A grade finals winner Geoff Ollett and runner up Chris Banney. Photo supplied

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North Mackay Ladies Bowls Club recently hosted its annual Goosepond Triples Carnival at the Goosies Club, attracting 60 players from clubs across the Mackay district.

Ladies President Hilary Jones-Rowan welcomed competitors along with sponsors Gardian, Mortgage Choice and Goosepond Sport and Recreational Club before the day’s competition got underway.

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Players contested three games throughout the carnival, with lunch and afternoon tea provided by Goosies staff during the breaks in play.

North Mackay’s team of L. Bowers, L. Deguara and L. Lemke claimed first place after a strong day on the greens.

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Second place went to South Suburban’s L. Howland, V. Dempsey and J. Rogers, while fellow Suburban bowlers L. Coad, H. Ray and J. Lewis finished third.

North Mackay representatives D. Mackenzie, C. Corbett and D. Gordon secured fourth place.

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Three round one winners and two lucky card winners were also recognised during presentations.

President Hilary Jones-Rowan thanked all players and supporters for attending and wished everyone well for future competitions.

North Mackay Men’s Bowls Club Crowns A Grade Singles Champion

North Mackay Men’s Bowls Club recently held its A Grade Singles final, with Chris Banney and Geoff Ollett facing off in a highly anticipated championship decider.

Both players produced quality bowling throughout the match, with several tightly contested heads keeping spectators engaged across the final.

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After a strong performance under pressure, Geoff Ollett secured the club’s A Grade Singles title for this year.

Congratulations were extended to both bowlers on an excellent contest and sportsmanlike display.

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Contributed by Sue Hazledine

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Two talented swimmers from the Mackay Cyclones Swimming Club are set to represent Mackay on the national stage after qualifying for the 2026 Australian Swimming Trials in Sydney from June 8^th–13^th.

Ehsan Helou and Audrey Bryan have both achieved qualifying times in the highly competitive 50-metre breaststroke event and will take to the pool on Day Three of the meet, June 10^th, against many of Australia’s top swimmers.

The achievement marks a significant milestone for the pair and reflects years of dedication, perseverance and hard work in the pool.

Cyclones coach Leigh-Anne Pokarier praised the swimmers for the resilience they have shown throughout their journeys to reach the elite level.

“These athletes understand better than most the highs and lows that come with elite sport — the setbacks, challenges and moments of disappointment,” she said.

“But their qualification is proof that persistence, resilience and hard work do pay off when everything finally comes together.”

The success of Helou and Bryan also reflects the commitment of Pokarier, whose passion for developing young swimmers has helped build a strong culture of resilience, discipline and belief within the Cyclones squad.

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The club described the qualification as a significant milestone and said the entire Cyclones community was proud of both athletes.

The Australian Swimming Trials are among the country’s premier events, with swimmers competing for national selection and representative honours.

For Helou and Bryan, qualifying alone places them among the nation’s best breaststroke swimmers and caps off a strong long-course season for the Mackay Cyclones squad.

Their success is also proving an inspiration for younger swimmers within the club, demonstrating what can be achieved through resilience, commitment and belief.

As the countdown to Sydney begins, the Mackay swimming community will be proudly cheering on two of its own.

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Peter Goodson. Photos supplied

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Tuesday Evening Fixtures

Division 1: Cockatoos (Mick Ruhl, Mark Sleeman, Neil Brown) won 7-4 over Curlews (Barry Patterson, Anne Sheridan, Geoff Cowan), Geoff was to strong for Mark (5,-8,-7,6,6).  Canaries (Yilin Jiang, Josh Brown) defeated Budgies (Emma Widdup, Graham Drury) 6-3, Yilin and Josh got home against Emma and Graham in close 5 sets (-6,-5,7,10,9).  Geese (Steve Whiting, Lee Brake, Janice Kent) came back to win 7-4 over Bowerbirds (Trent Day, Allan Edwards), Trent made a great come back against Lee to win (-12,-6,7,6,14)

Division 2: Parrots (Delma Knight, George Camilleri, Liz Burton) defeated Owls (Rod Mahumas, Ricky Zhan, Peter Goodson) 8-3, Liz got the better of Peter in 5 sets (6,8,-8,-8,10).  Doves (Will VanDeKaa, Daniel Warfield, Noreen Frederickson) just got home 6-5 over Eagles (Andrea Nicholson, Ollie Hamelink, Rachel Fiesta), Ollie and Rachel won a massive marathon against Noreen and Daniel (-9,14,-14,13,9).  Galahs (Remy Zhan, Donna Abbott, Mark Stem) were to strong for Kites (Ian McKay, Matt West, Daryl Ross) 9-2, Ian won close battle against Mark (-5,6,8,-7,7).

