The Div 1 men headed to Mackay for key games against Lions. Div 2 were up first wanting a win to cement their place in the finals. In the first half, Whitsunday was very flat with little to show in attack and a single goal lead not showing the Lions’ dominance. Second half was a different story with the team firing up and playing some of their best football of the season. Macka had his best game so far and a breakaway goal near the end gave WUFC a 3-2 win and confidence before the finals series coming up.

Div 1 had to win to give themselves a chance to take the league in the final round. First half they were dominant but only had a single goal to show with the opposition keeper playing a blinder. The second half Whitsunday conceded a poor goal as they waited for a foul expected to be called but no whistle eventuated. The pressure built as WUFC pushed hard with an end-to-end game playing out an entertaining season decider. Unfortunately, WUFC could not get the rub of the green or past the excellent Lions keeper, conceding a late goal as they pushed too many forward giving Lions the league title.

The U13 Div 1 team played a couple of tough games over the weekend. On Saturday they faced a strong Lions team (third on the ladder) and despite playing really well, went down 6-3. On Sunday they played Magpies who are second on the ladder and battled away for a respectable 7-3 loss. WUFC U13 Prems secured a solid 2-0 win over Wanderers Rubies at Mackay Football Park in a game marked by tight defence and hard work across the pitch.

The first half was a hard-fought battle, with few clear chances for either side, leaving the score locked at 0-0 at the break. Early in the second half, WUFC found their breakthrough, with Nelson M and Mayson M both finding the net to establish a two-goal lead. From there, WUFC showed great discipline and determination, holding firm in defence to see out the match and claim all three points. A strong team effort that continues to build their momentum in the competition. Tough day at the office for the WUFC U14s. With a lot riding on this game, the team just didn’t come together. There were some great saves early in the game from Nick Phillipson and some impressive runs towards goal by Shannon without result.

Rangers and WUFC fought head-to-head for the majority of the first half with Rangers finally scoring in the 30th minute, going into half-time up by 1. Second half started with Rangers scoring their 2nd goal for the match in the first minute. The team could not jump back from this. Some late digs at goal could not find the back of the net. Rangers wanted it more today than us today. Final score: Rangers 4 - WUFC 0. In the Premier Men, Magpies forfeited the U23 game, leaving just the FQPL Premier Men to play on Sunday evening and it proved to be a favourable way to end the week.

First half saw Oisin Sherlock score a header, and a red card to Magpies captain gave Whitsunday a great chance at winning the game. However, in true Magpies fashion they put up a great fight creating multiple chances. A goal to Kevin Dunne in the second half secured all 3 points. The result shows Whitsunday in great form before the finals series having just beaten the top two teams on the park in consecutive weeks.

Contributed with thanks to Whitsunday United Football Club.

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A week of spirited play and community camaraderie has drawn to a close at the club, with members turning out in great numbers for our regular fixtures. The greens were alive with competition, good humour, and the unmistakable sense of friendly rivalry that defines bowls at Airlie Beach. Enthusiasm was high as participants vied for top honours and shared in the enjoyment of the game, whatever the result.

The Saturday Scroungers final was held on 23 August, with Dennis Donadelli emerging victorious. Dennis showcased consistent form and sharp technique to claim a decisive win. The club extends its thanks to John Askew for his proficient management of this well-attended Saturday morning competition. The next round of Scroungers will begin on 30 August under the same rules. Players are reminded to register before 9:00am for a 9:30am start.

Looking ahead, the Zone Championships will be contested in Emerald this weekend. Airlie Beach will be proudly represented by both the men’s and ladies’ fours teams, each having earned Champion of Champions honours at the district level. With skips Joan McGrath and Man Isgro providing experienced leadership, both teams will be aiming for further success.

On 13 September, the club will host a Rock and Roll evening featuring acclaimed musician Paul Berger. Admission is free, and all are welcome to enjoy what promises to be a fantastic night of live entertainment.

Meanwhile, the men’s meat tray raffle held on Sunday was won by John Askew. Congratulations, John!

