Port Macquarie’s outrigger paddlers have cast off the competition with a forceful victory at the prestigious Gold Coast Cup.
After placing second at their last two attempts, the Port Macquarie Maroro Club finally broke through to score a gold medal in the open mixed division at Saturday’s 36-kilometre regatta.
Despite flipping their canoe twice in choppy and unpredictable seas, the local crew showed enormous spirit to reclaim the lead in the last frantic kilometer of the race. Coach Lauren Grant said the result ranked among the club’s finest achievements.
“We have been coming to this event for a few years now and every year we’ve run into one or two better crews on the day,” she said.
“I know that a number of our paddlers have had this race in mind since we began training in September and their determination was evident in the way we raced on Saturday.
“The conditions were tricky and we were all frustrated at having to recover twice from tipping our canoe, but nothing seemed to distract us from our task and in the end we were rewarded for all the hard work.”
The Port Macquarie crew of Grant, Lincoln Beddoe, Fiona Baker, Karen Newman, Karan Bland, Dave Bouldin, Warren Ryan, Karan Bland, Kerry Owens and Garth Norris completed the changes format race in three hours, 24 minutes and 25 seconds, just 63 seconds ahead of second-placed Cradle Coast Outriggers.
In a field of 46 men’s, women’s and mixed crews, the Maroro paddlers were 14th across the line overall and first in the open mixed category. However the celebrations have been brief, with the club already turning its focus to the upcoming NSW State titles at Port Stephens.
Port Macquarie will be defending the open mixed title it has held for the past two years at this year’s State championships, being held on April 28 and 29.
