Mount Maunganui lead Eastern Region champs on day one

TIGHT BATTLE: Competitors ready for action on day one of the Eastern Region Championships at Mount Maunganui. PHOTO: ANDREW WARNER

Mt Maunganui have pulled out to an early lead during the first day of competition at the second largest surf lifesaving sports event in the country that began at Mount Main Beach today.

The Eastern Region Championships has attracted more than 800 athletes from around New Zealand, predominantly from the east coast of the North Island and features two full days of competition.

While Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service have built up a 32 point buffer, Piha Surf Life Saving Club in second are not far behind and promise to threaten the locals tomorrow with a team of 72 athletes.

Chasing them in third is Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club from Gisborne, while one of the largest teams with 79 athletes, Orewa Surf Life Saving Club, is only a few points behind in fourth.

A few athletic superstars feature in this year's event including Olympians Lisa Carrington, who is competing for the Mt Maunganui and Marty McDowell for Titahi Bay Surf Life Saving Club, junior world life saving champions from the Black Fins and Omanu Day of Champions ironman champion Max Beattie.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region sport manager Mark Inglis said the first day of the competition has been close and it will be a great battle for top honours tomorrow with the majority of finals being held then.

"Everything has been great here at Mt Maunganui today. The weather has been perfect and feedback from the athletes tells us that they're enjoying the new format," he said.

"Although the small swell means that a lot of the races are quite close so it's going to be a close fight tomorrow.

"And of course the calibre of the athletes is second to none. They've all been fantastic out there today and it's obviously great to have people like Lisa, Steve Fergusson and Marty competing too, because it shows our younger athletes that they can rise to the top."

There are still several beach events to be held later this evening in the twilight session, including the iconic beach flags, where athletes start in a prone starting position on the beach, before they rise, turn and race approximately 20m across the sand to obtain a baton (beach flag) seated upright in the sand.

Since there are always fewer batons than competitors, those who fail to obtain a baton are eliminated, but it's always close and attracts a lot of support from the side-lines.

The Eastern Region covers 19 clubs on the eastern coast from Hot Water Beach in the Coromandel to Midway Surf Life Saving Club near Gisborne.

The action begins again tomorrow from 8am, with athletes tackling a series of events including the demanding Ironman and Ironwoman events. Spectators are welcome.

Top 5 clubs, twilight session to come

Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service 68
Piha Surf Life Saving Club 35
Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club 29
Orewa Surf Life Saving Club 22
East End Surf Life Saving Club 21