 SYDNEY: Perennial bridesmaids Starrett Austinmer have won a dramatic final to secure a memorable victory in the fourth and final round of the 2006 Davidoff Cool Water Ocean Thunder Pro-Surf Boat Series – mastering two-metres waves at Dee Why Beach.
In the process, the Jack Patison swept crew of Aaron Greenhalgh, Sebastion James, Adam Prentice, Steven Drysdale and invaluable fifth man Mark Davies, surpassed series leaders SKILLED Avoca by a solitary point to claim the series. An epic day of surf boat racing saw many of the top crews fall victim to “mother nature”, who provided a pounding swell to challenge the most seasoned boaties. Heading into the six-boat final, three crews had a chance to win the series outright. Starrett Austinmer and e-Go Pacific Palms – who were on equal points – would clinch the series with a win, while anything short of victory would hand series leaders SKILLED Avoca the coveted title. Heading for home, defending Australian champions Multiplex/Pure Blonde North Cottesloe held a healthy lead, only to slew in sight of the line. Racing in alley one, Patison showed great poise, stalling his boat to wait for the winning wave. “I saw we had deeper water, we were on the same wave but that was to our advantage and we were always going to win it from there,” explained Patison. “You can row yourself into trouble and too much weight goes into the front of the boat and that’s when you go sideways and have all sorts of problems so I waited. All five rowers did their job today and they made my job easy.” At the southern end of the course e-Go Pacific Palms matched Austinmer stroke-for-stroke only to lose the sprint up the beach in a photo finish. The victory is just reward for the 2003 National champions who suffered the heartbreak of losing last year’s series on a count back after finishing level with Stockland Currumbin. The Manly Warringah Credit Union Queenscliff crew also survived treacherous conditions to win the inaugural women’s Ocean Thunder crown. Matt Hamilton’s crew needed to finish no worse than one place adrift of Skilled Avoca Beach in the six-boat final to clinch an unlikely series win. Having commenced the day in fourth place, five points adrift of local rivals Manly Aluminium Windows South Curl Curl, the crew consisting of Amanda Whiteman, Elle Pannowitz, Amanda Salmon and Phoebe Middleton watched in amazement as the leading crews failed to negotiate the conditions. Middleton, rowing in the bow, said experience was a big factor on the day. “We certainly have experience in the surf and didn’t panic and we not alarmed at all. We have so much trust in each other and we all know how to row,” a beaming Middleton said. Reilly & Sons Food Services Bungan Beach clinched the final round victory ahead of the series winners, Queenscliff with Avoca finishing a gallant third. The preliminary rounds saw Series leader Manly Aluminium Windows South Curl Curl make an inglorious exit, failing to make the top eight crews and proceed to the finals. Other contenders, Reach Physiotherapy Jan Juc and The Surf Club Mooloolaba, also bowed out in the quarter-finals. Davidoff Cool Water Ocean Thunder Pro-Surf Boat Series
December 16, 2006, Round 4 Results
Dee Why Beach MEN 1st Starrett Austinmer
2nd e-Go Pacific Palms
3rd Multiplex/Pure Blonde North Cottesloe
4th The Orical, Rainbow Bay O
5th Reilly & Sons Food Services Bungan Beach
6th Pelican Waters Northcliffe WOMEN 1st Reilly & Sons Food Services Bungan Beach
2nd Manly Warringah Credit Union Queenscliff
3rd SKILLED Avoca Beach
4th Acacia Embroidery Avalon Beach
5th DMC Kurrawa
6th Red Steer Hotel Motel Davidoff Cool Water Ocean Thunder Pro-Surf Boat Series
Overall Final Results for 2006 Series MEN
1 Starrett Austinmere 92
2 SKILLED Avoca Beach 91
3 e-Go Pacific Palms 91
4 Stockland Currumbin 84
5 Multiplex/Pure Blonde Nth Cottesloe 78
6 Rain & Horne Balgowlah South Curl Curl 60
7 Reilly & Sons Food Services Bungan Beach 59
8 Surf Club Mooloolaba 59
9 Pelican Waters Northcliffe 59
10 The Orical Rainbow Bay O 58
11 Oz Wide Loans Manly 56
12 Flying Herrons Red Beach New Zealand 54.5
13 Lowrance Rainbow Bay L 54
14 Big Fish Group Whale Beach 54
15 Ken's Plumbing Bundaburg 48
16 Acrylite Coatings Kurrawa 44.5
17 National Building Group Woolami 43
18 PKF Eloura 36
19 Universal Resort Living Banana Boat Bronte W 33
21 Red Steer Hotel Motel 32
21 Blue Earth Fair Haven 27.5
22 Hogs Breath Rainbow Bay 26.5
23 SKILLED Avalon Beach 24.5
24 Slattery Half Moon Bay 23.5
25 Universal Resort Living & Banana Boat Bronte P 12 WOMEN 1 Manly Warringah Credit Union Queenscliff 43points
2 SKILLED Avoca Beach 40
3 The Surf Club Mooloolaba 40
4 Reach Physiotherapy Jan Juc 40
5 Manly Aluminium Windows South Curl Curl 40
6 Reilly & Sons Food Service Bungan Beach 33
7 Red Steer Hotel Motel 30
8 DMC Kurrawa 25
9 Bluearth Fairhaven 24
10 Acacia Embroidery Avalon Beach 15.5
11 Ray White Queensland Northcliffe 15.5
12 e-Go Karekare NZ 11
13 Dial Before You Dig Bondi Beach 7 For further information please contact: Ian Hanson
Media Director
Davidoff Cool Water Ocean Thunder Pro-Surf Boat Series
Hanson Sports Media Pty Ltd
Mob: 0407 385 |
