‘Queensland Marathon Paddlers to take on the World in Rome 2012’
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Queensland paddlers have claimed World Championship team places in Women’s K2, Men’s K1, 23 and Men’s K1, 18 at the 2012 Australian Marathon Championships in Sydney. Queensland State Team members have also paddled to outstanding results in Veteran classes and a thrilling bronze medal in Men’s K1 16 yrs.
On a course where weed tested all paddler’s abilities and skills, spectators had the opportunity to see all stages of racing including the excitement of portage. The Men’s K1 saw Gold Coast’s Dane Sloss lead eventual winner Michael Leverate at many stages of the race whilst in the Womens K1, Gold Coast paddler Kate McGrath paddled to 3rd and Currumbin Creek paddler Kristina Jenkins to 4th behind eventual winner, Brisbane based Teagan Fraser. Kate and Teagan went on in the Women’s K2 selection event in an exciting three way finish to 2nd place and nomination to the Australian Marathon Team for Rome. Currumbin paddlers Kristina Jenkins and sprint Olympian Amanda Rankin powered to a thrilling 3rd in the blanket Women’s K2 finish and they too have also earned nomination to the Australian Marathon Team to Rome. Currumbin Creek paddlers Lynwen Birch and Kristina Wilkinson finished a credible 6th in the Women’s K2 selection event
Indooroopilly paddler Tim Stenlake asserted his authority in the Men’s K1, 23 event and confirmed his continuing development as one of Australia’s elite male paddlers. Tim went on to win his race in convincing fashion and he also earned nomination to the Australian Marathon Team for Rome 2012.
Tim Stenlake Kate McGrath
Sunshine Coast Kayak Club paddler Bill Bain cemented his status as Australia’s best K1, 18 paddler with a strong win in the Men’s 18 event and nomination to the Australian Marathon Team for Rome.
Together with Currumbin Creek paddler Michael Booth, Bill went on to mix it with Australia’s best K2 paddlers in the Open Men’s K2 selection event where he and Michael worked in the front pack and lead many of the portages to eventually finish fourth. This tremendous courage left the spectator crowd with no doubt as to the future powerhouse of Queensland and Australian Marathon.
Men’s 16, K1 Queensland State Team paddler James Stuart was in the lead mix right from the start of his race and paddled strongly in the front pack. James’ great passage through portage on lap 2 saw him go on to a well deserved bronze medal.
Queensland State Team member Sharon Kyme from Currumbin Creek won the Vet 35 Women’s K1 in a convincing paddle and combined with fellow state team member Darryl Stenlake from Indooroopilly to win the silver medal in the Vet 35 K2 class.
Daryl Stenlake Lynwen Birch
Sunshine Coast paddlers Bryn Davis and Geoffrey Pearce continued to paddle at the highest level in their Vet classes with Bryn winning silver in the Vet 55, K1 and the Davis/Pearce team going on to win bronze in the Vet 50, K2. Queensland dominated the Vet 50, TK1 with Geoffrey Pearce and Greater Logan paddler Mark Sanderson finishing 1st and 2nd respectively. John Smallwood from Sunshine Coast finished 2nd in the well contested Vet 60 TK1 and Greater Logan paddler Daniel Schulte-loh, won the Open TK1 some 20 minutes ahead of the second place finisher in a great display of gutsy marathon paddling. Daniel Schulte-loh and John Donkersloot combined to paddle to 3rd in the open TK2
Currumbin Creek perennial John Newton finished 3rd in his Vet class and went on to paddle with fellow Australian Marathon Team selector Terry Poole from Victoria to win gold in the the VET 60, K2 with great cheers of ‘Queeenslander …’ at each portage turning buoy rounding.
Congratulations to all Queenslands paddlers, Mark Rickard (2012 QLD Team Manager)
Full results can be found on the Australian Canoeing website
ALL QUEENSLAND RESULTS
Gold
Sharyn Kyme Veteran 35 Women K1
Daniel Schulte-loh Open Men TK1
Geoff Pearce Veteran 50 Men TK1
Tim Stenlake Under 23 Men K1
Bill Bain Under 18 Men K1
John Newton Veteran 60 Men K2
Silver
Mark Sanderson Veteran 50 Men TK1
John Smallwood Veteran 60 Men TK1
Darryl Stenlake / Sharyn Kyme Veteran 35 K2
Kate McGrath Open Women K2
Bronze
John Newton Veteran 65 Men K1
Kate McGrath Open Women K1
Bryn Davis / Geoff Pearce Veteran 50 Men K2
Daniel Schulte-loh / John Donkersloot Open TK2
John Smallwood Veteran 60 Men K2
James Stuart Under 16 Boys K1
Kristina Jenkins / Amanda Rankin Open Women K2
Ellie Leaver Under 18 Women K2
Fourth
John Donkersloot Veteran 60 Men TK1
James Stuart Under 16 Boys K2
Kristina Jenkins Open Women K1
Michael Booth / Bill Bain Open Men K2
Fifth
Ellie Leaver Under 18 Women K1
Michael Booth Under 23 Men K1
Sixth
Bruce Fairlie Veteran 35 Men K1
Katrina Wilkinson / Lynwen Birch Open Women K2
Ninth
Darryl Stenlake Veteran 45 Men K1
Mark Rickard Veteran 50 Men K1
