Yamba’s Kick Flips and Tail Whips Skate comp returns for Youth Week

The Kick Flips and Tail Whips skateboard and scooter competition will be back in the coastal town of Yamba on Friday, April 19, as part of the Clarence Valley’s 2024 Youth Week celebrations.

The competition, popular with local skaters, has different age divisions and prizes to give away.

Getting It Together, a youth team with the not-for-profit organisation Social Futures, in collaboration with Clarence Valley Council organises the event. (Getting it Together supports young people aged 12-25 achieve positive change when using drugs and alcohol; and building self-esteem and healthy life skills.)

Social Futures Children, Youth and Families Manager Kiara McBeath said coastal Yamba was the perfect place for the comp because skateboarding originated in the beach towns of California and Hawaii.

“Back in the 1950s, when there was no surf, some surfers came up with the idea of riding the street,” Ms McBeath said.

“They put metal wheels on short surfboards and called themselves ‘asphalt surfers’ then a toy designer saw them. In 1959 Roller Derby released the first manufactured skateboard and in 1963 the first skateboard competition was held at Hermosa Beach, California … as they say the rest is history.”

Registration opens for the Yamba Kick Flips and Tail Whips skateboard and scooter competition at 10.30am, for an 11am start, and a 3pm planned finish. (School students will be on term break.)

Ms McBeath said not only do competitors have fun, but the event is great to see.

“I still can’t believe how many tricks there are. There are flatland and flip tricks, slides and grinds, aerials and grab tricks, lip, inverts and event handplant tricks and then we have the freestyle and old school tricks.”

Clarence Valley Council’s Youth Officer, Allira Newton, describes the competition as a key event on Clarence Valley’s annual Youth Week Calendar.

“Yamba Kick Flips and Tail Whips never fails to disappoint participants and spectators alike,” Ms Newton said.

“This competition has been an ongoing partnership between Social Futures and the Clarence Valley Council since 2019, and we love seeing this event happen each year and the amazing young talent it showcases.”

Skaters and scooters can register ahead of the event here. In case of bad weather check the Clarence Valley Youth page for updates on the event.

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Sawtell FC Soar to 5-1 Victory Over Coffs United in Season Opener

Sawtell FC made a superb start to the HIT105.5 North Coast Premier League, delivering a commanding 5-1 victory over Coffs City United at Coffs Coast Synthetics on Saturday, April 6.

Persistent rain rendered every grass football field on the Coffs Coast unusable, prompting organisers to relocate the match to the all-weather surface of Coffs Coast Synthetics.

The opening goal came in spectacular fashion as Hugo Alderman (goal included, number 9) unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner, igniting Sawtell’s scoring spree.

Coffs United Lions retaliated with a perfectly weighted cross from Blake Townsend, setting up Melad for a clinical volley to equalise.

With both teams displaying attacking intent, the game remained evenly poised at 1-1 after 30 minutes, with opportunities aplenty for both sides.

However, it was Sawtell who seized the initiative before halftime, as Hugo Alderman struck again to give the Scorpions a 2-1 lead going into the break.

At the halftime break, Sawtell coach Rachel Oberleuter delivered an inspiring team talk, fueling her players’ determination for the second half.

Keeden Corliss extended Sawtell’s advantage to 3-1 with a composed finish, from a well worked team goal.

On the day the clocks were turned back, veteran striker Luke France turned back time to deliver vintage finish to make it 4-1 to Sawtell.

The Scorpions sealed their emphatic victory with a fifth goal, courtesy of an unfortunate own goal by the Lions, five minutes from full time.

With momentum on their side, Sawtell now eagerly prepares to face reigning Premiers Northern Storm next week at Toormina Oval, in what promises to be a highly anticipated encounter.

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ROOKIE AUSSIE TITLE RAMPAGE

THERE was no shortage of racing action during last weekend’s Coopers Auto Service Centre supported Australian Modlites Title at Hessions Auto Parts Grafton Speedway, and it was teenage rookie Ryan Silcock who upstaged his more established rivals and came away with the Australian Title honours.

Since debuting in Modlites at the beginning of this season, the Queensland-based Silcock has shown plenty of promise, which included winning the South Australian Title earlier in the season, and the 17-year-old’s rookie season in Modlites went to another level when he drove to victory in last Saturday night’s Australian Title.

Silcock was in outstanding form throughout the two-night Australian Title, where he topped the point standings on night one and then carried that form through to the second and final night by qualifying on pole position for the Australian Title deciding feature race and dominating the entire 25-lap journey. Despite coming out on top, Silcock was very lucky to finish, after he was involved in an incident on lap 21 with the crashing lapped car of B-main qualifier Jacob Carlier, which caused front-end damage to Silcock’s car. In the closing stages, Silcock’s front-end damage got worse, and he greeted the chequered flag on pretty much three wheels, after his inside front wheel had collapsed.

Despite his very best efforts, one of the event’s pre-event favourites and current NSW, Queensland and Victorian Champion in Corey Stein, who had chased after Silcock when he moved up to second on lap 16, had to settle for second, while third place on the podium was taken out by Terry Leerentveld. The former Australian Title holder sat in second behind Silcock for the first half of the race, before he was passed by Stein for second place. The top-five finishers were completed by another ex-Australian Title holder in Kyle Honour and Mitch Pammenter in fourth and fifth place respectively.

Nathan Politch, Zak Hudson, Chris Corbett, defending Australian Champion Sam Gollschewsky and Tyson Snow rounded out the top-10 finishes in the Australian Title. In what was a solid performance, V8 Dirt Modifieds regular Chris Corbett, who was driving the Will Butler-owned car in a cameo Modlites appearance, ended up finishing in eighth and also the highest placed NSW-based driver, after he had started on the second row. Finishing just behind Corbett, Gollschewsky had an unhappy Australian Title defence, where he had started the feature race from position nine and that was where he ended up finishing.

The Firecracker 50 Lapper for RSA Four Cylinder Sedans was fought out on the Saturday night, and it saw the race run without a single stoppage and the win went to teenager Jeremy Wade. Brodie King was the next best in second and the only other driver on the lead lap, while third place on the podium was filled by Dallas Barnier. Nathan Harper and Kyhe MacDonald completed the top-five finishers. On the Friday night, Isobelle Jennar was the feature race winner in the RSA Four Cylinder Sedans, and she downed Jeremy Wade and veteran Keith Urquart at the completion of the 15-lap event.

The support classes resulted in the feature races shared between Kevin Britten (V8 Dirt Modifieds), Paul Reeves (AMCA Nationals), Brock Stubbs (SSA Junior Sedans – both Friday and Saturday night), Hayden Fleming (RSA Junior Sedans) and Kaleb Daly (RSA Street Stockers).

The eighth and final 2023-24 season race meeting at Hessions Auto Parts Grafton Speedway is going to be held on the Saturday night of May 25, where the headlining act is the annual Stocksville 100 Lapper for the RSA Street Stockers, along with the support classes of AMCA Nationals, Modlites, Production Sedans, RSA Four Cylinder Sedans and Junior Sedans

Grafton Speedway would like to thank Hessions Auto Parts for their 2023-24 season support. Based in Grafton, along with their nearby Coffs Harbour location, Hessions Auto Parts stock a wide range of parts and accessories at competitive prices. To find out more about Hessions Auto Parts, contact them on 0266 423 085 (Grafton) and 0256 456 361 (Coffs Harbour) or visit their website at hessionsautoparts.com.au.

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