains the only woman in history to win
all major ironwoman titles in the same year. At
last year’s Queensland Championships, Courtney
claimed gold in the surf team and surf board relay
and silver in the surf race and surf ski relay.
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SOCIAL
CLUB North Burleigh
lizpluimers
One of the premier athletes in the sport, Liz has
already achieved considerable success on the
state, national and international stages. She has
previously won the Coolangatta Gold, the Australian
ironwoman championship and the Kellogg’s NutriGrain IronWoman Series title. Last year, she claimed
a raft of podium finishes and will be out to continue
her recent run of victories.
KRISTYL SMITH
REBECCA CREEDY
DOB 18/03/1983
DOB 12/03/1983
SOCIAL
kristyl_smith
CLUB Northcliffe
kristyl_smith
There are few ironwomen in the sport who are
more respected than Kristyl Smith, both for her
tremendous ability in the surf and her friendly
nature out of it. With two Australian ironwoman
championships and two world titles to her name,
she’s also one of the most decorated competitors
in the sport. She finished second in last year’s open
ironwoman final, narrowly beaten by Jordan Mercer.
SOCIAL
CLUB Northcliffe
beccreedy
A former elite swimmer, Rebecca Creedy
represented Australia in the pool between 1998 and
2002, winning nine international medals including
gold and bronze at the 1998 Commonwealth
Games. She continued her winning ways in the surf,
taking out the 2012 Australian ironwoman title. She
enters in top form after a second place finish in the
2014/15 IronWoman Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 23
through the lens of harvie allison
THROUGH THE LENS
When Dean Mercer
won his last state title
back in 2005, Harvie
Allison was there. When
Melissa Howard claimed
the first of her ten titles,
Harvie Allison was there.
When Zane Holmes took out
his sixth Queensland Ironman
crown, when Simon Harris
dominated the beach flags and, more
recently, when the likes of Ali Day and
Jordan Mercer broke through for their
maiden titles, you guessed it, Harvie Allison
was there.
24 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
OF HARVIE ALLISON
As Surf Life Saving’s
official photographer,
Harvie
has
been
covering surf carnivals for
more than two decades,
capturing some of the sport’s
greatest moments and biggest
upsets through the lens of
his camera.
Leading into this year’s Queensland
Championships, we sat down with
Harvie to talk about his passion for surf
sports photography and some of his favourite
memories from the past 20 years.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 25
and thought ‘what have I done?’ but
fortunately it all got better from there.
I’ve now been SLSA’s photographer for
28 years and I’ve been covering the
Queensland Champs for about 20 of
those.
When did you first get involved
in surf lifesaving and how did you
end up as Surf Life Saving’s official
photographer?
I’m from Scotland initially and when
I first came out here as an 18-year-old I
was actually an ice hockey player. One of
my mates who I played with at the time
was involved with Wanda surf club and
he kept telling me how much I’d love
it. Eventually he managed to convince
me to come down and check it out – I
had a great night, got a free t-shirt, and
I was hooked. I could barely swim at
that stage, but the club obviously saw
that I could be a good administrator so
they made sure I got swimming lessons.
I ended up completing my Bronze
Medallion in April 1975. Within two
years I was a patrol captain and chief
instructor and I’d go on to have many
years as a ski paddler and board and ski
captain. A bad shoulder injury ended my
ski career and that’s when I finally found
the time to follow my other passion,
photography.
I had just bought a new Nikon
camera, which was something that I’d
always wanted but couldn’t afford in the
past, and my friend Paul Sargent was
SLSA’s photographer. He’d just lost his
dark room and I had one I’d just set up,
so he asked if I wanted to get together,
shoot some stuff and make some pocket
money, and it all just went from there.
The first Aussies I shot was in 1989
at Burleigh. I’d given up a very well
paid job in IT to earn 300 bucks a week
taking photographs – and that’s if I was
lucky! I got up to North Burleigh and
it was cyclonic conditions. I broke two
cameras and didn’t sell a single photo
26 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
What do you remember about some
of those early State Championships?
It was a different game altogether
back then. Camera wise, everything was
black and white, and it wasn’t the digital
age that we have now. You could be
shooting a surf race and then suddenly
you hit your 36 shots and that’s it, you’ve
got to rewind and load another film. But
now with large memory cards you never
miss a shot.
