Sports reports: Monarto teen earns a podium finish in Spain
Plus the latest in local golf, horse racing, lawn bowls and more.
This feature includes contributions from Michelle Greene, Michael Potts, Terry Hann and Derek Vanderzon. To express an interest in sponsoring it, email jane@murraybridge.news.
Monarto 13-year-old Judd Plaisted has delivered Australia’s best-ever result at the FIM Mini GP World Series in Valencia, Spain, earning praise and support from major Moto GP figures including Jack Miller.
Judd’s performance stunned the international paddock, as he:
- Placed second in race one for his first international podium
- Recorded the fourth fastest lap of the event
- Broke the previous qualifying lap record
- Finished fifth in the world — the highest-placed Aussie ever
He was on track for an overall world podium before a crash while chasing the leaders, but still fought back to secure a top-five finish.
Magical Mikara Poharama makes merry
What a day it was for Mikara Poharama on Saturday when he won a Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club with a whopping 41 points.
Not only that, he did the treble as well: the rarely achieved feat of taking out the day’s comp, the pro comp and the yabby.
While he had to rely on a countback to separate himself and the fearless Isaiah Durham for overall honours, there was no doubting his stunning 25-point bacÄ· nine was going to be threatened for the pro comp.
“Just for good measure,” he mused, “let’s also hit nearest to the pin on the 11th and beat all those sharpshooting A-graders for the yabby while I’m running hot.”
Just one of those days, eh?
The only prize he didn'’t win was the overflowing eagle’s nest, which was snapped up instead by teen whiz Oakley Edwards, who scored a brilliant three on the par five 12th to win a lot of golf balls – $140 worth, in fact.
Playing early was the name of the game, with the weather turning sour during the afternoon as the course received a good dose of welcome rain.
Conditions were a lot less enjoyable for those players caught out in it.
The club’s annual Ham and Turkey day looms this Sunday, where an almost sell-out field of 130 players will cram onto the course.
Those players wanting a warm-up for it the day before should tackle the club’s Saturday Stableford competition.
All will be welcome.
Rain washes out bowls
Rain has washed out two of the weekend’s three matches in Lower Murray lawn bowls.
One match was completed, but under LMBA rules the result is declared void if a majority of matches are not completed.
Karoonda was the unlucky club whose win against RSL will not count.
All cricket matches abandoned, luckily for Jervois
Ramblers v Meningie 1/35
- Meningie best: Tom Rankine 17*
- Rambler best: Lual Kelei 1/10
Wanderers 7/70 v Mannum
- Wanderers best: Cameron Cox 14, Chris Svetec 14
- Mannum best: Max Worthley 2/6
Mypolonga 1/7 v Jervois 33
- Jervois best: Todd Schulz 6*, Camron Jorgensen 1/2
- Mypolonga best: Jordan Hein 4/11, Aaron Zrim 4/14, Shannon Callery 5*
Tailem Bend 2/80 v Monarto
- Tailem Bend best: Lucas Piggott 33*
- Monarto best: Jarrad Kowald 1/12
Local trainers win at Murray Bridge and Clare
The Murray Bridge Racing Club held a day of horse races last Wednesday, November 19, with a couple of local trainers taking top spots.
What's more, local trainers also took the chocolates at the Clare Valley Cup on Sunday.
Winners at the Murray Bridge race track included:
- Zuetoro, ridden by Todd Pannell and trained by Stephen Theodore
- Lucas the Younger, ridden by Campbell Rawiller and trained by Jason Cannon
- Frontpoint, ridden by Alyssa Webb and trained by Jarrod Lynch
Winners at the Clare Valley Cup included:
- Dora Aurora, ridden by Margaret Collett - trained by Justin Pickering
- Unwind, ridden by Teagan Voorham - trained by Kristi Evans
- Mcleod, ridden by Polly Brewster - trained by Sophie Logan
- Bolt By, ridden by Alana Livesey - trained by Judy Streets
- Chillcuz, ridden by Margaret Collett - trained by Justin Pickering
Early start works wonders for shooters
The new hot weather policy for early starts helped members of the Murray Bridge Rifle Club avoid the rain over the weekend as they competed in the 18th stage of the club championship from 1000 yards.
Despite the challenging distance, some very good scores were shot, and – even more remarkably – no magpies.
Best round for the day went to John Cranwell (F-open) who shot a possible 60.05 in his second round.
But it wasn’t enough to win the day, with Mark Nesti (F-open) scoring a pair of 59s to finish on 118.07.
David McDonald (F-open) also had a good shoot, with his 116.12, including a 59.06 in his second round, more than enough to claim the F-class handicap award.
Gordon Harrison topped F-standard with 106.03, while Greg Traeger was the lone target rifle shooter for the day, finishing with 91.05.
The club takes some time to relax next week with its Christmas shoot before championship competition resumes in the new year.
Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news.
