Sports reports: Justin Walshe delights packed house at Festival State Nationals

This post includes contributions from Michael Potts and Derek Vanderzon.

• 🏁 Justin Walshe delights packed house at Festival State Nationals
• ⛳️ Izzy Durham stuns with unbelievable round
• ⚫️ RSL impress in 26-shot win over Karoonda
• 🏇 Jason ‘Stubby’ Holder reduces Jake Toeroek’s lead
• 🏏 Top three sides cruise home in MTCA

Justin Walshe delights packed house at Festival State Nationals

Race fans have delighted in all that the National Drag Racing Championship had to offer over the weekend, with epic performances from nitro funny cars, top doorslammers, top fuel motorcycles and the Aeroflow National Sportsman Series ensuring the 20,000-plus crowd on track and the many watching live on Seven Plus were captivated from start to finish.

With nitro funny car making its debut at the recently opened venue, Justin Walshe took home the bragging rights and the NDRC Christmas tree for the flame-throwing bracket with a hole-shot win – better reaction time – over championship leader Morice McMillin.

His win with a 5.012 second pass at 494.78 kilometres per hour, over McMillin’s 4.989/478.87km/h effort in what was a side-by-side full flames pass, had the crowd on its feet and will tighten up the championship points significantly as the nitro funny car championship surpasses its mid-point.

• Read more: nationaldragracing.com.au.

Izzy Durham stuns with unbelievable round

Club junior champion and rapidly improving teenager Isaiah Durham has shot the round of his life in Saturday’s Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club to win easily and stun club members with his not-often-seen score of 47 points.

Playing off a 24 handicap, Durham was on song with his chipping and putting and took full advantage of his long drives off the tee.

He recorded four birdies for the day and also a stunning 25-point back nine, which ensured he also won the day’s pro comp.

Naturally, the handicapper, Mr Golflink, did not miss this round of brilliance; Durham will front up next time playing off 20 – yep, a whopping four-shot penalty.

There is surely no justice in this game.

On a day of sensational scoring, with players needing 37 points or more to feature in the prize list, A-grade winner Aidan Elliott carded an amazing 43 points off his nine handicap.

This included a 34-off-the-stick back nine of 23 points.

As if that wasn’t enough, recently returned member Greg Lindeberg hit form with a vengeance with 39 points off his three handicap.

His back nine was a three-under-the-card 31 off the stick and 23 points, as birdies were reeled off one after the other as though he was shelling peas.

Yes, the course is playing great, the club has announced a new ground superintendant and the club’s chef is back, so come on down and feel the good vibes.

RSL impress in 26-shot win over Karoonda

RSL defeated Karoonda 72-46

RSL has taken a big step towards locking in a finals berth in Lower Murray bowls with an impressive all-rinks win over top side Karoonda in the resumption after the Christmas break.

Playing at home, RSL opened up a 16-point lead over fifth-placed Jervois with their win.

Noel Kneebone, Anne-Marie Kuchel, Kerri Bolt and James Galbraith got off to a great start against Rowan Zadow, Garry Mason, Rohan Tomkinson and John Wegner when they won the first seven ends to take a 10-0 lead.

From there on the contest was much more even, but the damage had been done and Kneebone eased to a 23-10 win.

David Graham, Garry Daniel, Matthew Wynne and Brenton Sinclair had an intriguing battle with Ian Symonds, Gary Zadow, Malcolm McKenzie and Malcolm Waechter before eventually prevailing 21-19.

A pair of threes to Symonds gave him an early break which he maintained through to the break; but Graham fired up when play resumed, winning six of the next eight ends and taking a four-shot lead with two ends to go.

A four to Symonds tied the scores before Graham secured the points with a two on the final end.

David Thiele, Karen Kneebone, David Newell and Allan Wooldridge were largely untroubled in their 28-17 win over Josh Porker, Shaun Wood, Erin O’Malley and Don Loller, although they had to hold off a mini-fightback after Porker got back within four shots on the 17th end.

A four, followed by a two, quickly extinguished the comeback, and another four on the final end finished the job.

Murray Bridge defeated Jervois 69-48

Murray Bridge, at home, defeated Jervois with two rinks up and are now within striking distance of Karoonda in top spot.

Bruce Attrill, David Kempe, Charlie DiSanto and Tony Gill set up the win with a massive 37-10 win over Rodger Zarantonello, Trevor Mann, Russell Schutz and Shane Fromm.

A four on the opening end was a portent for what followed as Attrill raced out to a 19-3 lead after just eight ends, with a five, two threes and two twos adding to the damage.

The numbers were smaller after the break, but Attrill kept winning ends with the score blowing out to 35-6 before a couple of late twos put Zarantonello into double figures.

Paul Smart, Ben Traeger, Peter Shilton and Andrew Meddle got over the line 17-16 over Graham Fromm, Graham Schenke, Derek Vanderzon and Neil Morris when Smart shifted the kitty with the last bowl of the day to snatch a four after going into the last end trailing by three shots.

Fromm had led almost right through, but the margin was close throughout, with Shilton keeping the home side in the contest with his consistency.

Shawn Hicks, Jeremy Scannell, Rod Harris and Grace Hameister salvaged two points for Jervois with  a 22-15 win over Brian Traeger, Brian Leckie, Mike Ferris and Haydn Hein.

Hicks was well in control for most of the contest until Traeger trailled the jack on the 15th end for six shots, then collected two singles to level the scores at 14 apiece.

Hicks finished the match stronger to get up by seven, with a five on the 19th the deciding factor.

Mannum defeated Tailem Bend 58-50

Mannum collected 11 points in their win over bottom side Tailem Bend, with two close wins and a draw keeping them well in touch for the double chance.

Jason ‘Stubby’ Holder reduces Jake Toeroek’s lead

Jason Holder has reduced the margin on Jake Toeroek in the Metropolitan Jockey Premiership battle after riding a double at Murray Bridge on Saturday.

Toeroek was on the board early when well-fancied three-year-old In The Room was successful for the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable on debut, before Holder combined with Victorian pair Wolflands and Wisaka for a double on a reduced six-race card.

The Lindsay Park-prepared Wolflands landed some good bets to power over the top of rivals early in the day before Wisaka recorded his first win for the Aaron Purcell stable and also landed some solid market support over the 2500-metre trip.

The famous colours of the Smith family were also to the fore when consistent mare Exalted Dame was successful.

• Read more: racingsa.com.au.

Top three sides cruise home in MTCA

Wanderers 4/136 defeated Meningie 135

• Meningie best: Paul McNicol 31 and 2/30
• Wanderers best: Sam Robinson 3/8, Shane Bown 3/12 and 43*

Tailem Bend 7/134 lost to Mannum 5/135

• Tailem Bend best: Lucas Piggott 31, Brad Kleinig 2/27
• Mannum best: Josh Boylan 2/22, Jayden Krollig 35

Mypolonga 2/100 defeated Monarto 98

• Monarto best: Ty Pfeiffer 16, Jarrad Kowald 1/9
• Mypolonga best: Brady Wrigley 3/22, Stephen Mills 42*

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