Cochrane chasing rare hattrick of titles at Omanu

DEFENDING CHAMP: Omanu's Ben Cochrane is chasing a rare hattrick of victories at Sunday's Omanu Day of Champions carnival. PHOTO:FILE

A top-class field of surf lifesavers will line up on Sunday for a crack at one of New Zealand's most prestigious ironman races.

The 11th annual Omanu Day of Champions carnival, sponsored by Placemakers, features the Ian Porteous Memorial Ironman held on its distinctive M-shaped course.

Conditions are expected to be lively with a good swell expected that organisers hope to be ideal to test the world-class athletes taking part.

Defending champions Ben Cochrane and Danielle McKenzie are determined to hit the winning tape first again, with local boy Cochrane after a remarkable three-peat of victories.

Cochrane captained the New Zealand team at the Sanyo International Lifesaving Cup in Japan last July. He is based in Sydney most of the year, where he is studying full time doing a bachelor of business studies plus working and competing for BMD Northcliffe Surf Club.

He trains daily with fellow Omanu Surf Club member Beattie, who is a four-time New Zealand Ironman champion and current World Ironman and Board Race champion.

The battle for honours between those two is always special but they should be wary of Mount Maunganui's Hamish Miller, who was third last year behind the two favourites, and NZ Black Fin Devon Halligan from Omanu.

"Max will want redemption of the Ian Porteous Ironman," Cochrane said.

"I managed to get him up the beach last year which he is not too happy about. He will be trying to prove a point this year and I will be trying to make it as hard as possible for him to take it back off me.

"I am sure it will be a fun race regardless."

Omanu Beach Surf Life Saving Club general manager, Michelle Smith, says the Omanu Day of Champions is the richest short-course surf lifesaving event in New Zealand, with $6000 in prize money plus spot prizes, including a custom-built Sonic ski valued at $3500.

"At Omanu we are very proud of this event and especially in remembering Ian Porteous who was a very popular and hardworking Omanu clubby who passed away suddenly in 1995, a day before the annual Omanu long course ironman race," Smith said.

"Ian, along with his good mate Denny Enright, were the key men who would organise the annual event and after Ian's passing, Denny decided a fitting tribute to Ian's memory would be to rename the event the Ian Porteous Ironman."

Smith said the Day of Champions was an ideal event for the public to come down to the beach and be entertained.

"It is a pretty unique event because it is short and fast. Quite often you will go to a surf lifesaving event and you can be there a few days but ours starts at 10, with a break from 12 to 1pm, and we have finals from 1pm to 2.30pm."

Information: www.facebook.com/OmanuBeach.co.nz