2014 Coral Coast Wrap Up

Under clear blue skies and crisp tropical north Queensland

temperatures over 340 athletes from across the state enjoyed
two days of Track and Field at Barlow Park last weekend at the
Cairns Athletics Coral Coast Carnival.
With Carnival organisers adding two new feature events to the
program, the 100m Handicap and the Throws Shootout didnt
fail to excite both the athletes and spectators alike at the Coral
Coast Carnival.
The inaugural Ramsay Health Care 100m Handicap saw the
first placegetters in the 13 year old to Masters division 100m
sprints secure a place in the 100m handicap final. Starting off
scratch in the Mens division the fastest placegetter from the
100m finals, Brendon Gobel couldnt quite make up the 3m
handicap to Townsville Northstar athlete Gareth Hill who took
out first place, followed closely by Douglas Athletes master
athlete Greg Hamilton, who was able to hold on to his 11m
handicap over the remainder of the field.
In the Womens 100m Handicap Kayla Montagner from Cairns
Athletics maintained her form from winning the U18 100m
sprint to start off scratch and chase the rest of the field down
to claim the prize money, in a finish that had photo finish
working overtime with only .8 of a second between first six
runners.
The other new addition of the Ramsay Health Care Throws
Shootout had competitors anticipating which event was going
to be chosen for the shootout. With competition organisers
selecting discus for the inaugural event the first placegetters
from the 13 yr olds to the Masters had to survive through five
rounds of elimination before the last three competitors had
one final throw. Having hung in for the previous four rounds
the pressure got to the Masters athlete in the field, Andrew
Ford of Tablelands Athletics, who fell well short of his previous
mark. The remaining two competitors, Brianna Bortolanza and
Zac Ballantine, both from Mulgrave Athletics didnt quite meet
their previous marks, and it was Zac with a 1% point higher
score than Brianna who will go down as the first winner of the
Ramsay Health Care Throws Shootout.


2014 CORAL COAST CARNIVAL






The feature Dash for Cash race saw Kayla Montagner back up
from her win in the 100m Handicap to win the Big Splash
Enterprises 300m Womens Dash for Cash, with Central
Queensland Athletics athlete Jackson Mallory showing a clear
set of heels to the remainder of the field to claim the prize
money in the Ramsay Health Care Mens Dash for Cash.
The strong field of athletes, including six who had just returned
from representing Australia or Regional Australia at the 2014
Oceania Championships in the Cook Islands who showed little
sign of fatigue, relished the near perfect conditions to set over
a dozen new meet records on the weekend.
The carnival could not have been possible without our
sponsors, organisers, officials, volunteers and of course our
athletes, and whilst we cant mention them all the following
need special mention:
Our sponsors, Ramsay Health Care, Big Splash Enterprises and
Billy and Stubbo Sports Scene.
Our Carnival Co-ordinator, Heather Vaughan.
Our officials co-ordinators, Kevin Cull and Sue Slatcher
Our Canteen Coordinator, Raelene Henery in her first major
carnival.
Our Administration Desk, Ruth Phillips, Jane Rhodes, Cathy
Marino and Robyn Potts who worked overtime this week with a
few more enquiries to deal with than normal, and always
handling those few curve ball questions with a smile.
Richard and Jean Lendon for filling in at short notice in the
photo finish box.
And always at hand to help out in the canteen, administration,
medal presentation, baby sitting duties, purchasing all types of
things on the last couple of days that you are always missing
when pulling a carnival together, and generally all round nice
girls, Tracey Bretz and Trudy Watson.
And once again to all of our hard working officials who
travelled from around the ANQ region, the weekend would not
have been possible without your tireless work.






2014 CORAL COAST CARNIVAL