To be honest, it’s the characters and
the athletes that stand out more than
anything. You had the Trevor Hendys,
the Darren Mercers, the Stevie Pullens
and guys like that who you’d virtually
watch growing up as they came through
the ranks. And now a lot of the younger
athletes who are coming through are
actually the kids of competitors when I
first started shooting. I look at the likes
of Darren Mercer’s daughter Jordie
and it does my head in! I don’t feel
that different than I did 20 years ago,
but here’s my friend’s daughter who is
now suddenly a grown woman and an
amazing athlete that I love to watch and
shoot racing.
You’ve obviously seen a lot of big
names up close over the past 20
years. Do any in particular stand
out?
Trevor Hendy, without question. No
one can go past Trevor, and he’s also one
of the nicest blokes on the planet. But
my other favourite is Shannon Eckstein,
who’s certainly becoming an immortal
and I love to watch him race. Of course
Clint Robinson, who I think still holds the
record for the most medals at Aussies,
and when Kenny Wallace fires up that’s
a sight to behold. I lean towards ski
paddlers of course! But, in recent years,
the likes of beachies Melissa Howard and
Simon Harris are just so explosive and
there’s nothing better than surfboats
when there is a wave on. I try not to play
favourites, it really just comes down
to whoever wins on the day. There’s
nothing better than capturing a sprint
finish either. And our amazing officials,
who we couldn’t function without, are
always good for a chat and a laugh,
heaps of great mates.
You’re a familiar sight at surf
carnivals, always with camera in
hand. What gear do you actually use
when shooting?
I used Canon for about 25 years, but
more recently I’ve switched to Nikon
and I love it. The pendulum has really
swung over the past few years and the
Nikon gear is now well and truly ahead
of Canon without question. Even just a
few years ago you wouldn’t see much
Nikon gear on the beach, but now you’re
seeing it everywhere. And these new
little electronic cameras that I’m using,
the Nikon 1 system, continue to blow
me away – the shots from them are
incredible!
The advent of digital photography
and social media has just been amazing,
particularly because it’s such a visual
sport. It means you can get your images
out there and more and more people
are getting to enjoy them. In years gone
by we’d have to develop and print our
photos on the beach and that was really
the one and only chance that people
would get to look over them, but now
with social media and websites we can
put photos out there almost straight
away and they can be viewed all year
round as well.
On average, how many photos
would you take across the
Queensland Championships?
There are generally three of us
shooting each day. My wife Shanta
has been shooting the Queensland
Championships for the past ten years
and the team includes another great
photographer, Kate Czerny, who has
worked with me for the past 14 years.
Our general policy is ‘one shot, one hit’.
I try not to let the motor drive run away.
We probably shoot about 5,000 images
at the State Championships and, of
those, about 4,000 or so will make it up
online, so the strike rate is very high in
that regard.
What do you make of the increase
in iPhone and mobile phone
photography? It seems everyone
has a camera in their pocket these
days.
It definitely helps with social media,
but I always hassle my guys because I
would never take a photo with a phone.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 27
Harvie’s basic camera instructions for sport
If you are not comfortable using your camera on full manual, these hints may help you get some great action shots.
“S” (shutter speed) setting: Best for sport, this is the shutter
priority setting ... basically you set the shutter speed and the
camera works out the aperture setting (how much light to let
in) ... for sport it’s best to use 1/500th as an absolute minimum
unless you are doing things like pan shots with some blur etc.
You can try these at 1/125 or less for something different, pan
the camera with the action and shoot a couple of frames with the
slow shutter speed as you pan ... Sport generally use ISO 400 &
a shutter speed of 1/1000th in bright sun … see below for ISO
settings.
into the sensor and actually exposes for the subject which is in
shadow; you will find the background pale and washed out but
the subject looking good, i.e. ski paddler boat crew etc. Tip …
make sure you remember to reset back to 0 when finished or the
results of your next frames could be incorrect.
Exposure compensation: Now we are moving into the realm
of really understanding light! If shooting on the beach, as I do,
then often you have to shoot into the sun. This is where exposure
compensation (generally in the menu or +/- on the camera)
is invaluable to understand. Settings go in 1/3 increments. I
often shoot at +1/3 but if the backlight (sun behind) is severe
you should set it one full stop open (+1). This lets more light
“M” Full Manual: If you have a basic understanding of light
and how your camera works then this is the best to use … you
have full control of all settings. ISO, shutter speed, and aperture
as above and keep an eye on the exposure meter in the camera
viewfinder. Using M and reviewing your results will improve
your images immensely as well as give you confidence in your
shooting.