Division 3: Great wins by Logan Brown, Craig VanDeKaa, Tiffany Camilleri and it is very close battle for the top positions.

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Tuesday Morning Fixtures

Division 1: Orion Orbiters (Andrea Nicholson, Veronica Shepherd, John McGee) overcome Eclipse Spin (Cheryl Pearson, Kevin Abbott, Daryl Ross) 8-4, Daryl come home strong against Veronica (4,11,-5,-10,4). Nova Smashers (Doug Dungavell, Ross DeBoer, Judy Zahn) beatAstro Aces (George Camilleri, Peter Goodson, Sally Muir) 7-5, Doug outlasted George in close 5 sets (-6,6,11,-6,6).  

Division 2: Spartan Spin (Ian Dodds, Gloria Vella, Helen Ware) defeated Samurai Swords (John Hamelink, Thelma Caruana, Coral Morgan) 10-2, Ian battled to get home against Coral (9,-8,7,-6,8).  Ninja Strikes (Frank Caruana, Pam Keune, Chris Collins) drew 6-6 with Viking Raiders (Kim Daffy, Louise, Gould, Josie Davis), Kim came back to win over Pam (11,-11,-4,8,8).

Division 3:Celtic Smash (David Muir, Trish Zamparutti, Myles Dutton) outlasted Mongol Power (Gerry Synnott, Laurie Bradshaw, Glenda Dutton) 7-5, Trish and Myles just beat Glenda and Laurie in 5 sets           (-7,8,7,-8,6).  Aztec Warriors (Kim Challendar, Janelle Keune, Glenda Brookes) won close battle over Gladiator Grip (Sharon Muller, Iris Grasso, Madge Saunders) 7-5, with Kim getting home in 5 sets against Iris (10,9,-6,-10,8).

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Winners - Annette, Jewel, Joy & Janice

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The Mackay Novice players competed in the 2026 Australian Wide Novice Pairs Competition on Tuesday. Sixteen Mackay pairs competed against other players all over Australia. The Mackay Winners were Annette Howe & Jewel Schmidt N/S and Janice Mansfield & Joy Block E/W. Many new players who finished beginner’s lessons in March participated with excellent results. Well done to all it, was an extremely close finish.

Weekly Results  

Monday 25 May 2026 – 6 Table Mitchell Green Points  

N/S

E/W

1^st

Geoffrey Patterson / Noel Bugeia

1^st

David Ting / Eric Goodchild

2^nd

Ming Ting / Diane Stokes

2^nd

Joy Hold / Rodney Miles

3^rd

Lorna Shuttlewood / Geoff Taylor

3^rd

Sandra Wallace / Pamela Armstrong

Tuesday 26 May 2026 – 2026 Australian Wide Novice Pairs 8 Table Mitchell Green Points  

N/S

E/W

1^st

Jewel Schmidt / Annette Howe

1^st

Janice Mansfield / Joy Block

2^nd

Jennifer Cameron / Errol Morris

2^nd

Susan Ross / Laura Howland

3^rd

Lynne O’Neill / Christine Fitzpatrick

3^rd

Jean Penridge / Helen Goldston

Tuesday Evening 26 May 2026 – 6 Table One Winner Green Points  

1^st

Geoff Taylor / Janelle Conroy

2^nd

Faye Wright / Janine Rodgers

3^rd

Vicki Howard / Richard Wix

4^th

Patricia Garner / Adrian Westcott

Wednesday 27 May 2026 –10 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Monica Darley / Frances Brown

1^st

Terry Sheedy / Lorna Shuttlewood

2^nd

Janine Rodgers /Schmidt

2^nd

Janet Hansen / Alan Brown

3^rd

David Ting / Eric Goodchild

3^rd

Gwen Liddell / Anne Lutz

Thursday Evening 28 May 2026 – 4 Table One Winner – Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Terry Sheedy / Noel Bugeia

1^st

Griffin Bancroft / Mick King

2^nd

Faye Wright / Adrian Westcott

2^nd

Julie O’Neill / Ann Whitmore

Friday 29 May 2026 –- 11 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Janine Rodgers / Richard Wix

