Joel Skinner shows off his old school ‘Logger’ riding skills at the Australian Skin Cancer Clinics NSW Longboard Titles held at Yamba last week. The titles is one of many sporting events that is a part of Clarence Valley Council’s (CVC) sports tourism initiative. The event, which was held in conjunction with the NSW Kneeboard Titles (held on Sunday after the longboard competition) is returning to Yamba for 2016 and 17, too. According to CVC, each five-day event has the potential to return $747,000 to the local economy. See the story, more pics and results on page 28 & 29. Pic: Ethan Smith/Surfing NSW
2014 World longboard champion Harley Ingleby (Emerald Beach) took out the Open Men’s final at Australian Skin Cancer Clinics NSW Longboard Titles, held at Pippi and Turners beaches in Yamba last week.
The north coast natural-footer unleashed a barrage of mammoth backhand turns to notch up a heat total of 14.57 (out of a possible 20 points).
Fellow finalists Jack Entwistle (Manly), Nick Farago (Corrimal) and Joel Skinner (Yamba) all performed a series of impressive manoeuvres, but fell short of the scores required to take the win. Skinner, who holds several Australian junior titles and is now an over 18 competitor, also came fourth in the Open Logger final.
Meanwhile Yamba surfers fielded finalist in 12 of the 15 events held at the titles.
Frank Murphy won two divisions, the Under-18 Logger and Boys divisions, and Jason Livingstone lifted the trophy in the Over-40 Men’s division. Livingstone finished second in the Over-45 Men’s division, too.
Yamba’s Clancy O’Neil finished a close second to Murphy in the Under-18 Boys event.
In the Over-40 final, Livingston linked together a chain of mammoth backside and front-side hooks to sneak in front of Over-45 Men’s champion, John Schmidenberg (Emerald Beach), and Hayden Swan (Yamba), who claimed second and third respectively.
Nava Young (Angourie) was runner up to Lara Murphy (Woonoona), who bagged her second NSW title in as many years, in the Open Women’s event. Yamba’s Kirra Innes was third.
Joel Skinner’s father, Trevor, was pipped at the post by George Haskas (Maroubra), who managed to find a gem of a wave to take a marginal lead as the hooter sounded.
Sarah Whillock (Port Macquarie) claimed the Under-18 Girls title, defeating Tully White (Allambie Heights) and 2014 NSW longboard champion Lily Ellis (Yamba).
The contests, held from Wednesday June 17 to Sunday June 21, were part of Clarence Valley Council’s sports tourism initiative.
The council engaged Sports Marketing Australia in 2013, to secure events through the Sports Decentralisation Initiative, which brings national and state sporting events to regional centres within Australia.
According to Tourism Research Australia, a sports tourist will spend $234 per person/per day in comparison to a leisure tourist who will spend $189 per person/per day.
Yamba Golf and Country Club, which served as the official social hub, was a cash sponsor ($1,500) of the events.
Results for Yamba/Angourie surfers: Open Men Joel Skinner (4th); Open Women Nava Young (2nd), Kirra Innes (3rd); Under-18 Boys Frank Murphy (1st), Clancy O’Neil (2nd), Under-18 Girls Lily Ellis (3rd); Under-16 Boys Clancy O’Neil (2nd), Jordan Elabbasi (4th); Open Loggers Joel Skinner (4th); Over-40 Loggers Trevor Skinner (3rd); Under-18 Logger Frank Murphy (1st); Over-35 Women Di Ellis (3rd); Over-40 Men Jason Livingston (1st), Hayden Swan (3rd); Over-45 Men Hayden Swan (2nd), Trevor Skinner (4th); and, Over-50 Men Trevor Skinner (2nd).
