Lucky escape in Jaws surf

Masters still on the way

GOLD Coast big wave surfer Felicity Palmateer has miraculously survived a head-on altercation with a monstrous wave at Jaws which forced her to deploy her oxygen canisters and snapped her board in half.

“I’m OK but my board is badly injured,” Palmateer said from Hawaii after her appearance in the six-woman final at the Pe’ahi Challenge, part of the WSL Big Wave Tour.

Palmateer, an artist, model and surfer, fell on a 30-35 foot giant and was then held under the water by the ferocious force of the notorious wave off the coast of Maui.

“I snapped my board and went round and round in the washing machine,” she said.

Defending champion Paige Alms won the women’s crown with fellow Hawaiian Ian Walsh claiming the men’s title. THE action continues to heat up for Gold Coast Masters Athletics – and officials are predicting it to get hotter.

About 30 athletes aged 30 and over took part in the club’s regular event at Griffith University yesterday.

While no record were broken across the wide varierty of track and field events, Gold Coast Masters Athletics secretary Karen Lakin only a matter of time.

“Our numbers will start to go up from here once it gets into the season,” she said.

“I’d expect some of the athletes to really improve their efforts in the next while.”

Gold Coast Masters Athletics will next host a club carnival on November 12 at Griffiths University. says it’s