Contributed with thanks to Betty Whitehorn

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On Saturday, Jonathan Bye represented Proserpine in the Champion of Champions Singles at Souths Suburban. Jonathan faced Wayne Handley in the second round, going down 25–16. Wayne then met Phillip Blackburn from Wests Tigers, who defeated him 25–22 before going on to claim the title.

In Wednesday’s social bowls, Arthur Griffith and Henny Tattam edged out Trevor Parsons and Sandy Daffara 24–21, while John Anderson and Philip Brown recorded a strong 39–14 win over Alen Sanderson and Mike Harrison.

Sunday’s play saw Bruce Uhe and Mike Harrison defeat Gavin Noonan and Philip Brown 26–16, while Henny Tattam and Heather Brown combined well to overcome John Anderson and Sandy Daffara 24–18.

Contribtued with thanks to Proserpine Bowls Club

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Another great week of bowls was enjoyed in paradise, with plenty of action across the greens.

Monday’s triples winners were Dave Madden, Joe Paynting and Ron Symmons, who defeated Jenny and Chris Healey with France Wilmann. The jackpot also went off in this game, as well as in the clash where Ron Boskma and Cameron defeated Eileen Dunne and Leon Fox. Runners-up were Bruce Thompson, Maureen Hyde and Ron Hyde over Graeme and Shirley Smith with Norm Dawson.

Tuesday’s winners on Rink 3 were Margaret Harvey, Brian Bellingham and Allan Gillies, who beat Viv Boskma, Les Jackson and Ron Boskma. Runners-up were Keith, Natalie and June Walsh defeating Lindy Suann, Jan Dawson and Bruce Thompson.

Mark’s President’s Day, sponsored by Queens Beach Tourist Village, Arabon Seafoods and Queens Beach Hotel, filled the greens on Thursday. Winners were Mark Tomsett, Greg Kelly and Joe Paynting, defeating Shirley Jones, Brian Bellingham and Chris Frew. Runners-up were Shirley Smith, Maree Brunker, Christian B and Ron Hyde. A sportsman’s prize went to Graeme Smith, Dave Madden and S Roome.

Fun Friday winners were Graham Smith, Daryl Hans and Ian Hind, while barefoot bowls attracted a strong evening crowd, with Glenda, Joan and Alisun taking the win.

On Sunday, Karen, Jim and Ron defeated Vic, Brian and Alby, with Brian Sims, Dave Madden and Kennedy taking runners-up honours over Anne Kayser, Jim Quod and France Wilmann.

Best of luck to our ladies travelling to Townsville this weekend to contest the Zone 8 Pennant Flag and Champion of Champions Pairs.

Contributed with thanks to Penny Warren

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Sponsor - Bob, Joe Paynting, Greg Kelly and Mark Tomsett. Photo supplied

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The Cannonvale Cannons have started the season strong with a mix of development opportunities and the return of the club’s much-loved Wednesday night racing.

Over the weekend, two of our juniors, Indi and Levi Smith, travelled to the Long Tan Memorial Pool in Townsville to take part in the Junior Achievers Squad clinic. Meanwhile, 17 of our dedicated Cannons headed south to the Memorial Pool in Mackay for the same program. Hosted by Swimming North Queensland and led by coaches David Proud and Liam Smith, the clinic focused on athletic development, coordination, mobility, and core strength, alongside refining freestyle technique. The day provided our swimmers with valuable insights and skills to take back to their training and racing.

Back home, our Wednesday night club racing has also resumed this month, and despite the cooler weather, swimmers have dived in with enthusiasm. A very warm welcome goes to our newest Cannons – Sunday and Wilson Hounsell, along with Finn Temple. Wilson and Finn made an immediate impression, both achieving upgrade times on their very first night in the pool.

The season has begun with a wave of upgrades across the club. Congratulations to Lucas and Jasper Korosec, Miller Eaves, Zavier and Lily Woolston, Lennox Wild, Jessica Moon, Indiana De-Lisle, Liam Filewood, Islan Johnston, Airlie Mladenovski, Faithlyn Trotter, Harry Chegwidden, Matilda Nicholes, and Eric, Leo and Stella Mulliss. A special shoutout goes to young Stella for her very first upgrades – a fantastic achievement!