1^st

Ming Ting / David Ting

2^nd

Noel Bugeia / Terry Sheedy

1^st

Debbie Ludkin / Diane Cox

3^rd

Patricia Garner / Christine Nice

3^rd

Lynne O’Neill / Annette Howe

Saturday 30 May 2026 – 11 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Alan Brown / Frances Brown

1^st

Janet Hansen / Diane Stokes

2^nd

Marilin Robins / Janine Rodgers

2^nd

Vicki Howard / Geoffr Cowan

3^rd

Susan Wright / Lorna Shuttlewood

3^rd

Patricia Garner / Martin Pearce

Sunday 31 May 2026 – Novice and Mentors 7 Table Mitchell Green Points

N/S

E/W

1^st

Joy Hold / Terry Sheedy

1^st

Martin Pearce / Jennifer Cameron

2^nd

Griffin Bancroft / Debbie Ludkin

2^nd

Debra Goodchild / Annette Howe

3^rd

Faith Hutchinson / Geoff Cowan

3^rd

Rodney Miles / Geoffrey Patterson

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RESULTS : WEEK ENDING Sunday 31/5/26

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TUESDAY 26/5/26

PGC - Stableford

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MEN :

Winner : Joshua Norris 39 points  

R/Up : Ross Meade 38 points

NTPs : Gerald Lovell (9^th), Allen Roberts (13^th)

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LADIES :

Winner : Heather Luvis 37 points

R/Up : Anna Winterbourn 35 points  

NTPs :Elspeth Scotford (2^nd)

VETS : Stableford

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LADIES :

Winner : Heather Luvis 37 points

R/Up : Anna Winterbourn 35 points  

3^rd :  Jan Shuwalow 35 points

NTPs :  

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MEN :

Winner : Rex Waite (Waratah GC)  

R/Up : Barry Shuwalow 35 points (C/B)

3^rd : Gerald Lovell

NTPs :  

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WEDNESDAY 27/5/26

PGC Stableford

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LADIES :

Winner : Elspeth Scotford 38 points  

R/Up : Paula McQuat 35 points (C/B)

3^rd : Heather Luvis

NTPs : Rehab Hull (2^nd), Di Chard (9^th & 13^th), Anna Winterbourn (16^th)

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THURSDAY 28/5/26

PGC - Stableford

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MEN :

A Grade :

Winner : Joshua Mansley 41 points

R/Up : Rob Webb 40 points

3^rd : Jayden Lloyd 36 points

B Grade :

Winner : Kell Geard 39 points

R/Up : Paul Nicol 37 points

3rd : Peter Elms 36  

NTPs : Len Booroff (2^nd), Bernie Drake (9th), Brad Fleet (13^th), Aaron Prosser (16^th)

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FRIDAY 29/5/26

MIXED :

Winner : Kerrie Johannesen 23 points

R/Up : Brett Norris 21 points

3^rd : Harry & Fay Milne, Sally Little all on 20 points

NTP : Steven Clare (2^nd)

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SATURDAY 30/5/26

PGC - Stableford

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MEN :

A Grade :

Winner : Logan Devery 40 points

R/Up : Clay Coles 39 points (C/B)

3^rd : Rob Smith  

B Grade :

Winner : Connor Devery 44 points

R/Up : Neville Bell(Pioneer Valley GC) 41 points (C/B)

3^rd : Andrew Mau 41 points

NTPs : Craig Smith (2^nd), Nathan Vergos (9^th), Nathan Holmes (16^th)  

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LADIES

Winner : Di Chard 40 points

R/Up : Christine Barkle (Tropics GC) 39 points (C/B)

3^rd : Heather Luvis

NTPs : Di Chard (2^nd), Peta Thomas (9^th), Trish McNeill (13^th)

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SUNDAY 31/5/26

MIXED :

Winner : Di Chard 39 points

R/Up : Jason Bourke  

3^rd : Geoff Harrison 37 points

NTPs : Cooper Nissen & Sherri Meade (2^nd), Andrew Mason (13^th), Harvey Mason (16^th)

Contributed with thanks to Tiina Randmae.

