TONIC | NEWS
2014 TOYOTA AUSTRALIA
SUP TITLES
TECHNICAL RACING
Toby Cracknell (Gosford, NSW)
and Karla Gilbert (Gold Coast,
QLD) won technical races at the
Toyota Australian SUP Titles at
Currumbin in October.
In challenging half-metre
conditions including a
dumping shore break, Gilbert
dominated her race to defend
her Australian title while
Cracknell edged out the
Sunshine Coast’s Lincoln
Dews after both exchanged
the lead during the final lap.
The technical race involved
two laps of a course in and out
through the surf.
Cracknell took an early lead
from the start but he was never
allowed to dominate with
Dews and the Gold Coast’s
Jake Jensen and Michael
Booth in a close chasing pack.
The challenging shore break
and a further outside bank
tested most of the competitors.
Cracknell and Dews broke
away in the final lap and
turned for home on the same
wave. They hit the beach
together but Cracknell had
a cleaner dismount from his
board to snatch the lead and
sprint home for the win.
Gilbert was rarely troubled
in her event and will head
into Sunday’s marathon
looking strong to complete the
double as she did at last year’s
Australian titles. Terrene Black
from Toowoon Bay, NSW, was
second with Sondra Purser
(Gold Coast, QLD), in third.
“My goal today was just to
go out and minimise the
mistakes and get out as clean
I could through the break as it
10 – SUMMER ISSUE
was fu