28 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
“Green Auto”: This is full program setting, where the camera
takes control and sets all parameters. Good when in a hurry or
unsure as the camera just does its thing ... millions of dollars
have been put into developing these cameras so it’s OK to let
them just do their job.
I always tell them ‘it’s a phone - you’re
meant to talk to people with it!’. But,
in saying that, the cameras in the
next generation of mobile phones
will actually be better than a lot of the
compact cameras on the market. The
likes of Canon and Nikon can’t sell
compact cameras any more because
the phones are becoming too good.
Everyone’s using a phone these days,
you know, it’s the selfie generation and
there’s the instant gratification you get
with social media, but that’s just where
we’re at. It’s not necessarily a good thing
or a bad thing, it’s just where technology
has taken us and who knows what the
next step will be.
Are you still involved lifesaving and
patrols outside of your photography
work?
I’m a Long Service member at
Kurrawa these days, but I always put my
hand up to do Christmas Day patrols. At
my original club, Wanda, I was awarded
a 10 years 100% patrol attendance
award which is something I’m really
proud of. At Kurrawa I’m still a training
officer and a proficient member in IRBs
and advanced resuscitation – I’ve got
more awards these days than I know
what to do with! One of the main reasons
I’m at Kurrawa is my great respect for Jeff
Gatenby – an amazing man and amazing
trainer who’s done so much for the club
and for lifesaving in general. I love my
surf club – they’re like family to me. I still
have ties and part of my soul at Wanda,
but Kurrawa is definitely my club now.
I’ve also been very involved in
starting up surf lifesaving in the Cook
Islands. I’ve been looking after them
for a while now, and they’re sponsored
and supported by Surf Life Saving
Queensland through the generosity and
support of CEO John Brennan.
The Cook Islands Surf Life Saving is
a pretty big deal to me. It’s never going
to be huge with patrols, but it’s a great
initiative. Unfortunately, we actually lost
a paddler during a race there four years
ago, and there wasn’t even a defibrillator
in the ambulance. Since then we’ve
set up training days, run resuscitation
courses, and now we’ve got defibrillators
all over the Island. So at least something
good came out of it in the end.
Outside of surf sports, what else do
you shoot?
I’ve done a lot of media work and
I worked with newspapers for years
freelancing. I do a lot of outrigging as
well – I’ve just had a trip to Norfolk Island
to help promote a new event there. I’ll
do a bit of blogging with photos if I do go
to events to help promote them. I also do
lots of sports photography and a fair bit
of tourism work in the Cook Islands, and
was called to run the photo media for the
Pacific Islands Forum with Hilary Clinton
attending. I actually spend about two
months every year over there. I cover
the Vaka Eiva outrigger festival that I was
involved in starting back in 2004 and the
cultural festival Te Maeva Nui.
My passion now is probably
stronger than it’s ever been. I just love
photography, and there’s always a
camera on my desk in case something
happens even just around the home
or in my garden. I actually rescued and
resuscitated a duckling last week and
managed to snap a few shots of that, so
there’s always something happening. I
really love nature and time exposures as
well when travelling!
What are you looking forward to at
this year’s State Championships?
I’m really looking forward to both
Youth and Seniors this year. I love
working on the events, and it’s a really
good media team that we have. We all
compliment each other and work well
together doing our best to help promote
surf lifesaving.
You can view, and purchase, Harvie’s
photos online at www.harvpix.com
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 29
FLASH
BACK
FLASH
BACK
FIVE YEARS AGO...
It was arguably
the most dramatic
moment of the
2010 Queensland
Surf Life Saving
Championships.
While competing in their quarter-final
showdown, Maroochydore’s reserve
surf boat team were picked up by a freak
wave and flipped upside down. In the
blink of an eye their boat had snapped,
30 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
leaving their championship dreams in
tatters while thousands of spectators
looked on in awe.
Speaking after the race, Maroochydore
crewman Damien Carroll said it had
taken a few moments to get his head
around what had actually happened.