SAVE THE DATE - Sun 7/6 : Ladies’ & Men’s 4somes Ch’ships

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On Saturday afternoon Division 1 played against Airlie Beach in round 5 of this year's pennants competition.  Proserpine was defeated 49 - 65 . Nathan Harriott's team had a 16 all draw; Gavin Milne's team had a 27- 20 win and Andrew Bell's team had a 16 - 29 loss. On Sunday it was a home game against North Mackay on the first of the second half of the draw. Proserpine defeated North Mackay 65 - 51 . Nathan Harriott's team drew 17 all; Andrew Bell's team won 24 - 18 and Gavin Milne's team won 24 - 16. 

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This has moved Proserpine into 4th place in Division 1 with 5 Match points and a minus 38 margin. Souths Suburban leads the Division on 12 Match points plus 113; Sarina is second on 7 Match points minus 8; Airlie Beach is third on 6 Match points plus 37; Northern Beaches is fifth on 4 Match points minus 49 and North Mackay is sixth on 2 Match points minus 55. 

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After a short break the Pennants season returns on June 20 with Proserpine having a home game against Northern Beaches followed by an away game against Sarina then the final weekend with two home games firstly against Souths Suburban and then Airlie Beach.

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Division 5 played a home game on Saturday against St Helens. Proserpine defeated St Helens 49- 23. Mark Holmes's team won 26 - 11; Dale Haack's team won 23 - 12. On Sunday it was an away game against North Mackay. North Mackay defeated Proserpine 48 - 35. Dale Haack's team were defeated 24 - 26; Mark Holmes' team 11 - 22.

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Proserpine currently leads Division 5 with 8 Match Points plus a margin of 141. St Helens holds second place with 8 Match points plus 53; Northern Beaches in third on 8 Match points plus 50; North Mackay is fourth on 6 Match points minus 54; Mackay City in fifth on 4 Match points minus 35 and Mackay is in sixth on 2 Match points minus 155.  

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The second half of the season could be very interesting. When we return after the break Proserpine plays a home game against Northern Beaches followed by away games against Mackay City, then Mackay and then St Helens.

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In Club Competition this weekend.  David Ling played Toby Craig in the Club Championship Singles on Sunday afternoon. David defeated Toby 25 - 19 after a solid game of 27 ends. From the scorecard it must have been a great game. David got the early start being 10-1 up at the seventh end.  Then Toby chipped away at the margin to be 14-10 up at the 14th end. David leveled it up at 14 all on the 16th end taking the lead for a couple of ends before Toby recaptured the lead for a couple of ends before it came back to 18 all .....all tied up at the 22nd end. From there on in, Toby won just the one end while Dave moved on to work towards completing the process of winning the game.  

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In Social Bowls on Wednesday, Trevor Parsons and Barry Zillmann defeated Graham Thrupp and Dale Haack 25 - 16; Bruce Uhe and Mike Harrison defeated Alen Sanderson and Sandy Daffara 24 - 14.

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Due to Pennants commitments and members away there was no Social bowls on Sunday afternoon.

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Contributed with thanks to Proserpine Bowls Club.

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Joel and his local Bowen Athletics Jumps Coach Nigel Thicker. Photo supplied

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The annual Bowen Athletics Carnival was held on the 30^th and 31^st May with athletes representing clubs from far and wide.

After representing North Queensland at the last two school state championships in Long Jump, local athlete Joel Walker is going ahead in leaps and bounds in Triple Jump.  

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At the Mackay Athletics Carnival last May in his first Triple Jump official competition, Joel broke a long-standing carnival record for 12 year old boys with a hop skip and jump of 8.91 metres.

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Later that year in June at the Bowen Athletics Carnival he landed two jumps of 10.04 metres being just 1cm off the 12 year old boys Carnival Record in Bowen.  

This year, with his sights firmly set on the 13-year-old Men’s Triple Jump, Joel delivered in spades breaking the previous mark of 10.83 metres set in 2015 with an 11.11 metre landing.  

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He also took out the Long Jump event with 3 remarkably consistent jumps of 4.78m, 4.77m and 4.78m.  

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Joel now heads to the Festival of Athletics in Townsville on the June 13^th weekend and then onto the Local School and Whitsunday trials with a goal of making the North Queensland side again this year for long jump and triple jump and possibly tetrathlon disciplines.

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A big thank you to the Muir and Thicker families and all the Bowen Athletics Club committee and volunteers for their time and tireless efforts making the carnival and local athletics such a success.    

Bowen Athletic Club day is held Saturdays from 2pm and training is Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.  New members are welcome with further details on the club facebook page.

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Contributed with thanks to Grant Walker.

