IRB Racing: Crews revel in marathon challenge

Mount Maunganui 2 team (from left) Hamish Reiger, Marty Wonters and Steve Rush, hit the surf at Omanu during Saturday's IRB Long Haul challenge. Photo/George Novak

The second running of the IRB Long Haul challenge on Saturday was an outstanding success, despite the four local crews finishing outside of the places in the eight-crew event.

The unique race attracted IRB crews from Mount Maunganui (2), Papamoa, Maketu, Red Beach, Muriwai, Sunset Beach and defending champions West Shore from Napier.

Red Beach took out the title, with Muriwai second, Sunset Beach third and West Shore fourth ahead of the local crews.

They had to battle it out from Ohope Beach to Mount Maunganui Main Beach, performing rigorous physical activities along the way at strategic stops at Matata, Pukehina, Papamoa and Omanu before the finish.

Event organiser Leigh Sefton, Surf Life Saving NZ's club development officer for Bay of Plenty, says the start at Ohope Beach was particularly tough.

"They had a deflated boat all pulled to bits and they had to inflate the boat with two foot pumps only. They had to get the whole boat and the engine all the way down the track into the water, so that would have taken plenty out of most of them.

"At the first stop at Matata they had to remove the hot engine and carry that 200 metres around a couple of cones.

"It was sort of half to full tide so they were good conditions not presenting any issues with sand banks and troughs and things like that.

"The swell and ocean top was nice and glassy the whole time. I didn't think we could get better conditions," Sefton said.

Many of the crews indicated they would be back next year in larger numbers.

"We had six last year, eight this year and we are hoping to double that next year.

"We have sponsorship now from McMillan Lockwood Group, and also Mount Mellik gave us the location for the prizegiving and spot prizes.

"It is always a good indicator the event is going well when you have local businesses keen to put up prize money."