“It all happened so quickly. Initially I
swam to the surface thinking that we
could just get back in the boat and
maybe sneak through to the next round
if another team rolled on the way in. But
it wasn’t until I got to the surface that I
saw the boat in two pieces,” he said.
“I just started to laugh, because it was
the weirdest way that I have ever been
knocked out of a race. I’ve seen some
big clashes before, but I’ve never seen a
boat snap in half!” he said.
On the beach it was a Sunshine Coast
double in the ironman as Metropolitan
Caloundra’s Corey Jones edged out
Mooloolaba’s Matt Poole to claim his first
state title in the event. In the women’s
it was a familiar name up front with
Northcliffe’s Courtney Hancock taking
out her second consecutive state title
ahead of Rebecca Creedy (Metropolitan
Caloundra) and sister Bonnie Hancock
(Northcliffe).
TWENTY YEARS AGO...
A host of future
greats made early
appearances at the
1995 Queensland
Surf Life Saving
Championships.
It was a unique format, with the South
Coast Branch, Broadbeach, Mermaid
Beach, Nobby’s Beach and Miami Beach
surf clubs all joining forces to host the
event. In near-perfect conditions, more
than 2,400 competitors did battle across
three days of intense competition.
After two days of tough competition
it was Surfers Paradise who reigned
supreme, taking out the overall honours
ahead of Tugun and Maroochydore.
Karla Gilbert proved her class, taking
out the open ironwoman and surf swim
events, while Sean Parkes claimed the
open ironman crown.
taking out the Under-16 rescue tube and
placing third in the surf swim event.
Unbeknownst at the time, the 1995
Junior State Championships, held at
Etty Bay from April 22-23, was also
unearthing a raft of future stars with
the likes of Shannon Eckstein, Zane
Holmes and Kristy Ellis (nee Munroe) all
featuring prominently.
The Championships saw the continued
emergence of a future sporting great,
with a then 15-year-old Grant Hackett
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 31
32 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
FIVE
MINUTES WITH..
AMY NURTHEN
Amy launched her career in
the surf from Shelly Beach and
then Terrigal on the New South
Wales Central Coast, where she
compiled an impressive resume
as a junior competitor before
moving north with her family to
Queensland’s Sunshine Coast
and the Mooloolaba club after
she won the Australian under 19
ironwoman title in 2011.
How long have you been
competing?
I’ve been competing since I was in the
Under-10s at Shelly Beach in New South
Wales.
What do you love most about
ironwoman racing?
I love the fact that every race is different
– either the conditions, the distances or
the format. You never know what you
will be facing next! You also get to travel
to all different beaches across Australia,
make lifelong friends along the way and
become the best role model you can be
to the nippers.
what you want to achieve. The people
who work the hardest will get the
rewards in the end.
What’s your favourite movie and
television show?
I don’t really have a favourite movie,
but one I could keep watching a million
times would be Step Brothers. And for
TV shows, I love Sons of Anarchy and
Keeping up with the Kardashians.
What’s your favourite food?
I have a massive sweet tooth, so either
chocolate or Nutella.
What are you goals for 2015?
To make the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain
Series and podium at the Australian
Championships in the ironwoman.
How do you relax away from the
beach?
I love listening to music and drawing
up any ideas I have for my sportswear
company, Loca Sportswear.
What advice would you give to
nippers making their way through
the ranks?
I would say that once you have a goal
or a dream, stick to it and work hard for
Do you have any pre-race
superstitions or rituals?
Not really, I just have to pack my beach
bag the night before and I need new,
clear goggles.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 33
DONATE TODAY
AND HELP US
Surf Life Saving is a community cause that relies on your donations to
help save lives on the beach. Which is why we’re putting ‘our’ hand up.
We need your help. Donate today and be a life saver. 2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
34 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
34
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 35
senior
masterful
athletes
set
for
display
SENIOR ATHLETES SET FOR
MASTERFUL DISPLAY
The 2015 Queensland Surf Life Saving Championships will
get off to a strong start on Friday when the finest masters
competitors from across the state line up to compete for
state glory.
The competition will see athletes aged from 30 all the way
through to over 70 strap on their lifesaving caps and battle it
out across the full suite of surf events including skis, boards,
boats, swims, and the ironman and ironwoman.
