Port Stephens paddlers in medal-winning form at Pan Pacific Masters National News Port Stephens Sport Property/Sports/Opinion - popup ad Sport by News Of The Area - Modern Media - December 3, 2024 The medal-winning Port Stephens paddlers (l-r) Brendan Jones, Peter Mullen, Karyn Price, Kate Stenhouse, Kerry Agland, Cliff Quinlivan, Sandra Lyons and Jodie Blake. Absent: Shane Ford, Janine Noonan, Ali Parker, Judy Nisbet, Troy Vingerhoed, David Truswell and Stephen Thomas. PORT Stephens Dragon Boat Club has jagged a joint venture with Central Coast Sea Dragons for major interstate competition regattas. The partnership enabled both clubs to compete at the recent Pan Pacific Masters Games on the Gold Coast under the moniker of Port Central – Two Tribes. A strong contingent of 42 paddlers across both clubs, including sixteen from Port Stephens, lined up for the prestigious dragon boating event staged at Lake Orr on Varsity Lakes. The team competed in both the 40yrs plus and 55yrs plus categories and capped a successful campaign by claiming medals in elite company. Port Central clinched a silver medal in the 40yrs plus Open 200 metres with local paddlers Karyn Price, Brendan Jones, Jodie Blake, Shane Ford and Kate Stenhouse producing the goods in a stout-hearted performance. Just as impressive was the bronze medal-winning heroics by the Port Central paddlers in the 55yrs plus Open 500m final. These included water warriors such as Janine Noonan, Ali Parker, Sandra Lyons, Judy Nisbet, Troy Vingerhoed, Cliff Quinlivan, Kerry Agland, David Truswell, Peter Mullen and Stephen Thomas. Events for each age group consisted of Open 20s (full boat), Mixed 20s (full boat) and Women’s 10s (only ten paddlers in a large boat). Thursday consisted of all 500m distance races; Friday was 200m distance races and Saturday was a 4.8km around the island race with some team members completing the course two or three times. Port Stephens Dragon Boat Club president Karyn Price told News Of The Area that the Pan Pacific Masters regatta was a “fascinating experience.” “The team held four joint training sessions in the months leading into the event and also attended a regional regatta together in Taree. “We finished third in the Women’s 20s and third in the Open 20s and competed together in a Dragon Boat NSW (DBNSW) event at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.” If you are interested in trying dragon boating, contact the Port Stephens Dragon Boat Club via Facebook or email portstephensdragons@gmail.com. The club conducts training sessions on Tuesday (daylight saving only) and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings with a second session on Saturday morning for social paddling. The social paddling is for those who prefer a less physically intense workout, All are welcome at any session. By Chris KARAS
