Sports on the Gold Coast, Queensland
Sport and recreation
Sports
The Gold Coast has a range of Sporting Teams including Rugby League, Rugby Union and AFL. On May 27, 2005, it was announced that Gold Coast was successful in its bid to submit a rugby league team into the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. This is the first national team in many year to be situated on the Gold Coast.
Soccer
Palm Beach Sharks play in the Brisbane Premier League.
Rugby League
On May 27, 2005, it was announced that Gold Coast was successful in its bid to submit a rugby league team into the National Rugby League (NRL) competition. The announcement came after much dedication and persistence from managing director, Michael Searle. The Gold Coast team to commence its inaugural season in 2007 is known as the Gold Coast Titans. The 'Titans' will be the first nationally recognised sporting team for Gold Coast since the collapse and or relocation of other such ventures such as the Gold Coast Seagulls and Gold Coast Chargers (Rugby League), Gold Coast Rollers (Basketball) and Brisbane Bears (VFL/AFL).
The Gold Coast is home to 2 teams in the second tier competition, the Queensland Cup. It is also a very popular schoolboy sport in the area. As of 2003 there were 89 rugby league teams in Gold Coast primary schools and 59 teams in Gold Coast high schools representing about 2300 young players. [1]
Rugby Union
The Gold Coast Breakers play in the Queensland Premier Rugby competition, the fourth level of rugby union in Australia. In November 2006 it was confirmed that the Gold Coast would be the location of one of the inaugural teams in the new national competition. The Queensland Reds also play trial games on the Gold Coast, and the Coast is likely to host future national team Tests. The Southport School on the Gold Coast is famous for being a nursery of rugby union players.
Australian rules football
The Gold Coast is home to 3 out of 8 of the clubs in the semi-professional Queensland State League, the state's highest level of competition. The Southport Sharks are a highly successful club which has participated in bids to ender the Australian Football League, they have also produced young local stars such Queensland's first number one pick in the AFL Draft, Nick Riewoldt. Other Gold Coast clubs include the Broadbeach Cats and Labrador Tigers.
The Kangaroos Football Club will play 10 home games on the Gold Coast between 2007 and 2009 out of Carrara Stadium.
Recreation
There are many recreational activities situated on the Gold Coast ranging from Surfing to fishing and Boating to Golf.
Surfing
The Gold Coast is a popular place for surfing. World class breaks including TOS, Sandpumping Jetty, Burleigh, Currumbin Alley, Greenmount, Kirra, Snapper Rocks and Duranbah (just over border into NSW). There are also many other surfing locations along the open beaches. The Roxy Pro and Quiksilver Pro are held on the Gold Coast and kickstart the World Championship Tour calendar each year.
Fishing
Fishing is a popular activity on the Gold Coast. Popular fishing spots include the Sandpumping Jetty on the Spit, Offshore reefs at Palm Beach, The Narrowneck Reef, the Gold Coast Broadwater, Jumpinpin, Coomera, Logan and Albert Rivers, Currumbin and Tallebudgera Creeks and fresh water environments at Robina Lakes and Hinze Dam.
Boating
Boating is a popular activity on the Gold Coast. There are waterskiing areas at upper coomera, santa barbara, along the western Broadwater, Tipplers, Currigee, Isle of Capri, Carrara and Tallebudgera Creek. There is an olympic standard sailing basin in the Broadwater and marks offshore for various types of vessel events. Sailing is popular. The Gold Coast has a growing mega yacht industry and boat manufacturing industry. Fishing vessels include tinnies up to 3 storey fly bridge versions. There are 35 public boatramps spread throughout the City from Waterford to Currumbin and there are 105,000 registered vessels {2001} within 2 hours drive of a Gold Coast Boatramp.
Golf
The Gold Coast has over fifty private and public golf courses including several outstanding resort courses. Generally, golf club members play competitively every Saturday. A short list of eighteen hole golf courses within the city includes Arundel Hills Golf Club, Emerald Lakes Golf Club, Hope Island - The Links, Parkwood International Golf Course, Royal Pines Resort, Sanctuary Cove - The Palms, Sanctuary Cove - The Pines, Southport Golf Club, The Glades Golf & Spa, Robina Woods, Palm Meadows, Lakelands, The Colonial and Gainsborough Greens.
Events
Car Racing
The Lexmark Indy 300 is a car racing event held annually, usually in October. The course ventures through the streets of Surfers Paradise and Main Beach. The Indy 300 comprises many other events such as the Indy Undie Ball and the Miss Indy Competition.
The V8 Supercars event also coincides with the Indy 300, using the same track route.
Horse Racing
The Gold Coast Turf Club hosts weekly horse races every Saturday from 12 o'clock midday for a minor entry fee. Facilities include a bookmaker's ring, betting tote through UNItab, four small to large function venues and public food and drink outlets.
