TECHNICAL RACING
LINCOLN DEWS (SUNSHINE
COAST) AND KARLA GILBERT
(GOLD COAST) HAVE DEFIED
BRUTAL CONDITIONS TO
WIN THE INAUGURAL TECHNICAL RACES AT THE BE
THE INFLUENCE AUSTRALIAN SUP AND PADDLEBOARD
TITLES AT CURRUMBIN
BEACH.
Competitors were put to the
test in the 5km events with a
howling north-easterly wind
and tricky shorebreak providing some spectacular action.
Seventeen-year-old Dews had
a hectic paddling battle with
Currumbin lifeguard Kelly
Margetts and it was only in the
final lap when Dews paddled
into a small wave to open up a
race-winning lead. The Gold
Coast’s Beau O’Brian was not
far behind Margetts in third.
“That was such a tough race,”
Dews said. “This was probably one of the toughest races
most of these guys have competed in, so to go head-to-head
for an Australian Title with so
many great paddlers is such an
4
5
honour and especially in conditions likes these when anyone could have won it.”
Former irwonwoman champion Karla Gilbert powered through the start of the
women’s race to take an early lead and was never headed in an impressive display of
surf skills. The chasing pack
swapped positions many times
as any fall in the choppy conditions always proved costly.
Gilbert finished ahead of New
South Wales’ Terrene Black
and Queensland’s Shakira
Westdorp, who won the women’s SUP surfing title the previous day.
“I made the decision before the
race to paddle a slightly wider board,” Gilbert said. “I usually race on a board 24 inches wide, but this one was 26
inches and it was the best
decision I made. I was stuck
like glue on that board.
“Today was as rough as it gets
in terms of stability on a SUP
board, so I’m very happy with
my decision.”
5
1. Justin Holland
4. Karla Gilbert
2. Shakira Westdorp
5. Carnage
3. Jackson Close
6. Lincoln Dews
MARATHON
KARLA GILBERT COMPLETED A DREAM DOUBLE
AND JAKE JENSEN FOUND
REDEMPTION BY TAKING
OUT THE MARATHON RACES AT THE BE THE INFLUENCE AUSTRALIAN SUP AND
PADDLEBOARD TITLES AT
CURRUMBIN ON THE GOLD
COAST.
More than 200 of the country’s best paddlers from around
Australia have represented their States in the four-day
event that finished today. The
SUP events were held across
three disciplines: surfing;
Technical Race involving several laps in and out through
the surf; and a 15km Marathon.
The prone paddleboard titles
were held in two disciplines;
Technical Race involving several laps in and out through
the surf; and a 15km Marathon.
Former ironwoman champion Gilbert, looking remarkably fresh, completed the double with a convincing win in
the marathon, which started at Broadbeach and finished
in Currumbin Creek. Gilbert
finished ahead of Currumbin
local Angie Jackson with New
South Wales’ Terrene Black in
third.
“That was a really tough paddle,” Gilbert said. “I wanted to
get out pretty quickly and get a
bit of a lead, which is good for
the head for the starters, and
then work on keeping a good
pace because I knew the other
girls would be working hard to
chip away at the lead.
“It has been a great weekend.
It’s just nice when you put the
work in you get some good
results so I’m very happy with
the way it has all gone.”
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Jensen, from Currumbin, had
enjoyed a series of first places in several overseas events
coming into the weekend and
was expected to be one of the
frontrunners in the Technical Race, but was caught in
some of the carnage midfield
and finished well down in the
places.
Jensen held the early lead,
but Beau O’Brian caught up at
Burleigh Heads and the pair
battled through to Currumbin
with O’Brian holding a 50m
lead at the final turning buoy
at the mouth of Currumbin
Creek. Unfortunately for O’Brian, he was unable to find a
wave coming into Currumbin
Creek, while Jensen caught a
little runner and was able to
push ahead and win the paddle battle to the finish line.
“After yesterday’s result, I
wanted to shake that off
and just get ready for today,”
Jensen said. “I got an early lead, but Beau kept coming
and we were pretty even passing Burleigh. He started pushing ahead with about 200m
before the final buoy and when
he turned was about 50m
ahead so I knew I had to put
the effort in then if I had any
chance.
“I was lucky; I managed to get
on a good runner coming into
the creek and h eld it all the
way through and just put the
hammer down from there.”
In the prone paddleboarding
events, the Sunshine Coast’s
Rhys Burrows and Jordan Mercer also completed the double
after winning both Technical
and Marathon Races.
SUMMER ISSUE – 13