Aussie Gold Rush On The Shores Of Rio De Janeiro
There was Aussie elation at the Marina da Gloria on day five as the Rio 2016 Paralympic gold medals were wrapped up in the Two Person (SKUD18) and Three Person Keelboat (Sonar) with a day to spare.
Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch in the SKUD18 were yet again on fire as they took two bullets from two races to seal the first ever Paralympic sailing title defence in commanding fashion.
In the Sonar, Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathan Harris go in to the final race with a healthy 24-point lead and a guaranteed gold medal that ensures Advance Australia Fair will ring out on Flamengo Beach twice come the Medal Ceremony.
It was looking like the Australian anthem could be played three times as Matt Bugg came ashore with a four point lead in the One Person Keelboat (2.4 Norlin OD) only to be disqualified from the final race, demoting him to third and promoting Great Britain's Helena Lucas to the top spot.
"We did it! We defended our gold medal and won here in Rio. The scorecard may make it look easy but I can assure you that every place was hard fought. We are not celebrating yet, we will race tomorrow and show respect to our competitors and supporters. Thank you everyone!" Daniel and Liesl messaged on Saturday morning, September 17th.
The pair then went on to sail their final race, finishing 2nd in that one too to not take it easy even though, like in London, they had secured their Gold.
Tasmanian Matt Bugg finished his race by placing 1st and secured Silver despite the Day 5 disqualification.
In the Sonar, World Sailing's Live Blog messaged, 'The AUS boat just looked so relaxed out there. gold already secured they were out there to enjoy it'
Dan and Liesl with Teammate, Shipwright and the guys that holds the SKUD team together Tim Lowe, our beaming-with-happiness super-coach from over-the-ditch Geoff Woolley - sharing the Gold!! - image courtesy Clareus Bearus
Liesl stated, via Facebook yesterday, to all of us who were following their campaign,
"Daniel Fitzgibbon is an absolute legendary sailor! ...thanks to lending him to the SKUD program Kumi Fitzgibbon and Hana!
It's so beautifully incredible to feel all the joy within the Aussie sailing team! Teammate, Shipwright and the guys that holds the SKUD team together Tim Lowe, our beaming-with-happiness super-coach from over-the-ditch Geoff Woolley, and the Sonar boys: Colin Harrison, Russell Boaden and Jonathon Harris (& their ecstatic coach Grant Alderson) are over the moon with joy and we are all energising and lovingly, calmly sending all we can to our team-mate Matt Bugg to get him onto the podium with us this afternoon.
Thanks to my physio Sarah Ross, and our team managers Mark Robinson and Shellee Ferguson, and tech guru Andrew Lechte.
Most importantly, the love and support from home has been overwhelmingly fantastically brilliant and SO appreciated!!! Much love and gratitude to everyone who has believed in Dan and I and have supported and cheered for us during the journey since London.
Our hearts are filled with gratitude to everyone, and for the opportunity we have had to represent Australia in this incredibly beautiful country at a phenomenal Paralympic Games!!
And it was wonderful to eat a porterhouse steak last night and propose a quiet toast to our beautiful mother Pam Tesch, who has been with Trudii and I here in Rio in spirit having the time of her life!! Go Pammie and all our Mums!!!
The biggest GOLDIE needs to go to Cariocas (people of Rio), and to all the volunteers and Rio2016 workers who embraced the Paralympic Games and ensured the legacy will live forever!!
I'm totally feeling honoured to be a part of the Australian Paralympic Team & the global Paralympic movement!"
All the reports from whole week by Richard Aspland/ World Sailing plus wonderful photographs by Richard Langdon - HERE
Over 40 people gathered on Friday at Middle Creek to see two plaques unveiled to officially open the Graham Jones Track as part of the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail and the Jim Somerville Bridge over Middle Creek.
Late in 2014 the former Warringah Council announced these gentlemen had been nominated:
'The Middle Creek Bridge will be dedicated to Mr Jim Somerville for his tireless contributions to a trail being completed around the Lagoon.
The section of trail immediately west of the Deep Creek Bridge will be dedicated to Mr Graham Jones for his early vision of a trail that would circumnavigate this waterway.'
'Avid cyclist and Council draughtsman, Graham Jones, had the idea for the Narrabeen Lagoon Trail after visiting Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra in 1987. A great believer in physical fitness through cycling, Mr Jones started work on planning a track around the foreshore of Narrabeen Lagoon.
One of the main challenges was solving access problems through land occupied by the Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation. Local resident Jim Somerville was instrumental in lobbying local and State politicians for a solution to the impasse and in 2008 an agreement was reached which allowed the project to gain momentum.' - from Warringah Council's Bluett Submission, 2015
Jim's son Lindsay and daughter Jan Phillips and grandchildren, Emily, Kate, Ian and Andrew and Jim's great grandson Robert were all at the ceremony.
Rob Stokes spoke of the untiring work Jim had done in approaching all involved to get the trail finished and how Jim had said to Rob that 'roads divide a community and paths and trails bring communities together'.
Dick Persson, Administrator for the Northern Beaches Council, also knew Jim for over 20 years in battles for the Border Ranges National Park in northern NSW.
David James [ex Pittwater Mayor and councillor] read a section from 'The Narrabeen Lagoon Trail' book written by Jim Somerville highlighting the battles with Cromer Golf Course and the Department of Sport and Recreation. It was Jim's gentle persistence that brought about the granting of funds for and eventually the building of the Trail.
After the bridge ceremony David James presented each family member with an Australian native flower to toss into the lagoon from the Jim Somerville Bridge.
Hon. Rob Stokes, MP for Pittwater, with Jan Phillips and Lindsay Somerville – Jim Somerville’s children
More HERE
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