Season launch for Whitsunday paddlers

9th March 2009

THE Outrigger Whitsunday Canoe team launched its season in regatta one of the Northern Zone Series over the weekend with some excellent results.

The regatta - one of seven in the series that concludes in August - was held in Airlie Bay with 14 teams from as far south as Gladstone and as far north as Cairns competing.

Outrigger Whitsunday was well represented in their home regatta, entering two Open Women's teams, two Master Women's teams, a Senior Master Men's team, an Open Men's team and two Open Mixed teams in the OC6 category for crews made up of six members.

The regatta was divided into short course and marathon with the home team producing some strong performances in both distances.

Its best results in the OC6 short course were a first in the Open Women, a first in the Master Women and a second in the Senior Master Men.

In the OC6 marathon, Outrigger Whitsunday was equally impressive finishing second in the Senior Master Men, first in the Open Women, first in the Master Women and second in the Open Mixed.

The host club was also well represented in the OC1 and OC2 categories with some outstanding results.

In the OC1 Kylee Muldoon crossed the line first in the Master Women event with Alison Green trailing her in second.

Not to be outdone, Karen Saffin was the winner of the Senior Master Women's individual event.

In the OC2, Trish and Phil Cornish combined well to win the mixed event with Trish backing up to team with Kylee Muldoon for another win in the Open Women's event.

The next regatta will be hosted by Sunset Bay Outrigger Club in Mackay on March 21.

The Northern Zone Series is a prelude to the Hamilton Island Cup, which is the second largest international event on the outrigger canoe calendar and will be held in June.