Aussies dominate Sand to Surf at Pilot Bay

Winner Rhys Mainstone from Australia exits the water to win the race

Two world class Australians conquered the elite 2.km 'I'm Going Long' race at the Bay of Plenty Times co-sponsored Sand to Surf event held in glorious conditions at Pilot Bay this morning.

Rhys Mainstone won the men's race with compatriot Melissa Gorman first home in the women's race, with both swimmers leading from start to finish.

Mainstone finished 10 seconds ahead of fellow Aussie George O'Brien while the battle of the Bay of Plenty boys Nathan Capp and Kane Radford added some drama to the third place finish.

Rotorua's Radford held off Tauranga's Capp until the last 50 metres when Capp stormed past to take third place in 28.38 with Radford two seconds behind in 28.40.

Gorman is a former world champion and showed her class to blitz the women's field by nearly a minute in 29.34. Another Australian Charlotte Webby was second with Leah Cutting third.

The Sand to Surf race was switched from Mount main beach due to a massive swell producing 3 metre waves and was the penultimate round of the State New Zealand Ocean Swim Series.

The final race is the King of the Bays on Auckland's North Shore next month.