One man who will be there with bells on is Mooloolaba’s Glen
Wilson who, at 75 years of age, could be forgiven for putting his
feet up and relaxing from the sidelines.
Instead, he’ll be out to defend his dual Queensland titles in the
70+ years open beach flags and 70+ years open beach sprint,
while also hoping his team will go one better than their second
place finish in last year’s 200+ years male beach relay event.
Reflecting on his surf sports career, it’s clear that Glen has no
intention of slowing down.
“I’ve actually done everything backwards – I came into surf
sports through my son who, as a six-year-old, needed a beach
coach. So I found my way into coaching 35 years ago and met
some wonderful athletes along the way. About eight years ago
36 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
I realised they were having all the fun, so I completed my
Bronze Medallion and starting competing myself,” he said.
“This will be my eighth Queensland Masters and it’s good to
see the same guys turning up each year and, of course, the
challenge of the new ones into our age group. I know that,
sooner or later, I’ll get beaten and that’s the fun of it!
“I’m looking forward to hard competition at both States and
Aussies. Gold is always the goal, and the journey there is always
fun,” he said.
Competitors in the Queensland Masters Championships must
be aged 30 years and over, and take part in their respective age
categories as well as team events and relays.
In 2014 it was Northcliffe who took the overall honours on
370 points, ahead of Sunshine Coast rivals Noosa Heads (363
points) and Mooloolaba (347 points). Alexandra Headland and
Surfers Paradise rounded out the top five.
The 2015 Queensland Masters Championships kick off on
Friday 27 March at 8am with a full day of beach and water
events. This will be followed by two full days of open and senior
competition at Maroochydore featuring some of the state’s top
surf athletes.
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 37
38 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
Shock
Surf
on
boat
and
crews
State
set
oar:
sight
Champs
SHOCK AND OAR:
SURF BOAT CREWS SET SIGHT
ON STATE CHAMPS
There’ll be thrills, spills and plenty of action this weekend when
some of the state’s top surf boat crews battle the waves, wind,
and each other, in search of glory at this year’s Queensland
Championships.
There are few sports in the world that can match surf boat
racing for its raw combination of power and tactical precision,
and it’s the excitement and unpredictability of the sport that
makes it one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the
championship calendar each year.
In the open men’s division, the Currumbin Barbarians will enter
the championships in scintillating form after a stellar summer
of racing which has already seen them take out the Ocean
Thunder Series in New South Wales. Club-mates and training
partners, the Currumbin Huscarls, have also been travelling
well, but will need to pull out all stops if they want to cause an
upset come race day.
In the open female category, the Currumbin Chaos will be
eager to go back-to-back after their surprise win at last year’s
championships. However, they will face tough competition
from the current Queensland team and reigning Australian
champions, the Tugun Hunters. The Hunters will enter the
championships in red-hot form after winning all three of their
races at the recent Trans-Tasman competition. The Krankitz,
who finished fourth in last year’s final, shifted from Kurrawa
to Northcliffe across the offseason and are also expected to
feature prominently.
2014 Queensland Championships
2014 Masters Championships
Open Female
1.Currumbin Chaos
2. Tugun Hunters
3. Met Caloundra Team A
Surf Boat relay
1. Tannum Sands Team A
2. Kawana Waters Team A
Open Male
1. Maroochydore Force
2. Currumbin Barbarians
3. Kurrawa Storm
Reserve Grade
1. Kurrawa Thunder
2. Currumbin Jets
3. Picnic Bay Team A
Under-19
1. Tannum Sands Trojans
2.Alexandra Headland
Team A
3. Noosa Heads Team A
140+ years Female
1. Maroochydore Minx
Under-23 Female
1.Tannum Sands
Sweet Cheeks
2. Maroochydore Mongrels
3. Kurrawa Sorbs
160+ years Male
1. Noosa Heads Team A
2. Mermaid Beach Mayhem
3. TH&C Team A
Under-23 Male
1. Tannum Sands Gorlocks
2. Currumbin Cougar Bait
3. Kurrawa Storm
180+ years open
1. Tallebudgera Hogs
2. Mooloolaba Bituates
3. Dicky Beach Drifters
200+ years open
1. Tannum Sands Stingrays
2. Currumbin Crocks
3. Southport Stents
220+ years open
1. Coolangatta Team A
2. Mooloolaba Wombats
240+ years open
1. Kirra Team A
2. Kurrawa Kodgers
260+ years open
1. Coolum Beach SOCs
2. Maroochydore Dinosaurs
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 39
LIFESAVERS FEEL
THE NEED FOR SPEED
AT MAROOCHYDORE
Months of dedication, hard work and gruelling training both on
and off the beach will be put to the test this weekend when the
state’s fastest lifesavers line up to contest the beach flags and
sprint events.
