Teen knocks off big names

MIRANDA Bell announced herself as a future star by winning gold yesterday in the open women's surf race final at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

Miranda Bell heads for a comfortable victory at Kurrawa yesterday. Picture: HARVEY ALLISON

MAROOCHYDORE teenager Miranda Bell announced herself as a future star by winning gold yesterday in the open women’s surf race final at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.

Coming up against some of the biggest names in surf lifesaving, Bell, 18, produced a near-perfect swim in the tricky conditions at Kurrawa.

She trailed IronWoman Series champion Courtney Hancock for most of the race before making her move towards the end.

“I just had a good run out on Courtney Hancock’s feet. I got about 30cm on her and caught a wave,” Bell said.

“She just fell off it, so I was really lucky to get on it.

“I haven’t won a big open surf race.

“I’ve been up there and had a few international races this year, so I thought I had a chance of a medal.

“I didn’t think I had a chance of winning.”

It was not the only strong performance she put in.

She later combined with clubmates Phoebe Tessman, 20, and Alyce Burnett, 18, to win bronze in the open women’s taplin relay.

The trio finished behind the dominant Manly team of Candice Falzon and Devon Halligan, who recently spent time training at Mooloolaba.

Burnett, a renowned paddler, said the team was looking to stay together until they tasted open gold.

“We’ve got through under-19s together and we won the under-17 taplin a while back,” she said.

“We’ve been a team for a while and we just thrive on each other. I think we’ll be sticking around together.”

Bell will back up today in the under-19 surf race.

CHAMPIONSHIP SNAPSHOT

Open: Women’s surf race – 1st Miranda Bell (Maroochydore). Men’s taplin – Mooloolaba 2nd. Women’s taplin – Maroochydore 3rd

U19: Surf Board Rescue: 1st Maroochydore Black. Single Ski: 1st H Lemarseny (Noosa Heads)

U17: Men’s single ski: 1st B Bain (Mooloolaba), 2nd P Elford (Maroochydore)

U15: Board – 1st J Kleinschmidt (Alexandra Headland)

Originally published as Teen knocks off big names