Pilot soaring to new heights

Latest monthly sport star Andrew Maddocks (left) and his brother Nick are preparing for more international competition.

Rob Williams

ANDREW Maddocks is a more-than-handy hockey player when he runs out for Norths in the Ipswich competition.

However, it's in the lesser-known sport of competitive gliding that Maddocks is taking on the world.

Maddocks, 23, is the latest QT- City of Ipswich senior monthly sport star for his efforts at national level.

The January star joins brother and October winner Nick in the 2011-12 awards.

The Booval-based pair is both enjoying success at Australian championship level.

For Andrew, having a brother to help him and compete against is satisfying, especially when they share the podium together.

"We have a lot of fun," said Andrew, who is also helped by their father's strong association with the sport.

Andrew won the latest sport star honour after retaining his junior title (15-26 years) at the Australian National Gliding Championships.

He achieved the fastest speed over his 300km flight.

"It's a war of tactics. A lot of practice," said Andrew, who has competed at national championships since 2004.

While Andrew enjoys playing hockey, that will be put on hold while he works in a gliding factory in Germany for five months.

He leaves in a couple of weeks.

It will be only the second season of hockey he has missed since starting as a 10-year-old.

Andrew and Nick represented Australia last year at the World Junior Gliding Championships in Germany.

The pair is preparing to compete again in the Australian team at next year's world championships in Poland, after a lead-up event in August.

"In Australia, we compete against each other," Andrew said.

"At a world competition it is a bit different, where we have a glider each and we help each other. He and I are going to fly as a team in Poland and hopefully get a better result for the two of us."

Andrew regularly perfects his flying skills in practice runs from Boonah over Wivenhoe Dam, towards Beaudesert and Mt Tamborine or up to Toowoomba, Warwick and Kingaroy.

Where he flies depends on the conditions.

"It's like any sport, you work on the little things," he said.

"So if you get a weaker day, it's more just about practising your techniques and trying to get the most out of the weaker wind."

Away from sport, Andrew is focusing on business studies, having worked earlier on an aviation degree.

He has a business maintaining and repairing gliders.

The junior monthly star for January is Springfield-based Aransia Peters.

The discus and shot put thrower represented Queensland at the Australian All School championships after a number of first and second placings and personal bests at regional and state championships.