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Tuesday morning was the final of the Ladies Singles between Joan McGrath a district champion and Vicki Spann, an up-and-coming champion to be.  

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Vicki turned on an accurate and powerful display and won 25-14 to become the 2026 Ladies Champion.

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Tuesday afternoon social bowls saw 14 bowlers vying for first prize with Tony Whitehorn and Lane Telford in first place and the lucky loser's prize went to skipper David Bradley second Laurie Hawking and lead Maureen Barnard.

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Friday afternoon the Christian college students came again and this time year 7 students James Feitz and Jack Hankin proved that the sky could be the limit and in time they could be champions of the game with a fantastic team performance.  

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2026 Ladies Champion Vicki Spann

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The Whitsunday Sea Eagles hosted another exciting day of football at The Nest on Saturday. In front of a passionate home crowd, every team battled hard, with several close contests keeping supporters engaged throughout the day.  

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The Under 13s were involved in a thriller on the weekend, with the score remaining within a point for most of the day. After being challenged to dig deep, the Sea Eagles responded with strong pressure and smart use of space. Their determination shone through in the final quarter as they held on for a memorable 21-20 victory.

The Under 15s were locked in a tight contest early before the Saints gained the upper hand in the second quarter. The Sea Eagles fought back strongly, lifting their intensity and closing the gap, but could not take the lead before halftime. The Saints pulled away in the second half, with the Sea Eagles going down 31-51 despite a determined effort.

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The Under 17s faced a strong Saints outfit and despite the challenge, never stopped competing. Their teamwork, determination, and effort were evident throughout the match. While they fell short 22-82, the Sea Eagles showed great resilience and commitment until the final siren.

Despite the loss to the opposition the Senior Women’s team celebrated being the only team in the competition to score against the Saints this year. The women fought hard all day and never gave up. Their physicality and determination shone bright, highlighting the team's potential for the rest of the year.  

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The Senior Men’s team fought hard against the Saints sitting in front by halftime. The men put the pressure on, played hard at the contest, and never dropped their heads. Unfortunately, during the second half, fatigue set in and the Saints got away from them. With a final score of 41-72 the Sea Eagles will regroup and fight hard again next week.  

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Contributed by Whitsunday Sea Eagles, Georgia Whitton

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Tuesday’s winners: Graham Smith Gavin Charles and Peter Nesbit. Photo supplied

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Tuesday’s winners were Graham Smith Gavin Charles and Peter Nesbit who defeated Neil Chittenden Kelly and Chris Frew. Others Lindy Shirley and Gus defeated Sharon Sue and Denis Ray Lorraine and Steve defeated Stumpy Ray and Jim and John Skinny and Laurie defeated Barry Maree and Dot. It is nice to see that a lot of our southern visitors have made the trip to Bowen for the winter this year.

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There was no social play on the weekend due to Wangaratta jointly hosting the North Qld District Division Two Open Pennant. Our club’s three teams competed and had some great matches. Wangaratta defeated South Townsville, Magnetic Island, Brandon, and Cutheringa to gain a creditable fourth place in the tournament. Congratulations to Bowen Bowls Club who won the Pennant.  

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Best wishes and good bowling to our Division Four Pennant players playing in Townsville this weekend.

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Contributed with thanks to Penny Warren

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The Cannonvale Cannons’ annual presentation evening continued with recognition of swimmers who achieved outstanding performance milestones throughout the 2025/26 season.

The club’s Level Awards program recognises swimmers who achieve benchmark times across a range of events, rewarding consistency, dedication and progression through the sport.

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At the highest level, the prestigious Level Three Award was presented to Tora Delac and Zach Trefz. This award is reserved for swimmers who achieve two qualifying times from the Level 3 table and represents the highest performance standard available within the club’s awards structure.

The Level Two Award was presented to Koa, Levi, Cooper, Wilson, Eloise, Celeste, Maeve, Harris, Jax E, Liam, Tommy, Zane, Jax C, Lucas, Harry, Eric, Caleb, Zavier, Tyler and Hamilton, with Miller and Mackenzie also achieving the award but not present for the photo. To earn this recognition, swimmers must achieve three qualifying times from the Level 2 table.

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The Level One Award, presented to swimmers who achieved five qualifying times from the Level 1 table, was awarded to Roxy, Ruby H, Ruby L, Matilda, Andie, Addie, Indi, Tiana, Declan, Alex, Nelson, Pippa and Gracie.

