The International Surf Rescue Challenge at Mount Maunganui gets under way at 4pm today. Photo / Supplied
Mount Main Beach is set to host a fast-paced, world-class international lifesaving sport competition this week.
The 2025 International Surf Rescue Challenge (ISRC) is returning to New Zealand for the first time since 2017 and will take place from November 27 to November 30.
The ISRC brings together the best of the best, with elite athletes from 11 nations battling it out across swim, board, ski, and beach events in three tests, or competition days.
Points build up across each test to crown one nation the ultimate International Surf Rescue Champions.
The event also incorporates the Trans-Tasman Challenge (New Zealand vs Australia) and the Tri-Nations Challenge (New Zealand, Australia and South Africa) — continuing a sporting rivalry that stretches back nearly 90 years to the first transtasman surf lifesaving test in 1937.
Guiding the team is Steve Kent, a three-time World Champion, 2012 Olympian, and longtime Black Fins leader.
Reflecting on the lead-in to the event, Kent said he’s already proud of the three Kiwi teams competing – the Black Fins, New Zealand Pathway team, and Junior Black Fins.
“We have had to adapt to different challenges in our build-up, including many of our athletes being based overseas, and I thank them for their dedication.
“This is a special milestone for lifesaving sport.
“The ISRC is the purest form of surf lifesaving competition. It’s contested entirely in the ocean and on the beach, with no compromise for conditions. Hosting it at Mount Maunganui gives our athletes the rare chance to race under the silver fern on home turf, in front of our own members, clubs and communities.”
Kent said the event highlighted New Zealand’s strength as a coastal nation and the skill of its surf lifeguards.
“It’s about benchmarking ourselves against the best in the world in the conditions that define our way of life. The surf, the swell, and the spirit of competition. That’s what surf lifesaving is all about.”
The last ISRC was held in South Padre Island in Texas in 2023 and was won by Australia.
For that event, the Black Fins were the sole New Zealand team competing (no youth or pathway teams competed).
Eight of the Black Fins from that campaign will be competing again. Cory Taylor (captain), Briana Irving, Joe Collins, Claudia Kelly, James Scott, Molly Shivnan, Gus Shivnan and Olivia Corrin will have their eye on a first-place finish.
Rounding out the team is Oska Smith, with Pipi Te Pania and Anika Pihema making their Black Fins debut.
Zac Franich, GM – Sport at Surf Life Saving New Zealand, says hosting the ISRC reinforces the country’s reputation as a global leader in surf lifesaving.
“The campaign isn’t just about medals and podium finishes. It’s about drawing attention to New Zealand’s proud legacy in lifesaving sport on a world stage.
“Saving lives is still at the core of everything we do, which makes our sport unique as our athletes are also out there providing a service to their communities. The ISRC is an incredible showcase of athleticism, teamwork, and rescue-ready skills.
“Our Black Fins, Pathway and Junior teams are a source of pride for the whole surf lifesaving community, and this event puts them on an international stage at home. It’s a rare chance for many young athletes in lifesaving sport to see their heroes competing at home.”
Franich said the competition’s format, three full days of back-to-back events, will make for an exciting spectacle for spectators and media alike.
“There will be 44 races each day across 13 events, with Open, Youth and Pathway divisions. We encourage everyone to come down to the Mount and cheer our teams on.”
The 2025 ISRC will feature teams from New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the USA, with Open, Youth, and Pathway divisions competing over three Tests.
For all ISRC event information, please visit: https://www.surflifesaving.org.nz/sport/international-surf-rescue-challenge-2025
-Supplied content