We also celebrate Andie Reynolds for a spectacular first 100m Freestyle of the season. Andie clocked a 2.31 second personal best to join the 70s club in 1:09.69, earning the coaches award for her outstanding effort.

The Cannons are back with determination, growth, and plenty of excitement for the season ahead.

Contributed with thanks to Jade Korosec

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Junior Achievers squad in Mackay. Photo supplied

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The final round of the Premier League season was held on Sunday afternoon at the Airlie Beach Bowls Club, with top spot on the line.

Dom Friend had a huge role to play in the day’s affairs, as both contenders for the title, Reef Peel and Jamie Maher, were set to face him.

For Reef, nothing less than a win over Dom would do, and he would then need Dom to defeat Jamie later in the day for the league to be decided on leg difference. Jamie, on the other hand, only needed a draw or a win against Dom to secure his first league crown.

Before those key clashes, Dom had a third match to play against Scott Edmonds. While neither player could move on the ladder, both gave it their all. Dom prevailed 7–0 to lock in fourth place for the season, with Scott finishing seventh, setting up a consolation final against Naomi Mitchell for the Hetlock Cup.

Reef then did his part, defeating Dom 7–4 while firing in a 171 and his third 180 of the season. That result pushed Reef into first place on leg difference and put all the pressure on Jamie’s final match.

The decisive showdown between Jamie and Dom was a tense affair. At 5–4 up, Dom looked like he might snatch the win and hand the league to Reef. But Jamie rallied, winning the 10th leg to level at 5–all before edging ahead 6–5. From there, he sealed the match 7–5, clinching a hard-fought victory and his first league title.

The focus now shifts to the Premier League Championship finals in a fortnight’s time, where the biggest prize in the club will be up for grabs. With all contenders still in the mix, it promises to be a ripper. Bring it on!

A big thank you to our sponsors — Mika Airlie, Master Butchers Whitsunday & MBW On the Barbie, Whitsunday Tattooing, ShirtFront Solutions, and Dyson Automotive — for their ongoing support.

Contributed with thanks to Jamie Maher

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Jamie Maher with his first league win at the Airlie Beach Darts Club. Photo supplied

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SWIMMING

Four rising talents from Mackay Cyclones Swimming Club have made waves on the national stage, earning recognition both in and out of the pool.

Dakota Daniel, Ava Kearns, Isabelle Daniel, and Montana Townley recently returned from the 2025 State Short Course Championships with impressive results, while a fellow Cyclone Anisa Helou has been named as one of just 18 recipients of the prestigious Hancock Prospecting Patron Scholarship.

The scholarship program, awarded to swimmers aged 13–18, provides financial and developmental support to assist with training and competition. Helou will now be part of the Olympic Pathway, representing North Queensland alongside Townsville’s Coby McCloskey.

On the competition front, Dakota collected a series of top-ten finishes, including bronze in the 200m freestyle, fourth in both the 200m butterfly and 400m freestyle, fifth in the 400m individual medley, seventh in the 100m freestyle and 200m IM, and ninth in the 100m butterfly.

Ava placed inside the top ten in three events – 10th in both the 100m butterfly and 100m IM, and ninth in the 200m IM – while Isabelle claimed ninth in the 100m backstroke.

Montana also impressed, achieving personal best times in seven of her eight events, alongside 11-year-old Isabelle Daniel, who competed in her very first SC championships.

The club also acknowledges all the efforts of Coach Leigh-Anne Pokarier who guides all the swimmers through their preparation and competition schedule.

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SOFTBALL

With just one or two weeks remaining in the season, teams are preparing for finals, with the grand final set for 13th September. The B Ladies will kick off their finals campaign next weekend on 30th August.

Another tied game for the U14 teams ended in a 6-all draw between Dragons Get the Power and Angels North Jacklin Chaos. The young players have made remarkable progress since the start of the season. Dragons’ Connor Doolan got on base twice and scored each time, while Boyd Baxter took a catch and recorded 5 strikeouts while pitching. For Chaos, Ashlyn Ireland led at bat with two walks, pitched 3 strikeouts, and took a catch. Maycee Dolgner also contributed with two walks to cross home plate, while Jarvis Locher scored a home run on errors.