The Club Medal recognises swimmers who have achieved up to four qualifying times from the Level 1 table and was awarded to Lily, Isla, Jasper, Olive, Faithlyn, Dylan, Finn, Asher, Reid, Leo, Miranda, Jessica, Indiana, River, Lennox and Oliver.

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The club also recognised a group of swimmers whose enthusiasm, determination and positive attitude stood out throughout the season. The Airlie Smile Care Encouragement Awards were presented to Alfie, Sunny, Hazel, Blaire, Indigo, Stella, Airlie, Joshua and Sunday.

Congratulations to all award recipients on their achievements and the hard work they have put into their swimming throughout the season.

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Contributed with thanks to Jade Korosec.

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Brahmans Under 20s sitting comfortably at 5^th place following a win against the Norths Devils on the weekend. Photo supplied

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In the Under 20s match, the Brahmans produced a brilliant display to defeat Norths Devils 26-0 in front of the home crowd. It was an entertaining game from start to finish, with the Tetley brothers and Klassen brothers putting on a show and playing key roles in the impressive victory. Their combination, skill and attacking flair kept the crowd engaged throughout and helped secure another strong result for the club.

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The under 20s men are now sitting pretty in 5th and ready to reset with a full comp bye this coming weekend. They then take on the West Tigers in Mackay on June 13, where a win there will secure the boys into 4th on the ladder. 

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Meanwhile Whitsunday Brahmans women’s side continued to show their growth and determination opening on Saturday at home against Brothers. Sadly, the scoreboard finished at 40-0 in favour of the Magpies, but the Brahmans can take plenty of positives from another spirited performance.

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Trailing 18-0 at halftime, the girls never stopped competing, showing tremendous resilience in defence and working hard for each other right until the final whistle. As the newest team in the competition, the improvement from week to week has been outstanding, with combinations continuing to build and confidence growing with every game.

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The effort and commitment shown across the park was a credit to the squad, who continue to embrace the challenge of competing against more established teams. Their attitude and willingness to learn has been one of the highlights of the season so far.

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The Whitsunday Brahmans women’s team is still welcoming new players to join the squad. With around 25 girls currently involved, the club is looking to add depth for the remainder of the season. No experience is necessary, and anyone aged 17 and over is encouraged to get involved. For more information, reach out via Facebook at Whitsunday Brahmans.

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Contributed with thanks to Many Bourke.

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Photo supplied

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Escape Jiu Jitsu has reported a strong rise in female participation since opening earlier this year. The Cannonvale-based gym has already attracted 14 women as adult members and 23 girls in its kids’ classes, a notable shift in a sport traditionally dominated by men.

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Head coach Bec Johns said seeing women and girls on the mats has been especially meaningful, reflecting a culture built on inclusion and support.

Led by coaches Danny Johns and Phil Hamblin alongside Bec Johns, the gym has focused on creating a safe and welcoming environment for all ages and experience levels. The presence of a female coach has also helped encourage more women to step onto the mats for the first time.

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This momentum was also reflected at the gym’s inaugural tournament in March, which drew 57 female entrants from across North Queensland. Of those, 45 were girls and 12 were women, competing for 45 medals and a $300 cash prize. One of the youngest competitors has already collected 56 medals since beginning competition.

Beyond competition, the growth of junior female participation is seen as an investment in the future of the sport in regional Queensland.

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Gloria Vella. Photos supplied

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Tuesday Morning Fixtures

Division 1: Nova Smashers (Doug Dungavell, Bryan Marshall, Ross DeBoer) defeated Orion Orbiters (Andrea Nicholson, Veronica Shepherd, John McGee) 7-5, Veronica came back in the 5^th set to outlast Bryan (2,4,-11,-8,8). Astro Aces (George Camileri, Peter Goodson, Sally Muir) won against Eclipse Spin (Branko Vucurovic, Delma Knight) 7-5, the doubles was super close Branko and Delma came home strong defeating George and Peter (-14,3,-8,9,9).

Division 2: Samurai Swords (John Hamelink, Robyn Bushell, Coral Morgan) won over Ninja Strikes (Frank Caruana, Pam Kuene, Chris Collins) 7-5, Coral only just came out on top against Pam (9,-10,6,-19,10).  Viking Raiders (Kim Daffy, Louise Gould, Josie Davis) tied up 6-6 with Spartan Spin (Ian Dodds, Gloria Vella, Helen Ware), Kim defeated Gloria (-8,7,6,5).