You can't talk about horse racing on the Gold Coast without making mention of the Magic Millions thoroughbred auction sales and races. This annual event held in January each year attracts buyers and enthusiasts from around the world, with one year a staggering $100 million dollars turnover in yearling sales.
The 18 day event focuses on '5' main sales(auction) days and one main race day featuring the Magic Millions 2yr Old Classic (over 1200 m) and Magic Millions 3yr Old Trophy (over 1400 m) which in 2007 will be held on January 13th. Whilst the races are title with 'Magic Millions' the total prize money for each of the featured events is actually only $800,000 with first place claiming $500,000. Only horses that a purchased through one of the Magic Millions auctions are entitled to race in the events.
The Magic Millions carnival is the brainchild of creative and flamboyant entrepreneurs Gerry Harvey (of Harvey Normans) and John Singleton. In 2005 John Singleton won the 3yr Old Trophy with Tippitaka and proceeded in true Singo-Style to shout the entire bar at the Gold Coast Turf Club. He then backed up in 2006 to win the 2yr Old Classic with Mirror Mirror.
2006 saw a record attendance at the Magic Millions race day with over 18000 punters and party goers in attendance.
Facilities
There is a range of sporting facilities on the Gold Coast from the Carrara Stadium, Carrara Indoor Sport Centre, Nerang Velodrome and the Sports Super Centre. Some of these Facilities are being superseded by newer and larger capacity facilities. Two examples of these are the Gold Coast convention Center to play host to a Gold Coast Basketball team and Skilled Stadium to host NRL games.
Stadia
Carrara Stadium[2] is the city's largest open air, oval stadium with an official capacity of 18,000. The stadium has however on numerous occasions hosted attendances in excess of this official capacity. Gold Coast Stadium was previously the home of now the now relocated Brisbane Bears and now defunct Gold Coast Chargers. Carrara Indoor Sport Centre[3] neighbours Carrara Stadium and has a seated capacity of 3,000. It was previously the home of the defunct NBL team the Gold Coast Rollers.
Following the admission of Gold Coast Titans into the NRL competition, Queensland Government, in conjunction with Gold Coast City Council and Robina Land Corporation, announced their intention to construct a new, multi-million dollar, rectangular, all-seated Gold Coast Stadium at a site in Robina adjacent to Robina Station.
The Gold Coast Stadium is expected to be open for the 2008 National Rugby League season.
Sports Super Centre
This facility is located at the northern end of the Gold Coast, in the suburb of Runaway Bay, has been earmarked as a world class training facility.[citation needed] The centre includes nine purpose built villas which provide accommodation for touring groups or sporting teams, FINA approved 50 metre outdoor swimming pool, an IAAF certified 10 lane 400 metre athletic track with 3000 seater capacity stadium, a 600m2 gymnasium and health spa.
Cycling
The Nerang Velodrome (including the Nerang International Criterium Circuit Velodrome) is a 356 m asphalt track with lights for night time use. There is a permanent covered grandstand for 240 people and temporary grandstands for a further 150 people. The Criterium Circuits include 3 hot-mix asphalt circuits. There is a flat 600 m circuit, and 900 m and 1500 m circuits which both include a 200 m hill. It hosted the pre-2000 Olympic Games training for Great Britain Cycling (Road) and Triathlon Teams, and the Sweden Cycling (track) Team. The nearby Nerang State Forest, with its hilly terrain and well-maintained trails is a favourite recreational area for mountain bike riders.
Media
The daily, local newspaper is The Gold Coast Bulletin which is published by News Corporation. The Gold Coast Sun and Gold Coast Mail are other local newspapers. Although the weekly Mail has a limited circulation, the Gold Coast Sun is Australia's largest circulation community newspaper.
Gold Coast is unique in that it is officially in the television broadcast license area of both the Brisbane metro area and the Northern New South Wales markets. Broadcasts from eight free-to-air channels are available, but as a result of the hilly hinterland terrain there are some reception 'blind spots' sometimes thwarting clear picture for some channels in these areas. The Metro networks are Seven, Nine and Ten, from the Brisbane license area. The Regional affiliates are Prime Television, NBN Television and Southern Cross Ten, from the Northern New South Wales license area. Also broadcasting to the area are The Queensland ABC and SBS television services. Subscription television services Foxtel (via cable) and Austar (via satellite) are also available.
Major FM radio stations include, 88 BeachFM (tourist info., Top 40), 89.3 4CRB-FM (Christian), 90.9 SEAFM (Top 40, pop), 91.7 Coast FM (contemporary, ABC local news and information), 92.5 Gold 92.5 (mix of 70s, 80s, 90s, and Top 40), 93.5 SBS (Brisbane), 94.1 Jazz Radio (jazz, blues and swing music), 97.7 JJJ Triple J (alternative and chart music), 102.9 Hot Tomato (Top 40, pop), 104 4MBS Classic, 105.7 Radio Metro (dance, pop, R&B, and left field) and 106 ABC Classic FM. Several Brisbane AM and FM radio stations can also be received in various areas.