In a sport where time is of the essence, they’ll have just ten
seconds once the starter’s gun goes to stake their claim for
state glory.
In recent years Kurrawa’s Melissa Howard has made the beach
sprint track her own. In fact, since 2008 she’s won six state
titles in beach flags and a further four in beach sprints, taking
her individual tally to ten Queensland championships and
counting.
A strong performance in last year’s beach flags final saw her
take the title ahead of Currumbin’s Chanel Hickman and Hayley
Wyper. But Wyper would go on to settle the score, edging
Howard to claim a win in the beach sprint, with Tara Hawking
finishing in third place.
In the 2014 men’s events, Currumbin’s Jordan Caldow won
the open beach sprint ahead of club-mate Ryan Bedford and
Kurrawa’s Christopher Parry. In the flags, it was a Kurrawa
whitewash with Kenichi Wada taking out the event ahead of
Christopher Parry and stalwart Simon Harris.
2014 Queensland Championships
2014 Open Female
Beach Sprint
1.Hayley Wyper
(Currumbin)
2.Melissa Howard
(Kurrawa)
3.Tara Hawking
(Currumbin)
40 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
2014 Open Female
Beach Flags
1.Melissa Howard
(Kurrawa)
2.Chanel Hickman
(Currumbin)
3.Hayley Wyper
(Currumbin)
2014 Open Male
Beach Sprint
1.Jordan Caldow
(Currumbin)
2.Ryan Bedford
(Currumbin)
3.Christopher Parry
(Kurrawa)
2014 Open Male
Beach Flags
1.Kenichi Wada
(Kurrawa)
2.Christopher Parry
(Kurrawa)
3.Simon Harris
(Kurrawa)
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 41
TEAMS MARCH TO
THEIR OWN BEAT
AT STATE CHAMPS
The competition will be just as fierce on the sand as it is in
the water when Queensland surf lifesavers hit the beach
in a splendid battle of the clubs for the 2015 march past at
Maroochydore.
The traditional event, which has been a staple of surf sport
competition for more than 90 years, sees teams dressed in fulllength swimming costumes marching in time to music around a
set course while carrying a surf reel, line and belt.
42 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
Teams march in formation following commands and are judged
on factors such as timing, arm and leg swing, space and
dressing, body carriage and presentation.
Last year Alexandra Headland took out the open march past
ahead of Kurrawa and Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park.
map
Water Zone
3
Water Zone
2
Water Zone
1
Event schedule on page ___
SLSC
ay)
Beach St
Deli
(one w
IRB COMPOUND
Cotton
Tree
Holiday
Park
tto
Co
ree
nT
e
Pd
m
Me
o
l
ria
Av
e
Beach
Pde
e
dra Pd
Alexan
g
Kin
St
IRB’s
VIP Parking
Clearway
Vendors/Merchandise
Boat Compound
Water Zones
Club Tents
Public Toilets
IRB Compound
Officials/Admin/Media
Craft
44 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
Water Zone
4
Water Zone
5
Boats
Pde
Sixth Ave
Melros
d Smith
Kingsfor
e Pde
Pde
Alexandra
Maroochydore
Beach
Holiday
Park
VENDORS/MERCHANDISE
Walkway
Fifth Ave
Locations may move/change
subject to conditions
Sprints/Flags
Announcer Tower
Community Awareness
Lifeguard Tower
Presentation Dais
VIP Viewing Area
Beach Viewing Area
First Aid
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 45
EVENT SCHEDULE
See previous page for event map.