Golden Oldies 9, Dragon Slayers 4

Tanya Baker and Antoinette James each took a catch for the Oldies, while Tabitha Dickson recorded six assisted outs at first base. Donna Reid, Alison Poyner, and Antoinette James excelled at bat, advancing runners every time. For the Dragons, Audra Worth had a strong performance both at bat and in the field with seven assisted outs. Eli Oldham and Erin Boulding also delivered big hits to the outfield to score runs.

Dragons Devils 11, Angels Custom 4

Dane Snell and Ryan Ritcher each hit a home run for the Devils. Snell also took two catches, while Flynn Ritchie contributed seven assisted outs at first base to keep the Custom score down. Custom’s Matt Ramsamy and Elijah Gibbs took catches, with Matt assisting on four outs. Ben O’Brien had two solid hits to the outfield, while Darren Frew and Gary Cunningham worked the bases with timely walks.

Pink Hawks 23, Storm 7

Kym Lock, Judy Kimlin, and Michelle Scott helped their team on base with walks and solid hits. Scott and Tracey McCauley each took a catch for Storm. Katrina Whittaker had four strong centre outfield hits, crossing home each time, with Julie Hankin adding three more outfield hits. Bec Flynn contributed with two catches and four assisted outs to secure the win.

Evie Grace is currently representing U16 Australia on the development tour in Tokyo, returning just in time for finals and the grand final. She will also compete in the U18 State Championship in Cairns from 20th to 22nd September, alongside Miley Barrow and Tiffany Martin.

The U18 boys will travel to Rockhampton for championships in combination with Hervey Bay from 20th to 22nd September. B Ladies finals begin Saturday 30th August, Joe Ball and Rookieball grand finals on 6th September, and all other grand finals on 13th September.

Contributed by Cheryl Martin

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Softball finals kick off soon, with the grand final on 13th September and standout players like Evie Grace returning from international duty. Photos supplied

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CRICKET

As international cricket prepares to tee off in Mackay, local U20 cricketers are sharpening their skills and soaking up the excitement.

Marcus Sammut, aged 17, reflected on the upcoming Australia vs South Africa matches, saying, “It’s really good—especially for a regional area. This hasn’t happened in Mackay before, which is awesome.”

He added, “It’s inspiring to see how hard Mackay players train. We’ve got great facilities here, and hosting games like Australia vs South Africa really shows that.”

Jack Law, aged 16, is equally motivated.

On his ambitions, he said, “I definitely hope to play internationally. I’ll keep working hard to make it to the Australian team… it would be amazing.”

When asked about playing locally, he said, “It’s great to spend a few hours with your mates on the weekend… the facilities are really good and always well maintained.”

Offering advice to other young players, Jack said, “Just come along and make as many friends as possible. Cricket is a team sport, so getting to know people is important.”

Both Jack and Marcus are taking part in pre-season training at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, refining techniques and preparing for the next level.

One of the four academy coaches, Chris Nemitz, said, “We saw a gap between the senior players and the junior competition, so we wanted to create something to keep the kids in the game during the off-season.

“These young men and women are very talented, and the more they play, the better they'll become.”

On the impact of international cricket visiting the region, he added, “There's nothing like seeing live cricket.

“Watching international players here shows the skill and effort required to reach that level – the things you just don’t see on TV.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for the kids and young adults to learn and be inspired.”

Female cricketer Kiana Dunn, one of the few girls’ in the academy, is making the most of the experience.

“It's just fun. I love fielding, batting, bowling—it's great to be with friends doing something we all love.”

Her advice to other young players is to, “Just have fun, enjoy it, and play as long as you can.”

“The international games will be really good—getting to see all the experienced players, talking to them about how they got there, what they did, and how we can learn from them. And of course, just watching some really good cricket,” she said.

With world-class cricket taking place on local grounds, the next generation of international stars could very well be nurtured right here in our own region, turning opportunity into reality on Mackay’s pitches.

