Devonport Times - 3 July 2008 - Devonport City Council

S T&ESPORTTaylor ready totake on worldBy ROCHELLE GALLOWAYMANY people would be unawareof the preparation that goes intobeing an elite athlete — just askTaylor Wilczynski.For the past few months, theMersey Rowing Club rower hasendured three training sessions aday under the watchful eye ofcoach Robert Williams.Is he fed up with all the work?Hardly — it is just another step onthe way to his ultimate goal ofcompeting in the 2012 Olympics.Taylor and Robert will soon puttheir efforts to the test when theyhead to Austria to compete at theWorld Rowing Championships,which run from July 23-27.Taylor will represent Australia inthe junior single scull event.‘‘I went to the worlds last year andwas fairly anxious,’’ Taylor said.Blood, sweat and tears — ‘Noddaproblem’BOAT ownership isat an all-time highin Tasmania andwith finance available, itis too easy to walk in to aboat yard and drive outwith a brand spankin’ newboat.Some dealers do their jobwell and the customer getsexactly what he wants andneeds, others do it too welland the family man whogoes in to buy a nice15-footer to do a bit ofskiing and fishing in,comes away with somemonstrous great thingthat requires him to buy anew car to tow it with anda second mortgage to fillthe tanks with fuel.Grant and TammyAugustin did it the smartway and purchased theirfirst boat, a 14-foot‘‘This year I am not as fussed, Iam more comfortable, I know theins and outs.’’‘‘He is fitter and faster,’’ Robertadds.The trip is estimated to cost thepair $14,000. The Mersey RowingClub is fundraising to help the duoget to Austria but are asking thecommunity for support.The Painefool Comedy Companywill perform an evening of UniReview Classics on July 12 at StBrendan-Shaw College to raisemoney for Taylor and Robert.The show will start at 7.30pm andtickets cost $25 each. Bookings areessential and tickets are availablefrom BJ’s Pharmacy, Rooke StMall, 6424 1591.■ The Devonport Times will followTaylor’s progress in the coming weeks.runabout two years ago.They have now becomeone of the keenest boatingfamilies I have seen andhave recently upgraded toa 5.2-metre (17 feet) Stacercuddy cab.This size boat is a greatall-rounder, beingaluminium it is stilltowable behind a largefamily car but big enoughto do just about anyfishing you would like anddo it in safety.For those of us who liketo muck around withboats and don’t wish tobuy a new model or can’tfind one that we like orwhich suits our needs, theoption of buying an oldersecond-hand boat andrefitting it is available.The old adage ‘‘theydon’t make them like theyuse to’’ rings true withboats and there are anumber of famous vesselsaround that have startedtheir lives as classic boatsand through majorrebuilds and a lot of hardwork, have been given anew lease of life ashardcore fishingmachines.Big fibreglass boats areunbeatable for comfortand seaworthiness, butTOP FORM: The Mersey Rowing Club is fundraising to help send TaylorWilczynski and his coach Robert Williams to Austria to compete in theWorld Rowing Championships in July. Picture: Rochelle Galloway.are expensive to buy new.Anyone with basichandyman skills and alittle of advice from moreexperienced hands canwork on fibreglass boatswithout specialised tools.Although it usually takesmore time than planned,the finished outcome willbe a boat that has thefeatures you want and at afraction of the price of anew model.Lifelong mate KentMcCarthy and myselfbought a 17-foot DouglasCraft about six years agoand have been chippingaway at it until now.I won’t say it hasn’t costmuch because a lot ofsweat, a little blood andthe odd tear has beenshed.It was a coast guard boatin the Whitsunday Islandsin its previous life and forits size I don’t think youcould get a better boat.From the wreck it was inthe beginning we had a lotof knockers but they havesince been silenced, whenwe pull in to the rampwith satisfaction and athumping big shark onthe cockpit floor, the lookson their faces arepriceless.In the next few weeks wewill go through the workinvolved in thetransformation of‘‘Noddaproblem’’.We will also look at theproducts andacknowledge the localtradesmen that helped uson our voyage.Good luck and tight linesBoxers setto battle instate titlesSIX local boxers will jump inthe ring this weekend to testtheir skills against some ofthe country’s best.The Tasmanian BoxingTitles will be held at theAxeman’s Hall of Fame atLatrobe on Saturday withdoors opening at 6.30pm.Four interstate boxers willbe competing and Tasmanianselectors will be on thelookout for talent to send tothe national titles in Sydney inNovember.The main event at thisweekend’s state titles will bethe fight between Australianjunior champion and LatrobeBoxing Club member AaronWoods and interstate boxerRobert Houlsworth.‘‘This should be a goodcontest,’’ coach Craig Woodssaid.Aaron’s younger brotherLuke will face Queenslandcompetitor Campbell CobboRiley, who has 36 fightsunder his belt.‘‘This will be a good test forLuke to see where he standsin the 63kg class,’’ Craigsaid.Jesse Crack will competeagainst Joseph Nichols in the60kg class and ‘‘pocketrocket’’ Jackson Woods willfight Mark Schelives in the42kg class.Dylan Hardy and NickCooney will make theircompetitive debuts againsttwo boxers from the south,Rhys Nettlefold and JamesSouthern.■ The Tasmanian BoxingTitles will be held at theAxeman’s Hall of Fame onSaturday, July 5. Doorsopen at 6.30pm.Tickets areavailable from the venue,the Salt Bar and Nixon Ststore. If not sold out, doorsales will also be available.WIN a Winter Weekend Getaway at the Newly Opened Eagles Nest IIVALUED AT $750Winter weekend away includes;• 1 nights accommodation for a couple• Breakfast• Gourmet Delights• Dinner provided by your own personalDream ChefTasmanEWS TC O ASDrawn Monday 16 th of Julywww.eaglesnestretreat.com.au- WR T HN OTo enter cut out this coupon and send toEagles Nest Retreat Weekend, PO BOX 259, Devonport, Tas, 7310Name:Address:Contact Number:4035918 kmmPage 26 Devonport Times July 2008