President’s Welcome

Matt Luck, 2012 President of SeaQ Boardriders welcomed past and new members to SeaQ Boardriders Club on sign on day at ‘Big Dune’, FarnboroughBeach.

“We now have approximately 120 members (competitive and social) signed up to SeaQ Boardriders. I am pleased to see the female juniors increase significantly this year” said Matt.

“While the weather wasn’t perfect on sign on day or for our first comp, it was encouraging to see familiar faces and meet our new members. The first comp day went well and it was a great start to the 2012 Gavin Nash and Coaltrain Surf Classic.”

First competition day and information from long time member Bob Farrell and Matt Luck on surf safety

“Surfing Queensland is preparing to host the 2012 Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival over the weekend 24-25 March 2012 and I know that many of our members will be entering this competition. It’s a great event that we all look forward to. To enter the event go to the Surfing Queensland website

“The 2012 Club Committee is meeting prior to each competition and looking at ways to promote the Club and recognition for our juniors.

Keep an eye out in the Capricorn Mirror for articles on the Club and also Club results”.

Our 2012 Sponsors

“I am pleased to announce that Gavin and Sue Nash (GNS Surfboards) and Karla Way-McPhail, CoalTrain have agreed to be our 2012 platinum sponsors. This is great news for the Club and we look forward to a wonderful year with our sponsors. Our competition will be known in 2012 as the Gavin Nash and Coaltrain Surf Classic”.

“Anton and Karlene Gazal, owners of McDonalds Restaurant, Yeppoon Central are also sponsoring the Club again and we welcome and thank them for their continued sponsorship of our juniors.”

As was last year, the SeaQ Boardriders website ( will be an important communication tool for our Club. Remember to check the website prior to any competition day (and on the morning of the competition) as this is where changes will be posted on the Welcome page if the venue has changed or if the competition needs to be postponed due to bad weather.”

“Finally, I hope that everyone enjoys themselves this year, and that members actively promote the Club at every opportunity!”

Our sponsors are committed to making SeaQ Boardriders the best Club that it can be – so please support them.

Their generous support allows the Club to progress and advance into the future.

PLATINUM SPONSORS:

GNS Surfboards, 3/53 Tanby Road, Yeppoon

Coaltrain, Queen Street, Yeppoon

GOLD SPONSORS:

McDonalds Restaurant, Yeppoon Central, Park Street, Yeppoon & Phil Lea Buildiing

SILVER SPONSOR

Capricorn Coast Bait & Tackle
Secretary’s Message

Susie Luck, 2012 Secretary of SeaQ Boardriders has been working hard to make sure that the Club is well placed for the upcoming Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival. Members are reminded that this is a significant event on the surfing calendar with only 2 recognised Surfing Queensland Competitions held outside of the major cities in Queensland. Members have raffle tickets to sell – so please do your best to sell them all.

2012 SeaQ Boardriders T-shirts

Mandi Farrell, SeaQ Boardriders Treasurer has taken a lead role in coordinating the club t-shirts. Many will remember that a competition was held at the End of Celebrations last year and that a winner entry was selected. T-shirts are being ordered as we speak, so here’s a ‘sneak preview’. Front of the t-shirt will have the SeaQ Boardriders logo, with the winning entry featured on the back of the shirt – check it out!

2012 Reef2Beach Longboard Classic

Agnes Water once again hosted the 2012 Reef2Beach Longboard Classic on 2-4 March 2012. In its 14th year, the event drew a large contingent of state and Australian surfers with many travelling from the Sunny and Gold Coasts as well as NSW to compete in this event.

Local boardriders and SeaQ Boardrider members Craig Steedman, Rob Degotardi, Matt Benson, Todd Lea, Rob Farrell and Bob Farrell surfed well through their heats to make it to quarter-finals, semi finals and finals.

Under 19 presentation: L-R: Grom presenting trophies to Chris Trumper, Rob Farrell, Matt Benson, Nic Jones, Matt Schuler

Held over a three day period, the first two days saw small waves, with surfers having to impress judges to make it through to the finals. The big swell arrived at the point on the Sunday just in time for the finals, with surfers getting some great waves to showcase their surfing skills to the max.

Under 19 Yeppoon boardriders Rob Farrell and Matt Benson placed well through their heats to make it to the finals, finishing 4th and 6th respectively in a tight field against well known SunshineCoast surfers, Nic Jones, Matt Schuler and Daniel Potter.

