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Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Page: 13587

Mrs ANDREWS (McPherson) (16:01): I would like to acknowledge the outstanding achievements of the Gold Coast Master Rowers at the recent Pan Pacific Masters Games rowing regatta that was held on 3 and 4 November on the Gold Coast. They achieved an outstanding result, leaving the event with 40 medals—which was more than any other club participating at the games. The club actually finished the regatta with a final medal tally of 14 gold, 15 silver and 11 bronze medals, and there was only one other team that managed to leave the regatta with more gold medals. It was a fantastic achievement and each of the rowers from the club who took part in that event should be proud of their results. I know that I certainly am proud on their behalf.

Originally founded in 2004, the Gold Coast Master Rowers Club has been based at the Varsity Lakes Sports House for over three years and has more than 40 registered members from a variety of age groups, although many of the active rowers are over 40 years old. The club actively supports and promotes rowing as a sport and supports the rowing activities of students from nearby Varsity College as well as community members who want to keep fit and healthy or want to develop their rowing skills for competition. I was fortunate last year to have attended the opening of the club's new boatshed, and it is wonderful to see the club's members excelling in the face of fierce competition. The boatshed is actually located adjacent to the water, as you would imagine, behind the Varsity Lakes Sports House, which was recently established and is doing a great job fostering sports activities and developing those in the local area.

Dale Salmon, who is the sports and recreation coordinator of Varsity Lakes Community Ltd is actually part of the McPherson Local Sporting Champions Committee, along with Ron Workman OAM, the chairman of Currumbin RSL, Dr Danny O'Brien, from Gold Coast Surf City Inc., and Alf Duval, who is a former Olympic rower. We met recently to discuss nominations for scholarships and we decided that the most worthwhile recipients this time were Ellie Pobar for soccer; Jade Horcicka for soccer; Jack Hulyer for golf; Ellie Papalexiou for soccer; Rebecca Kay for golf; Alexander Crnokrak for tennis; Simioluwa Thomsen-Ajayi for track and field events; Cory Beaman for track and field; Dextar Muskens for surf riding; Krystle McKenzie for basketball; and Joanne Parker, representing the Gold Coast under 16 girls Waves basketball team. The under-16 girls Waves Gold Coast team won the team award for this most recent round of scholarships. I congratulate all the recipients.