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Division 3: Aztec Warriors (Kim Challendar, Janelle Kuene, Glenda Brookes) defeated Celtic Smash (David Muir, Trish Zamparutti, Myles Dutton) 10-2, David got up against Janelle (3,-9,-7,4,5).  Mongol Power (Gerry Synnott, Laurie Bradshaw, Glenda Dutton) came home strong against Gladiator Grip (Sharon Muller, Allison Day, Madge Saunders)  

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8-4, Allison outlasted Gerry in close 5 sets (-7,4,-5,9,6).

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Tuesday Night Fixtures  

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Division 1: Cockatoos (Mick Ruhl, Mark Sleeman, Neil Brown) took down Canaries (Josh Brown, Lily Boland, Yilin Jiang) 7-4, Yilin came back against Mark (6,-7,6,-11,8),  Geese (Steve Whiting, Lee Brake, Janice Kent) won 6-5 against Curlews (Barry Patterson, Anne Sheridan, Geoff Cowan), Janice outlasted Anne with a close battle (-7,9,-5,6,4).  Bowerbirds (Trent Day, Allan Edwards) defeated Budgies (Emma Widdup, Graham Brake) 6-3, with no 5 set matches,  Emma defeated Trent in close 4 sets (-10,5,10,7).

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Division 2: Kites (Syed Hossain, Matt West, Simon Hogan) won against Owls (Ricky Zhan, Rod Mahumas, Peter Goodson) 6-5, Simon beat Peter in close battle (-10,9,9,-7,5). Doves (Will VanDeKaa, Daniel Warfield, John McGee) defeated Parrots (George Camilleri, Liz Burton, Delma Knight) 7-4, Will came back against George in the 5^th set to win (6,-4,7,-7,9). Galahs (Donna Abbott, Mark Stam, Remy Zhan) overcome Eagles (Andrea Nicholson, Ollie Hamelink, Rachel Fiesta) 7-4, Andrea came from behind to win a very close battle with Mark (-4,-11,6,7,9).

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Division 3: This week Tiffany, Jeff, Craig, Abbas and Dylan all had very good wins to stay in the hunt for the top 4 positions.  

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Contributed by Andrea Payne

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More than 140 paddlers hit the water at Eimeo Beach for the North Queensland Games regatta, with local crews, volunteers and supporters helping deliver a successful weekend of outrigger racing hosted by Sunset Bay Outrigger Canoe Club. Photos supplied

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More than 140 outrigger paddlers converged on Eimeo Beach earlier this month as the North Queensland Games brought high-energy racing and strong community spirit to Mackay’s coastline.

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Hosted by Sunset Bay Outrigger Canoe Club over the weekend of May 2-4, the regatta marked the club’s first major hosting role in eight years, with volunteers and members working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure the event ran smoothly.

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Despite uncertain weather leading into the weekend, conditions eased just in time, allowing all scheduled races to be completed with only minor course adjustments.

The headline event, the Eimeo Beach Challenge, launched the weekend in spectacular fashion, with 15 OC6 crews taking on the gruelling 22-kilometre course from North Wall Beach, around One Tree Island and back to Eimeo Beach.

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The Open Men’s crew from Coconuts Outrigger Canoe Club claimed line honours in an unlimited canoe weighing 90 kilograms, crossing the finish line in an impressive one hour and 59 minutes.

Local crews also delivered standout performances on home waters. Sunset Bay’s Master Men secured fifth place overall in a time of 2 hours and 18 minutes, earning gold in the Master Men division.

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One of the biggest highlights of the race came from Sunset Bay’s Master Women crew, who powered home eighth overall in 2 hours and 30 minutes to become the first women’s crew across the line.

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Competitors and supporters gathered at Eimeo Surf Life Saving Club following Saturday’s racing for presentations and dinner, with medals presented by North Queensland Games Chair Councillor Rhonda Coghlan. Sunday celebrations continued at Northern Beaches Bowls Club after another full day of competition.

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Organisers described the weekend as a major success, crediting generous sponsors, volunteers and supporters both on and off the water.

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Local photographer Kia Millen and family business PaddleLifeTV captured the action across the weekend, with race highlights available online.

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Following the successful regatta, Sunset Bay thanked volunteers with a community barbecue and is now turning its focus toward the internationally renowned Hamilton Island Cup in June.

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