HEAVYWEIGHTS TAKE BACK SURF LIFESAVING TITLE
Northcliffe claim state surf club bragging rights
NORTHCLIFFE Surf Club have wrestled the Queensland Surf Rescue Championship title back from Alexandra Headland.
The Broadbeach-based club were crowned state champions yesterday at Bilinga beach after winning the overall pointscore, relegating Alexandra Headland to second while Noosa finished third.
It ended a period of sustained dominance by Alexandra Headland who had won the title multiple times after Northcliffe has claimed it 13 years in a row.
“The surf lifesaving rescue titles epitomises surf life saving and what we do in the community,” Northcliffe president David Shields said.
“To have the best surf lifesavers in the club means a lot and we are very proud of them all. “Much of the credit has to go to our surf rescue coach Trent Rowe who has been involved for 15 years.”
Shields said Northcliffe’s increased depth in its youngest ranks paved the way for a surprise win.
“We have had some very good young people come up through the ranks and participate,” Shields said.
“Those kids did a great job to get the results and we were pleasantly surprised to beat Alex Headland who have been strong for a number of years now.”
Queensland Surf Lifesaving sports manager Stuart Hogben praised the way all teams handled the conditions that saw the event moved from Mermaid Beach to Bilinga.
“It was testing conditions and the competition was very close. We couldn’t have asked for much more,” Hogben said.
Northcliffe won back the title at home on the Gold Coast but Hogben revealed they will have to travel to the Sunshine Coast next year to defend it. He said no beach had been earmarked for the event but revealed it would be held north of Brisbane.