2006 SLSNSW Media Guide - Hanson Sport Media

2006 NSW SURF LIFE SAVING CHAMPIONSHIPS – MEDIA GUIDEPremiership. Flags champion Lisa Wright (Swansea Belmont) represented NSW in both beach events thisyear.BEACH FLAGSOpen MaleSwansea Belmont’s Jay Coburn deserves favouritism for this event after winning the Interbranch, HunterBranch, Manly and Freshwater carnivals. The Caves Beach contenders including NSW Premiership winnerMichael Waghorn, Daniel McGowan and Gareth Nichols have competed well, as has Andrew Fortis ofWamberal and the consistent Matt Palamara of Manly.Open FemaleSwansea Belmont’s Lisa Wright lines up for her fourth straight NSW Open title and her ninth State crownin all. Wright has been at her brilliant best again this season, winning the Interbranch and Interstate titlesbut suffered a rare defeat at the hands of Mollymook’s Melissa Howard at the World Championships inLorne. Those with the Herculean task of trying to beat the two best in the world are Premiership winnerSuzi Hibbins of Elouera, Manly’s Nicole Fullbrook and Cronulla’s Nicki Jones, Melissa Miles and LauraHammond and Queenscliff’s Laura Shorter.SURF BOATOpen MaleFreshwater, swept by Julian Delaney, is the State’s most consistent crew and have had a brilliant 2006so far, winning the Manly Carnival, the final round of the Red Rooster Premiership, the ASRL Open and theSydney Northern Beaches Branch Championships. Bulli ‘Gold’ (Paul Jones) however went one betterthan Freshwater to take out the NSW Premiership. World championship silver medallists Avoca Beach(Richard Brierty), Queenscliff (Matt Hamilton), Bungan Beach (Matt Collins), Wanda ‘Blue’ (TrevorRobson) and Coogee ‘A’ (Rodney Colman) have all shown good form throughout the season.Austinmer, swept by Jack Patison, are always competitive.Open FemaleTypically, clubs from the Sydney Northern Beaches Branch dominate this event and again this year theywill be favourites. Like in the Open Male event Queenscliff ‘Blue’ (Matt Hamilton) is expected to feature,as will World Champions Bilgola (Don McManus) and perennial placegetters South Curl Curl ‘Gold’,swept by Chris Flemming. South Curl Curl ‘Gold’ won the ASRL Open and finished second to Bilgola atthe World Championships at Lorne with a crew that includes kayaking dual-Olympian Yanda Nossiter.Avoca Beach ‘Zenith’ (Richard Brierty) and Austinmer ‘Blue’ (Jack Patison) have also been in goodform and come from solid boat rowing clubs. Redhead ‘A’ (Ben Neppl) was third in the NSW Premiershipbehind Queenscliff and Austinmer.Reserve GradeThis event is the biggest of the entire championships with more than 15 per cent of the total entrants in thecarnival. It is also one of the most open events and anything can, and usually does, happen. Austinmer‘Blue’ (Jack Patison), Bulli ‘Gold’ (Nigel Taylor) and Bilgola ‘Gold’ took the top three spots in the NSWPremiership while Collaroy ‘Spiders’ (Paul Booth), South Narrabeen ‘Boozers’ and Queenscliff ‘Blue’(Matt Hamilton) finished top three in the ASRL Open. The Wamberal ‘Hollywoods’ and any team fromhost clubs North Cronulla, Wanda and Elouera will be competitive.Under-21