MUA Sponsors Surf Titles

New champ backs union campaign

By Mario "Marz" Vassallo

Yallingup Beach, WA, October 27: West Australian Justin Redman has taken out the McTavish 9ft open final of the GOLDEN BREED/ MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA (MUA) Australian Longboard Championships.

In a tense and nail biting final, Redman (30.65pts) just pipped Queensland's Josh Constable (30.55pts) by 0.10 of a point.

Constable, who had remained undefeated throughout the entire event, went head to head with Redman right down to the final siren.

The two matched each other wave for wave performing manoeuvres which were very reminiscent of short board surfing with one spectator commenting:

"I never knew you could get vert on a long board".

Redman was more than happy with his win.

"I'm pretty stoked with the win. The waves were pretty good for most of the contest and I'm glad the swell didn't get too tiny" said a happy Redman "It's great to see Golden Breed and the MUA get behind events like these. Yeh, cleaner oceans, safer ships, because I don't want to be surfing in oil. All in all a great event. I'd give a 9 out of 10."

Redman will now represent Australia at the ISA world titles in South Africa next year, wearing the MUA logo.

"Wow, that close," said a bewildered Constable. "Point one zero, that's the way it goes. I had some great waves and a great time."

The Beach Life Open Women's final was dominated from start to finish by West Australian Clair Finnucane.

Right from the first wave that Finnucane paddled into, spectators and judges alike knew that Finnucane would claim victory in the final. Her fearless approach to Yallingup's walls combined with her aggressive manoeuvres saw the WA woman surf almost in an entirely different league to the others in her heat.

Finnucane scored a total of 31.65pts, defeating current Australian long board champ Deanna Ashmore of Queensland (23.55pts).

In the Edith Cowan University junior men's, the judges were kept busy with the grometts determined to get their wave counts up. Young Jackson Close, Qld, put his board through it's paces with some on edge surfing to take the title out from Dave Pioli, NSW.

Hayden Swan, NSW, was the victor in the McTavish over 35 men's. Swan had to fend off Noel Woods, Qld, whose leg rope broke in the first three minutes of the final, but who came back with a vengeance to almost win the event from Swan.

Sput Keevers, NSW, made his presence felt in the 720 Eye Armour over 40 men's, winning the division just ahead of Al Hinge, NSW.

The long awaited final of the Jim Beam over 45 men's witnessed six time Australian Title holder Wayne Deane of Queensland claim another Aussie title. Deane was systematic and surfed like a well oiled machine to make his 7th Aussie title win a memorable one. Five waves were ridden by Dean and his throw away wave again was a high scorer of 7.51pts. Fellow team mate Mike Pimm,Qld, finished 2nd.

Bob Monkman, WA, again left his run till late. In the dying last minute of the final Monkman caught his last scoring wave to just edge out Gordon Fuzz, Qld, and win the National Homes Over 50 division.

Jenny McCarthy, Victoria, also had a close finish in the National Homes women's over 28 division winning from Tania Braithwate, Qld.

John Payne, NSW, in the over 55 Beach Life men's division had a great win ahead of Peter Cox, SA.

The Western Australian team consisting of Justin Redman, Tim Fitzpatrick, Bob Monkman, Clair Finnucane and Paul Thompson, was the victor in the teams event.

Western Australia finished with a score of 73.35pts, Queensland 64.05, Victoria 53.55 and South Australia 40.25.

It was a very exciting finish to the GOLDEN BREED/ MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA (MUA) Australian Long board Championships and one that will be remembered by all who participated.

In a spot survey of competitors and some of sponsors conducted before the presentations, not one of them gave the event less than an 8.5 out of 10 with the majority giving it both thumbs up for 10 out of 10.

"The place of love" (Yallingup) cast it's spell on the hearts of competitors with most of them vowing to come back and some still refusing to go.

"The Aussie titles finished with a huge function at Caves House in Yallingup," said MUA's Dean Summers. "It was an enormous week with everyone hearing the constant mantra of Safer Ships, Cleaner Seas and giving their overwhelming support to the MUA and gaining a broad understanding of our shipping campaign."

"The MUA were the legends of the week," said Dean. "In my opinion it was money well invested. One of the spin-offs is the inclusion of the MUA in the first Australian surfing degree to be conducted by Edith Cowan University at there Busselton Campus in 2001."

