Honing surf skills at elite camp

YEAR 7 student one of the region's top surf athletes attended an elite surf sports camp for the second year running.

ASPIRING IRONMAN: Lennox Head Surf Club's Maalik Moston, 13, was one of four from the Far North Coast to attend an elite junior program in Sydney in the school holidays. Picture: Supplied

FOUR of the regions most promising young surf lifesaving athletes were selected to attend an elite three-day program aimed to help introduce them to a high performance sport environment.

Earlier this month, the talented quartet of Charlotte Shepherd, and Noah Waldock from Ballina Lighthouse & Lismore Surf Life Saving Club, Elizabeth Warne from Cudgen Headland SLSC and Maalik Moston from Lennox Head SLSC, were part of a 54-strong cohort comprising the state's most promising water athletes aged between 12 and 14 on Sydney's Northern Beaches during the October school holidays.

St John's College Woodlawn Year 7 student, Maalik Moston, 13 said he was thrilled his training schedule which included swimming fives times a week, saw him selected again after attending the 2017 event.

After coming 2nd in NSW state Titles for board and 3rd in ironman last season is ready for the season ahead.

He said he enjoyed the camp as it gave him more training in his favourite ironman event.

"I swim with Trinity Lismore and travel to Lennox for board training," he said.

"I also do strength training at Punch Blitz with Al Blanch twice a week."

Maalik said he appreciates the efforts of his Board event and ironman trainer at Lennox Surf Club, Sam Miller.

"This event involves a 500m run and swim and a board paddle of 800m," he said.

He said next season goes into seniors on a long board.

"I'm looking forward to this," he said.

"I'm hoping to make inter-branch team representing FNC again in December."

NSW Surf Sports development officer Chiara Nowland, said this elite athletes performaces at the camp boded well for the future that the athletes ultimately chosen already possess impressive resumes with Country and NSW medallists counted among their number.

"The aim of the program has always been to create an opportunity for these young athletes to learn new skills and techniques in an environment where they can work with their peers,"Nowland said.

"With dedication to training and a bit of luck along the way there is no limit to how far they can go.