MASTERS / FRIDAY 27 MARCH
ZONE 1 (Female)
ZONE 2 (Male)
ZONE 3 (Male)
ZONE 4
Surf Race (8am)
Board Race
Double Ski
Single Ski
Ironwoman
Board Rescue
Rescue Tube
Surf Teams
Board Relay
Ski Relay
Taplin Relay
Double Ski (8am)
Single Ski
Board Race
Surf Race
Ironman
Board Rescue
Rescue Tube
Surf Teams
Board Relay
Ski Relay
Taplin Relay
Double Ski (8am)
Single Ski
Board Race
Surf Race
Ironman
Board Rescue
Rescue Tube
Surf Teams
Board Relay
Ski Relay
Taplin Relay
Surf Race (8am)
Board Race
Single Ski
Double Ski
Ironman
Board Rescue
Rescue Tube
Surf Teams
Board Relay
Ski Relay
Taplin Relay
Board Rescue (8am)
Rescue Tube
Belt Race (11am)
Double Ski
(Male)
ZONE 5
(U17-Open)
BEACH
Sprints (11am)
Relays
Flags
SENIORS / SATURDAY 28 MARCH
ZONE 1 (Male)
ZONE 2 (Male)
ZONE 3 (Female)
BOATS
BEACH
Ski Relay (8am)
Board Relay
Ironman (10am)
Single Ski
Board Race (12pm)
Surf Race
Surf Teams
Taplin Relay
Lifesaver Relay (8am)
Ski Relay
Board Relay
Ironman (10am)
Single Ski
Board Race (12pm)
Surf Race
Surf Teams
Taplin Relay
Single Ski (8am)
Ski Relay
Board Relay (10am)
Ironwoman
Board Race (12pm)
Surf Race
Surf Teams
Taplin Relay
Lifesaver Relay (8am)
Over 120yrs (+)
Reserve Grade
U23
Surf Boat Relay
Sprints (3pm)
Relays
Flags
SENIORS / SUNDAY 29 MARCH
ZONE 1
ZONE 2
BOATS
R&R
MARCH PAST
Lifesaver Relay (8am)
Board Rescue
Rescue Tube
Board Race
Ironman (10:30am)
Ironwoman
Single Ski
Single Ski (12:30pm)
Surf Race
Board Race
Ironwoman
Ironman
Taplin Relay
Board Rescue (8:30am)
Rescue Tube
Ironman
Ironwoman
Surf Race (10:30am)
Board Race
Ironman
Ironwoman
Taplin Relay (12:30pm)
Lifesaver Relay (8am)
U19
Open Female
Open Male
Reserve Grade
U19
Reserve Grade
Open Female
Open Male
R&R (8:45am)
March Past (7:45am)
Please note: All times are approximate and subject to change. Bold indicates Sunday Open Finals
46 SURF LIFE SAVING QUEENSLAND
club caps
2015 State Championships Club Caps
Agnes Water
Alexandra
Headland
Arcadian
Ayr
Bilinga
Bowen
Bribie Island
Broadbeach
Bundaberg
Burleigh Heads
Mowbray Park
Coochiemudlo
Island
Coolangatta
Coolum Beach
Currumbin
Dicky Beach
Eimeo
Elliott Heads
Emu Park
Forrest Beach
Hervey Bay
Kawana Waters
Kirra
Kurrawa
Mackay
Marcoola
Maroochydore
Mermaid Beach
Metropolitan
Caloundra
Miami Beach
Mooloolaba
Moore Park
Mudjimba
Nobbys Beach
Noosa Heads
North Burleigh
North Kirra
North Queensland
Branch
Northcliffe
Pacific
Palm Beach
Picnic Bay
Point Lookout
Rainbow Bay
Rainbow Beach
Redcliffe
Peninsula
Sarina
Southport
Sunshine Beach
Surfers Paradise
Tallebudgera
Tannum Sands
Tugun
Tweed Heads
& Coolangatta
Yeppoon
2015 MASTERS & SENIOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 47
SUMMER SURF GIRL
2015 GALA BALL
SATURDAY 2 MAY
JUPITERS HOTEL & CASINO, GOLD COAST
TICKETS $130 OR $1,300 / TABLE OF 10
TICKETS ON SALE UNTIL 25 APRIL.
TO PURCHASE, VISIT LIFESAVING.COM.AU/SURFGIRL
OR CONTACT YOUR CLUB ADMINISTRATOR.
OVER 18’S ONLY. JUPITERS PRACTISES THE RESPONSIBLE SERVICE OF ALCOHOL.