Tindal brings back the biff

Barry Rollings
Volume 48, No. 12, July 13, 2006

ON A MISSION: Tindal’s ‘Riff RAAF’ dragon boat team paddle hard to catch up to their rivals in the annual dragon boat races held in Katherine.Photo by SGT Mark Eaton

RAAF Base Tindal’s ‘Bring Back The Biff’ team triumphed at the recent annual dragon boat races at Katherine Gorge, which raised more than $1500 for the Northern Territory Women’s Cancer Council.

The team was a clear winner from ‘The Vikings’ and ‘Wurli’, with ‘Wurli’ taking second in a paddle-off after the pair had finished equal on points.

The winning team were SQNLDR Nicholas Grey, FSGT Shane Boden, SGT Jason McLaren, SGT Murray Stabler, CPL Richard Murdoch, CPL Matthew Parker, Trish Trowbridge, Nicole Stubbs, Janine Lynch, Karina Stephens and Nicole Gravenal.

Other competing Air Force crews were ‘The Drag Boat’ and ‘Riff RAAF’.

Members of ‘The Drag Boat’ were CPL Bill Boyes, CPL Barry Vaughan, CPL Mark Atkins, CPL Kelley Linger, LAC Mark McBride, LACW Amy Lotts, ACW Carly Skinner, Tracie Atkins, Tracey Jeitz and Stephanie Bransgrove.

In a co-operative community effort, ‘Riff RAAF’ was a composite team comprising members of the Tindal Sergeants’ Mess and school teachers from MacFarlane Primary School.

Its members included WOFF Peter Jackman, stores officer for 322CSS at Tindal, his schoolteacher wife Cathy, who teaches at MacFarlane Primary, and WOFF Jackman’s daughter Caitlin Barnes, 13, who was crew drummer.

Air Force members of ‘Riff RAAF’ were FLTLT Michael Voysey, WOFF Jackman, SGT Trevor Jacobs, SGT Lynda McQueen, SGT Kyle McQueen, SGT Karen Voysey and SGT Sharon Smyth.

Eleven teams raced three times during the 15-race series and were awarded points on a 3-2-1 basis for finishing in the top three.

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