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Mackay’s U20 cricketers are sharpening their skills, with local grounds shaping the next generation of international stars. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara

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BMX

Mackay riders were in fine form at last weekend’s R7 & R8 of the Queensland State Series, held at the Cairns BMX Club. Competitors from across the region tested their speed and skill on the challenging track, with Mackay’s young riders producing some standout performances and claiming multiple top finishes.

Round 8 Results:

11 Girls

1. Lilly Bolger – F16:8 1st | 118:6 1st | 73:3 1st | 28:1 1st

12 Girls

1. Ruby Soke – F17:4 1st | 119:8 1st | 74:5 2nd | 29:1 1st

13 Boys

1. Max Ransome – F7:1 1st | 108:4 1st | 62:3 1st | 18:6 1st

14 Girls (Merged)

1. Willow Pogmore – F18:1 1st | 120:2 1st | 75:8 1st | 30:7 2nd

45-49 Men (40-44 Men)

1. Michael Jameljanenko – F13:2 1st | 115:8 1st | 70:7 1st | 25:1 1st

Cruiser 11-12 Boys

1. Liam Wilson – F27:1 3rd | 130:8 1st | 85:4 1st | 40:5 1st

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Mackay riders delivered a string of top finishes at last weekend’s R7 & R8 Queensland State Series in Cairns, showcasing speed, skill, and standout performances across multiple age groups. Photo source: Mackay and District BMX Club Inc (Facebook)

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Mackay Table Tennis Match Results – 12th August 2025

Tuesday Morning Fixtures

Division 1 – Eagle Wings (Branko Vucurovic, Noreen Frederickson, Coral Morgan) defeated Bear Claws (Judy Zahn, John McGee, Kevin Abbott) 8-4. Kevin had a massive day with three 5 setters and saved the best for last coming back from 2 sets down to take the win over Branko 11-7.

Tigers Paws (Allan Robins, Ross DeBoer, Bryan Marshall) defeated Shark Attack (Doug Dungavell, Peter Goodson, Marie Taylor) 8-4 with Bryan winning in 5 sets over Marie 11-6.

Lion Kings (Donna Abbott, Veronica Shepherd, Don Boettcher) had a draw with Wolf Pack (Pam Joyce, Steve Mathieson, Virginia Clayton) 6-6. Steve won massive 5 set match against Veronica 11-9

Division 2 – Python Spin (Louise Gould, Robyn Bushell, Kim Daffy) drew with Panther Pace (John Pratt, Pam Keune, Gerry Synnott) 6-6 with Robyn and Pam having a tuff battle Robyn winning 11-9 in 5th Set.
Rhino Charge (Daryl Ross, Kim Challendar, Josie Davis) defeated Falcon Flyers (Ken Best, John Hamelink) 9-3. Ken won great battle against Kim 12-10 in 5th Set.

Division 3 – Captin Spins (Sharon Muller, Glenda Dutton, Allison Day) defeated Spider Smashers (Laurie Bradshaw, Madge Saunders, Myles Dutton) 8-4 with Myles winning the family battle against Glenda 13-11 in 5th Set.
Bat Serves (Peter Taber, Glenda Brookes) defeated Iron Rallies (Ron Johr, Trish Zamparutti) 5-4 with no 5 set matches but Trish winning over Glenda 11-6 in 4th Set.

Tuesday Night Fixtures

Division 1 – Bears (Lily Boland, Josh Brown, Lee Brake) defeated Ants (Barry Patterson, Robbie Richards, Vince Boeske) 7 to 4 with Josh defeating Barry 13-11 in the 5th Set
Fish (Mick Ruhl, Geoff Denman) defeated Birds (Anne Sheridan, Trent Day) 6-3, Mick and Geoff come back from 2 sets down to win 11-6 in the 5th Set.

Division 2 – Cats (Duncan Treloar, Graham Brake, Will VanDeKaa) defeated Owls (Andrea Nicholson, Yilin Jiang, Josie Davis) 8-3. Yilin won a massive 5th Set against Will 11-9.

