Figuring On Glory
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday August 1, 2006
BRADLEY McLachlan and Madeline Cootes have their sights set on competing at next year's National Figure Skating Championships after winning state titles.
The Warners Bay pair were crowned state champions at the recent NSW Figure Skating Championships in Sydney but cannot compete at the national level this year.Cootes finished first in the 13-years girls and McLachlan was first in the 14-years boys, but they are not at the level required to compete at nationals this year.Angelica Cotterell won the 10-years state championship but is also unable to take part at the nationals this year.Sydnee Knight and Saara Shepherd were the other members of the Hunter team to win state titles, but they will compete at the nationals.There will still be a strong Hunter representation at the national championships. Knight won the primary girls 11 years and Alannah Stott finished third in the 13 years at the same level and will travel to Brisbane from August 19 to 27 with the state team. The other members to make the state team are Elise Vayne, Kelly Alder, Ashlee King and Emma Hook.Janna Kupec from Speers Point has qualified twice after finishing third in the 18 years junior girls and second in the senior girls.Most of the Hunter team is coached by George Galanis. ? Macquarie Hills whiz-kid Tyrone Gilks is set to become the next superstar of the motorcycle world after breaking another record in the United States on the weekend. The Cardiff High School student stunned the 15,000-plus crowd at the Evel Knievel Days three-day celebration in Montana when he broke a world record.Gilks cleared more than 169 feet (52 metres) to beat the previous mark of just over 120 feet (37m) and is now the 85cc world ramp-to-ramp record-holder.Being on top of the world is nothing new to the fearless Gilks. It was only last year he broke the world record in the 65cc division with a jump of 34 metres.Gilks is the youngest person ever to hold the world 85cc ramp-to-ramp jumping record. His family are in America to celebrate his achievement with him.Gilks and his older brother, Morgan, 14, are among the top riders in NSW in their age groups for motocross riding, but Tyrone has his sights set on becoming the best bike jumper in the world.The talented rider and his family are in the United States until later this month.
© 2006 Newcastle Herald