KIAMA CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE CLUBMEMORIAL RIDE 1

Kiama Knights are confident they can avoid a repeat of last year’s struggles with a new coach and key recruits creating optimism at the Group Seven club.Their first-grade team was hampered by a string of injuries in 2024, which forced them to forfeit a match, but new coach Matt O’Brien is optimistic about their prospects for the season ahead.“There’s a few local boys back, which is great - Brad Kilmore, Cameron Vazzoler, Dylan Morris, and Callum Roberts are all returning. Plus, we’ve got some strong talent coming up from the U18s,” he said.O’Brien coached the Knights’ first-grade team from 2014-17 and he returns as head coach alongside Steve Ross.While the first-grade team is his primary focus, O'Brien is confident the rest of the senior sides will continue to meet the club's high standards.“We’ve got Matt Gladman captaining and coaching our reserve-grade team, and our under 18s and girls’ teams are always competitive, so they’ll be aiming to maintain that success,” O’Brien said.For the Kiama Knights junior club, new president Lachlan Payne is excited that the club has achieved its goal of fielding a team in every division. With 37 teams, the Knights have managed to cover all age groups.“We’ll have teams in every division, from U6s through to U16s in tackle, as well as U8s to U16s in league tag. We’re also fielding girls’ teams in U12s, U14s, and U16s tackle. Every division is now filled with players,” Payne said.After a successful 2024 campaign, where the Junior Knights claimed five premierships, Payne believes the focus should remain on fostering a positive environment, rather than just results.“It’s great to celebrate those wins, but our main priority is creating a supportive environment for the kids. We’re building relationships with families and kids in the community, and that’s what makes the club special,” says Payne.The Group Seven season kicks off on April 5.

The eighth annual Kiama Classic Motorcycle Club Memorial Ride will rev up this weekend.The memorial ride began in 2017 to honour the club members who have passed away over the years.“The ride is mainly about coming together with club members, their friends, and other riders. We plan the route on the day,” Pete Parkinson, the club's welfare officer, said.“It’s a pretty laid-back event. We have a gathering on Friday, then ride together on both Saturday and Sunday.”The ride kicks off at 9.30am on Saturday from Jerrara Road. The first stop of the weekend will be for lunch at the Gerroa Fisherman’s Club at midday, where you might be able to catch some of the classic motorcycles.Parkinson anticipates at least 50 bikes will participate in the memorial ride.

Kiama’s champion indoor rower, Nardia Guillaumier, has done it again - winning her second consecutive gold medal at the 2025 World Rowing Indoor Championships.The Indoor Rowing Championships are held virtually, allowing participants from around the world to compete simultaneously. However, because the event is scheduled on European time, it meant that at 2:38 AM on Monday, 24 February, while most were asleep, Nardia was on her rower at her home in Kiama Downs, securing her second gold medal.“We didn’t know right away where I’d finished, so we went through the names, and my husband said I’d won in my age group. I didn’t believe him, so I asked him to check again. He told me, Actually, they’re all behind you!” Nardia recalls.“I covered my mouth, looked at Alan (Swan, her trainer), and yelled, We did it again! I was so surprised I let out a little celebratory squeal - hoping I didn’t wake the neighbours!”Nardia Guillaumier competing in the World Championship. Photos supplied.Nardia clinched the world gold medal in the 2000m row for the open weight division for 45-49 year-olds. Even more impressively, she achieved a personal best time of 7 minutes and 16 seconds, which was her true goal.“I was thrilled to set a personal best of 7:16 at 2:38 in the morning,” she says. “I trained so hard to improve my time, and that was my real focus - making myself faster as I get older. Winning the medals is just the icing on the cake.”In addition to her gold in the 2000m, Nardia also earned a bronze medal in the 500m row, which took place a week earlier. She was just 0.1 seconds shy of her personal best, finishing in 1 minute and 33 seconds.Nardia credits much of her success to her trainer, Alan Swan of Swan Athletics, who designed her rigorous training program and supported her throughout her journey to her second gold.“Alan creates fantastic training schedules for me,” Nardia says. “I row five times a week at night and also train six days a week with weights at Oxygen Fitness in Kiama. So, I'm training a minimum of 11 times a week to get into the condition needed to compete against some of the best rowers, many of whom have been rowing for years, since they were kids.”She adds, “I’m just a country girl who trains in a converted dairy shed in Jamberoo, and I’m holding my own against these seasoned competitors. I think I’m doing okay!”Nardia Guillaumier and Alan Swan after her win. Photos supplied.Nardia’s motivation to keep competing and pushing herself comes from a desire to stay fit and age well.“My primary goal is to be the fittest and strongest version of myself, no matter my age. I want to be able to sit and stand up from a chair or the toilet when I’m 90! It’s the old saying - if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. That’s what keeps me going.”She encourages anyone looking for a low-impact fitness activity to consider indoor rowing.“I would highly recommend indoor rowing as a fitness activity that anyone, at any age, can do. It’s low-impact, great for cardio, and really, you’re only competing against yourself,” she says.The Bugle congratulates Nardia on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to seeing what she accomplishes next!

