Glory is twice as sweet
STAND-UP PADDLING: Tweed Heads ace Beau Nixon has beaten border rival and defending champion Jackson Close to take out the Australian Stand-Up Paddleboard surfing title.
In a hotly contested four-man final at North Haven Beach near Port Macquarie, Nixon left it until very l a t e before producing a 7.5-point effort that edged him past the 2011 title-holder. ‘‘I feel amazing,’’ Nixon said. ‘‘I’ve trained so hard for this event and I’m so glad I came away with a win. I’m over the moon right now – I really can’t describe it.
Completing a golden Gold Coast double was Shakira Westdorp, from Tugun, who made it back-to-back national titles in the women’s surfing division.
‘‘I’m stoked because the level of the girls surfing has improved so much over the last couple of years,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s only going to get harder and harder, so to take it out over the other girls who have been ripping is great.’’
There was more glory for Gold Coast competitors at the titles.
Ironwoman legend Karla Gilbert headed an all-Coast trifecta in the women’s 6km ocean race, finishing ahead of Currumbin pair Angela Jackson and Sondra Purser.
Kelly Margetts won the men’s 6km ocean paddle where Currumbin mate Jake Jensen was third.
On top of that, Currumbin had more glory through Beau O’Brien in the men’s 20km marathon and also through Angela Jackson and Alison Fulager, first and second in the women’s 20km paddle.