Horses (Ollie Hamelink, Syed Aminul Hossain, Donna Abbott) defeated Dogs (Janice Kent, Mark Sleeman, Peter Goodson) 6-5 with Syed winning Mark 11-7

Tigers (Geoff Cowan, Allan Edwards, Allan Robins) defeated Cows (Graeme Walker, Ian McKay, Steve Mathieson) 7-4 with (Daryl Ross, Vincent Neuhauf, Val Austin) defeated Nittaku (Noreen Frederickson, Melanie Theodore, Samuel Whelan) 7-4. Samuel won in 4 sets over Daryl to win 11-9.

Butterfly (Mark Stam, Liz Burton, Logan Brown) defeated Tibhar (Ross DeBoer, Craig VanDeKaa, Rod Hamelink) 9-2 with Liz winning tight 5 set match against Craig 12-10.

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Mackay athletics club continues to celebrate the dedication and progress of its athletes as they strive for excellence on the track. Each week, athletes are recognised for achieving personal bests (PBs), with special awards presented for every 10 PBs reached.

On the 10th of August, club Vice President and Athlete Experience Officer Tammy Meyer proudly presented the latest batch of PB milestone awards.

Congratulates to Blake, Dharman, Sharity, Quinn, Matilda and Marlee for their outstanding efforts.

The club wishes all athletes continued success in their training and competitions.

Results:

10 PBs - Blake
20 PBs - Dharman, Sharity
30 PBs - Quinn, Matilda, Marlee

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At Mackay Contract Bridge Club

Well done to the Mackay Team who travelled to the Moreton-Bribie Teams and Pairs 2025 Congress. In an outstanding field of players, Diane Morgan, Janet Hansen, Francie Brown and Alan Brown won the Open Teams event. The second week of the Anne Hird Trophy was played on Wednesday with Andrew Canavan currently leading the coveted event.

Weekly Results

Monday 11 August 2025 – 8 Table Mitchell Green Points
N/S E/W
1st Janelle Conroy / Terry Sheedy 1st Helen Van Den Broek / Jan Harris
2nd David Ting / Eric Goodchild 2nd Geoff Taylor / Nancy Martin
3rd Barbara Tait / Josie Crowley 3rd Andrew Canavan / Geoffrey Patterson
4th Edward Kleise / Diane Stokes 4th Mary Rose Ramsden / Sandy Patterson

Tuesday Evening 12 August 2025 – 4 Table One Winner Green Points
1st Marilin Robins / Faye Wright 2nd Janine Rodgers / Andrew Canavan
3rd Janelle Conroy / Geoff Taylor 4th Terry Sheedy / Helen Van Den Broek

Wednesday 13 August 2025 – Anne Hird Memorial Trophy Week 2 of 3 Novice event
N/S E/W
1st Jayne Johnson / Geoff Taylor 1st Andrew Canavan / Geoffrey Patterson
2nd Jewel Schimdt / Janet Hansen 2nd Joy Hold / Terry Sheedy
3rd Martin Pearce / Joy Robinson 3rd Colleen Riddel / Gwen Liddell
4th Sandy Patterson / Debra Goodchild 4th Susan Gibson / Jan Harris

Thursday Evening 14 August 2025 – 3 Table One Winner Green Points
N/S E/W
1st Janine Rodgers / Janelle Conroy 2nd Martin Pearce / Terry Sheedy
3rd Geoff Taylor / Christopher Meyers 4th Jan Harris / Patricia Garner

Friday 15 August 2025 – Week 16 of 25 NWP 10 Table Mitchell Green Points
N/S E/W
1st Geoff Taylor / Joy Robinson 1st Lorna Shuttlewood / Debra Goodchild
2nd Terry Sheedy / Janelle Conroy 2nd Roland Taylor / Lynne O’Neill
3rd Janine Rodgers / Richard Wix 3rd Mary Rose Ramsden / Patrick Rasmussen
4th Martin Pearce / Gwen Liddell 4th Alan Brown / Frances Brown
5th Ming Ting / David Ting 5th Jewel Schmidt / Annette Howe