FINAL RESULTS

McTavish 9ft open Men's:

1. Justin Redman WA, 2. Josh Constable QLD , 3. Hayden Swan NSW, 4. Neil Thompson WA

Beach Life Open Women: 1. Clair Finnucane WA, 2. Deanna Ashmore QLD, 3. Lucy Preis WA, 4. Amy Clark NSW

ECU junior men's: 1. Jackson Close QLD, 2. Dave Pioli NSW, 3. Luke Flanders NSW, 4. Mitch Sheehy NSW

McTavish Over 35 men's: 1. Hayden Swan NSW, 2. Noel Woods QLD, 3. Kevin Anderson WA, 4. Trevor Anderson SA

4. 720 Eye Armour Over 40 Men's: 1. Sput Keevers NSW, 2. Al Hinge QLD, 3. Chris Fulston WA, 4. Gut Johnson NSW

Jim Beam Over 45 men's: 1 Wayne Deane QLD winning his 7th Australian Title, rode 5 waves with a throw away score 7.51 dominating the heat, 2 Mike Pimm QLD, 3 Phil Baggs NSW, 4 Ric Chalmers NSW.

National Homes Over 50 men's: 1. Bob Monkman WA, caught his last scoring wave within the last minute just edging out, 2. Gordon Fuzz QLD, 3. Mick Marlin WA, 4. Norm Bateman WA

National Homes Over 28 women's: 1. Jenny Mc Carthy VIC, 2. Tania Braithwate QLD, 3. Lucy Pries WA, 4. Susan McCoomb NSW

Beach Life Over 55's: 1 John Payne NSW, 2 Peter Cox SA, 3 Barry McGuigan NSW, 4 Doug Warbrick VIC, 5 Barry Sutherland WA.

Meanwhile, the MUA sponsored a second surfing competition in Port Kembla on September 30-31 -- Koori/MUA Surf Challenge 2001.

MUA surfers won the Koori-MUA Challenge overall on points in some fierce but friendly competition at Port Kembla Beach.

The opening ceremony got under way at 10.30 with a traditional welcoming to the land from local ATSIC representative Aunty Mary, speeches by MUA Southern NSW Branch Secretary Mark Armstrong and MUA National Shipping Co-Ordinator Sean Chaffer and a welcoming dance from local Koori dancers. Special guests were members of the NSW Fire Brigade Union.

A highlight of the event was the now traditional 'Slick the Oily Surfer' protest staged on the beach to bring home the dangers of substandard shipping.

New to the MUA protest was under 25s Australian Ripcurl Search champion Carmen Buecher (pictured with Dave Williams on p5) the first woman to slick up for the event, alongside reigning longboard champ Tom Avery, Gary Colwell and David Williams (MUA).

Covering the two day event were Win TV and the Illawarra Mercury.

Surfing was held in clean 2-3 feet swell with over 60 surfers taking part in the event.

Major sponsors were the International Transport Workers' Federation with motto 'Safer Ships - Cleaner Seas', WIN TV, ATSIC, NSW Department of Sport & Recreation, Tourism Wollongong, Glasshouse Tavern and the MUA.

Contest Director Mick Williams (MUA) reports the results were as follows:

Opens 1. Scott Winch 2. Luke Doering, MUA; 3. Clopin Winch, 4 Luke Mayne - MUA

Junior 1) Darcy Chalker 2) Joe Robertson 3) Tom Chalker

Cadet 1) Curtis Bate 2) Ryan Mattas 3) Tom Chalker 4) Zac Lawrence

Body Board 1) Luke Miller 2) Adam Wright 3) Brendan Pinilla 4) Josh Fernandez.

Cadet Body Board 1) Adam Wright 2) Zac Lawrence

Womens 1) Carmen Buecher 2 Nicky Avery

Masters 1) Mick Williams 2) Geoff Livermoore

Long Board 1) Dave Harper 2) Brad Hurst 3) Mick Cottier 4) Tom Avery 5)

Gary Colwell 6) Dave Condron

ITF/MUA sponsorship and involvement in surfing events began in 1995, with the union now sponsoring dozens of surfing clubs and contests nationwide, including the Whalebone Classic, Cottesloe, the Koori/MUA Challenge in Wollongong, the Wintersuns on the Gold Coast and the Goldenbreed MUA National Longboard Titles.