HOCKEY F Sport's Liftout Edition

• Published in: The Courier-mail
• Main Author: Fiona Purdon, Paul Malone, Gary Keep, Terry Kavanagh, Michael O'Donnell, Amy Harris
• Format: Newspaper Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brisbane, Qld Nationwide News Pty Ltd 04.03.2005
• Subjects: Curry-Kenny, LISA
• ISSN: 1322-5235

LOCAL rookie Bede Durbidge made a dream debut on surfing's world championship tour at the Gold Coast yesterday. The former North Stradbroke Island surfer rode a barrel to victory in round 1 of the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks. Durbidge, 22, was the topscoring Queenslander of the round in which fellow maroon stars Joel Parkinson, pictured, and Mick Fanning were also winners. A deep tube ride by Durbidge helped him beat Hawaiian Bruce Irons and Sydney's Nathan Hedge. Parkinson, who won the first Quiksilver Pro in 2002, was in superb form and posted the best ride (9.7 points) of the round, while Durbidge's heat total (18.1) was second behind West Australian Taj Burrow (18.4). Kirra ace Mick Fanning overcame a slow start to storm home with a close win over Brazil's Marcelo Nunes and Hawaii's Kalani Rob. MEDAL wins by University of Queensland rowers at next week's national championships at Penrith will give further credence to the club's selection as one of Rowing Australia's elite clubs. The University of Queensland Boat Club will employ a second full-time coach and look to broaden its athlete base with the first instalment later this month of a $20,000 annual grant from RA. UQBC rowers, including Sally Kehoe, pictured, Hardy Cubasch and Sam Conrad, are likely to become multiple medallists at the nationals and advance their claims for selection for the world championships in Gifu, Japan, in August. UQBC is one of six Australian clubs to receive funding, and the only one in Queensland, and will provide seven of the rowers towards Queensland's King's Cup crew.