Saturday 16 August – B4 Week 1 of 2 - 11 Table Mitchell Red Points
N/S E/W
1st Eric Goodchild / Debra Goodchild 1st Errol Morris / Ian Gaskell
2nd Geoff Taylor / Terry Sheedy 2nd David Ting / Ming Ting
3rd Joy Robinson / Ken Seaniger 3rd Janine Rodgers / Jan Harris
4th Susan Ross / Geoff Cowan 4th Patricia Garner / Geoffrey Patterson
5th Julie O’Neill / Griffin Bancroft 5th Helen Van Den Broek / Joy Brunette

Contributed by Joy Block

Alan Brown, Diane Morgan, Janet Hansen, Pres.Robert and Frances Brown

Andrew Canavan and Joy Robinson. Photos supplied

A sparkling Queensland winter’s day gently opened the starting gate for the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week, presented by AMEX, on-water program.

The Dent Passage starters spent the morning ashore in postponement drinking coffee and chatting and the Eastern starters bobbed around under beautiful sunshine for a couple of hours, as humpback whales played freely nearby. Sailing can be a waiting game - sailors are accustomed to it - it’s one of the reasons they are generally relaxed at all levels of the sport.

Shortened courses accommodated the later start times, a light NNW - ESE breeze in Dent Passage off Hamilton Island Yacht Club enough to get Rating, Super 40, Hamilton Island Blue and Multihull Racing divisions underway.

Ron Epstein’s JPK1180 Bacchanal nabbed a first race win in Rating division 2 with his mixed team sailing for the Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco California and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

“Half our crew are Californians who hadn’t seen the boat until two days ago,” Epstein said.

“Our goal is to have a blast and sail well. We’ve started the week off the right way points-wise; the good news is there’s a lot we can do better. This is an incredible place to sail. There was a moment today when my main trimmer Shane took the wheel, to make sure I looked around.”

Andrew McInnes owns one of three trailer yachts transported to the Whitsundays from Ballina on the NSW North Coast.

The crew of McInnes’ Seascape 25se Alfina took the racing delay out at Eastern in their stride, practicing and even grabbing a snooze before racking up for a start around 1.30pm.

“It was a good shakedown race,” McInnes said. “We had new people in the boat, so the light breeze was great for us,” the owner said.

The Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Exhibition Series also commenced today as part of the 40th anniversary Race Week. Thirteen Olympic skiffs pitted Australia and New Zealand against one another over three races, with three more tomorrow and Tuesday August 19 and a final double points race.

Photos supplied

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The Whitsunday Game Fish Club’s Airlie Beach Tackle World-sponsored Billfish and Tuna Rally is set for the 13th and 14th of September, and it promises to be a busy weekend with excellent numbers of Sailfish, Juvenile Black Marlin, Mackerel, and Tuna around this season.

The event kicks off with a briefing and angler registration on Thursday, 11th September at 6 pm at the club on Altmann Avenue, Cannonvale. The rally is free and open to all club members.

Fishing takes place on Saturday, 13th, and Sunday, 14th, with a social raft-up at Stonehaven Anchorage on Saturday night for those boats choosing to stay out. All activities, sheers, tag cards, and any fish to be weighed for rally or club points must be at the club by 4 pm on Sunday, 14th, to allow the presentation of some great prizes at 5 pm. Full details will be explained at the briefing.
Don’t miss this one—it promises to be an exciting weekend! We thank Sam and the team at AB Tackle World for their support.

Also, mark your calendar for the bait and lure rigging and information workshop on Wednesday, 3rd September at 6 pm at the club. This workshop is packed with helpful tips on rigging troll baits using circle and J hooks, tackle setup, locating various species, and other useful ideas for anglers of all levels.

Everyone is welcome. The bar and sausage sizzle will open from 6 pm, and club membership forms will be available for anyone interested in joining a club where the whole family can enjoy fresh-air sport—no PlayStation or Gameboy required.

Finally, a special congratulations to club member Jasmin Smith for winning Queensland Champion Junior Female Angler at the recent QGFA Annual Awards. A fantastic achievement!

All our juniors performed admirably throughout the year and are already off to a strong start with some very impressive catches.

Contributed with thanks to Ashley Moore

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Nice long tail Tuna for the table. Photo supplied

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