Craig Steedman earned two fourth placings against strong competition from surfers from the Gold and SunnyCoasts and NSW in the Open 8 and Over 40 competitions.

Craig Steedman in action in the finals.

Todd Lea surprised other surfers in the Trads (Traditional) final earning a 4th placing against other traditional longboard enthusiasts and RobDegotardi claimed a 5thplacing in the Over 60s competition.

Traditionals presentation: Todd Lea on the left.

Rob Degotardi in action in the finals of the Over 60s

The Yeppoon SeaQ Boardriders team celebrated their successes at the presentation of awards at Agnes Water on Sunday evening.

Mandi and Peta Farrell also provided tabulation support at this event so well done girls!

Well done to everyone who attended!

2012 Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival

Surfing Queensland will be travelling north to Yeppoon to host the 2012 Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival. In the past SeaQ Boardriders has actively encouraged participation at this event as it allows our surfers to compete against some of the best from the south.

“It’s great experience for our surfers so let’s all strive for excellence in surfing and support one another in these competitions, said President Matt Luck.

“Once again, Gavin Nash (GNS Surfboards) has kindly donated a GNS handcrafted shortboard for raffle which will be drawn at the end of this competition. Members will have received raffle tickets to sell and we will continue to sell tickets on the competition weekend. If you’ve sold all the tickets you were given and want more please see Susie or one of the other Committee members. Sold and unsold tickets must be returned to the Committee no later than 25 March. Remember that this is a significant fundraising activity for the Club so your support in selling these tickets is very important.

2012 CapricornCoast surfing trials

Many of our male and female junior members will be vying for selection in the 2012 CapricornCoast secondary schools team. The SeaQ Boardriders Committee wishes everyone all the best for selection in this team. Selection trials are being held at Agnes Water on 15-16 March 2012.

2012 Bradnams Doors and Windows Surfing Festival, Agnes Water (30-31 March)

The week following the Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival sees the Bradnams Doors and Windows Surfing Festival at Agnes Water. Many of our SeaQ Boardriders members are attending so it will be a fun event where surfers will do the Club proud! We’re looking to make this a great club event so make sure you wear your Club shirt!

Planning underway for community event

In 2011, the SeaQ Boardriders Committee hosted its inaugural community event at the Keppel Bay Sailing Club – “Against All Odds” which featured Terry Richardson*, a former World Champion surfer and John Hoelscher**, Australian Greenland Explorer as key dinner speakers.

This year planning is underway for a similar event to be held in early September. Sponsorship and financial support for this event is critical so we’ll be able to let you know more about it in the future. If you have any ideas, or can provide funding support, please contact Craig Benson, Vice President on 0439744660.

Beaut Burgers!

Congratulations to Chris and Vanessa Bourke – one comp down and feedback was that the burgers were superb! Special thank you to Lyn and Lee Brockhurst who helped out as well. It’s a relentless job making sure that the en-masse of hungry surfers (and their families) are kept fuelled at competitions. Remember if you can provide some relief in the canteen that would be greatly appreciated.

Media Media Media!!

Your help is sought to ensure that we can promote SeaQ Boardriders through written and television media as often as possible.

We have a number of competitions coming up and I will be writing stories for the Cap Mirror and also inviting Channel 7 and 9 to come to our major events like the Capricorn Resort Yeppoon Surfing Festival.

However, I still need your help – there’s probably a lot of great things going on out there that I don’t know about. If you have a story to tell (no matter how small or big you think it is) please drop me a line so that we can profile for the Club. Send an email to me at

More surfing photos needed!

Do you take photos at our comp days? If you do, then can you send them to the () so that they can be kept in a picture gallery. This allows for the photos to be used when we are putting together newsletters such as this, or writing media stories to profile the Club. More photos of our female members would be appreciated so that I can feature and profile them.

Thanks to our Committee members and volunteers. We are always on the lookout for judges, tabulators oncompetition day. If you’ve got the time to help out it would be appreciated.

SeaQ Boardriders proudly acknowledge their 2012 sponsors:

Platinum sponsors: GNS Surfboards (Gavin and Sue Nash), Tanby Road, Yeppoon

Platinum sponsor: Coaltrain (Karla Way-McPhail), Queen Street, Yeppoon

Gold sponsors: McDonalds Restaurant, Yeppoon Central (Anton and Karlene Gazal), Yeppoon

Phil Lea Building & Silver sponsor: Capricorn Coast Bait and Tackle