Australia day nomination icing on the cake for Rosie
Teenage surfing sensation ready for the next level after stellar 2020
Coffs Harbour
Don't miss out on the headlines from Coffs Harbour. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Despite being the youngest nominee on the Australia Day awards nomination list Rosie Smart has proven she can overcome the type of challenges a year like 2020 throws up.
And she has enjoying one of her most successful years on the board.
Like so many others, the young surfer went without any competitive events for months but her hard work in trying circumstances paid off as she went on to win the NSW Junior State titles in front of a home crowd in August.
Then she backed that up with first place in the Under-16 NSW School Surfing Title two days later.
“2020 was a really good year for me in terms of surfing. I was really happy to win state and do well in the Australian Open (of Surfing),” she said.
“I was just happy to keep improving my surfing and getting some results.”
Rosie said she is honoured to be considered for an Australia Day award and was thankful to the Country Women’s Association for nominating her.
“Australia Day is a great day to acknowledge people’s achievements and I am really grateful,” she said.
The CWA note it has been a great year for Rosie off the board too, winning a scholarship to Bishop Druitt College’s High Performance and Athlete Development Sporting Program which enabled her to develop her skills while balancing her goals as an athlete and student.
“Rosie herself is conscious of an obligation to her sponsors, as well as her club and school, to be an ambassador for women’s surfing and takes pride in always conducting herself in a sportsmanlike and professional manner,” her nomination reads
“She always demonstrates a strong work ethic along with a sense of responsibility to give back to the sport she loves by supporting and mentoring young surfers.”
As for next year, Rosie has her sights firmly on gaining valuable experience against some top quality opposition in qualifying series events.
With the first test being Boomerang Beach in February which will pit her against women in the open competition looking to qualify for the championship tour.
“That will give me some better experience,” she said.
“I am just really hoping to make it through some heats, that will be an achievement.”
Got what it takes? Police scoping out future crime-fighters
Police have kickstarted a new initiative on the Mid-North Coast in efforts to lock in future officers across regional NSW. Here’s what’s happening.
Hundreds of sandstone blocks to protect critically endangered birds
Never mind the bollards: Hundreds of sandstone blocks have been left on a Coffs Coast foreshore to protect critically endangered shorebirds increasingly at risk of extinction.