Danny Kayes completed a dream reign at surf lifesaving's age group level _ now the challenge is for the young Papamoa athlete to step up into the big leagues.
Kayes helped the Bay of Plenty under-16 team win their national championships yesterday on Mount Maunganui's Main Beach, beating Auckland by 19.5 points.
The bulk of the under-16 team _ Kayes, Mason Pickering, Ashley Cochrane, Katie Wilson, Hamish Smith, Seth Merrett, Jackson Edwards, Kathryn Stewart, Caitlyn Procter, Jess Miller _ have been together for four years, winning two years at under-14 level and now two at under-16.
''It's a pretty awesome way for most of us to go out, although Jess and Katie still have another year in under-16s,'' Kayes said.
''Hopefully now we can start to push through into the under-19 and open level and start making representative teams there.''
The under-16s dominated proceedings yesterday, cleaning up in the female events with Miller, Proctor and Wilson featuring heavily.
Miller won the surf race and diamond lady, while relay teams won the mixed board relay, mixed ski relay and event-ending NPC relay.
The Bay under-14 team didn't fare quite so well, beaten by Auckland into second by 2.5 points.
Results:
Under-14: Auckland 85, Bay of Plenty 82.5, Gisborne 66.5, Canterbury 58.5, Taranaki 54.5, Wellington 53, Hawke's Bay 28. Under-16: Bay of Plenty 104, Auckland 85.5, Wellington 80.5, Taranaki 72.5, Gisborne 66.5, Canterbury 49, Hawke's Bay 46.5.
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