A fresh wave of surfers are making a splash thanks to Werri Beach Boardriders’ Microgroms Competition on Sunday at Gerroa.Kids 4-12 years hit the water for the monthly competition which aims to introduce youngsters to the basics of competitive surfing in a supportive environment.Werri Beach Boardriders secretary and treasurer Jess McGarn said the emphasis was not on the results.Source: Brian Scott“It's more about coming together, having fun, and starting to learn the foundations of competitive surfing.”The competition, which has been running for around 30 years, has helped launch the careers of surfers like Sally Fitzgibbons, Lucy Darragh, Dean Bowen and Holly Wishart.“For those kids who want to take their surfing to the next level and become competitive, this is the first step into that world,” McGarn said. “It provides a safe, supportive, and encouraging environment for them to explore.”Source: Brian ScottBeyond surfing, the most important aspect of the Microgroms program is the sense of community. “It’s about the families and kids coming together and being part of something bigger. That’s what makes it so special.”McGarn also expressed her admiration for the photos taken by The Bugle’s own Brian Scott, which captured the spirit of the day. Source: Brian Scott“What’s nice to see is that a few of the dads in the background of Brian’s photos are actually former Microgroms themselves. It’s wonderful to see that come full circle.”For those interested in bringing their kids to the next Microgroms competition, more information can be found on the Werri Beach Boardriders Facebook page.

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At over 60 years old, Kiama local Tony Panecasio thought his cricketing dream was a thing of the past. Yet, in the last 18 months, he’s stunned both himself and the sporting world, winning a World Cup in India while also taking the most wickets in the tournament. To top it off, he’s won an Ashes series against England.“You always dream when you’re young that maybe you could be good enough, but then you realise it’s probably not going to happen. No way. But the last 12 to 18 months have been a blur,” says Panecasio. “If you’d told me 12 months ago that I’d be in India playing in a World Cup, I would’ve thought you were crazy. I’d have said, You need to see a doctor!”Panecasio moved to the South Coast 30 years ago with his family, and at one point had all but given up on cricket. But when his kids were a little older, he decided to join a local team with Lake Illawarra.“When I first came back to cricket, it was really just to get involved, have fun, and enjoy that team sport experience again. I missed that camaraderie. It was also a great way to meet new people since we’d just moved down,” Panecasio says.Initially, he wasn’t too serious about it, but that changed when Jamberoo local Ian Bradburn encouraged him to join the over-60s Veterans Southern Highlands team. Though Panecasio had played in a few veterans' tournaments in the over-50s and over-55s divisions, he hadn’t expected much. But when he gave it a go, it turned into something extraordinary.“I went to a state tournament with my club, Southern Highlands, and I was picked for the NSW side. We played in Western Australia and won. Then, six of us from the NSW team were selected for the Australian team, which went to the World Cup in India. I was lucky enough to be one of them. That was my first Australian trip,” says Panecasio.The World Cup took place in Chennai, and Panecasio recalls how special it was to finally receive a baggy green - something he had dreamed of since he was young.The Australian Veterans over 60s team who won the Grey Ashes. Source: Tony Panecasio.jpg“They do a cap presentation at the ground, and it's a proper baggy green that says ‘Veterans Australia’ instead of just ‘Australia.’ I’m not usually an emotional person, but I was really emotional when I received it. It was a dream come true. And then, immediately, I was terrified - what if I didn’t play well?”Fortunately, Panecasio had nothing to fear. His over-60s Australian team went on to win the tournament, with Panecasio taking a combined 10 wickets in the semi-final and final alone. He ended up winning the World Cup trophy for the most wickets overall.On top of his cricketing triumph, Panecasio got the chance to explore Chennai and experience the vibrant culture of India.“We would never have gone to India as a holiday destination, but thanks to cricket, I did. It was amazing - 30 million people, 24/7. One of our bus trips was only about 10 to 15 kilometres, but it took 90 minutes to get there. The driver missed the turn and just did a U-turn - on the wrong side of the highway. “There were cows on the road, bikes weaving everywhere. It was so in-your-face. You’d see extreme poverty next to areas of great wealth, but everyone seemed happy. It was an unforgettable experience.”Tony Panecasio with the Ashes urn. Source: Tony Panecasio.Another highlight of Panecasio’s career was winning the Grey Ashes against England in December 2024, earning a replica urn for his efforts. Looking ahead, Panecasio has once again been selected to represent Australia in the over-60s team for a tour to New Zealand. The tour includes three One Day Internationals against the New Zealand over-60s team, scheduled for 21, 22 and 24 March.The replica urn. Source: Tony Panecasio.Panecasio hopes his story will inspire older generations to give cricket a go through veterans’ programs.“We’ve got an Illawarra Veterans Group now, with teams in the over-40s, 50s, 55s, and 60s. We’re gradually expanding to include over-65s and 70s. It’s only once a fortnight, and players can choose when they want to play. The games are 40 overs, and batters retire at 30, so everyone gets a chance to bat. Bowlers only bowl a maximum of 7 overs, which means a lot more participation,” says Panecasio.If you’re interested in joining, find the Greater Illawarra Veterans Cricket Association (GIVCA) on Facebook and get in touch with them.The Bugle wishes Tony the best of luck for his upcoming tour to New Zealand this March!