The local Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service team has cruised to a dominant victory at the Surf Life Saving Eastern Region Championships held this weekend in Tauranga.
With several top level athletes on their team including junior World Life Saving champion Black Fins, and Olympian Lisa Carrington, the resident team finished
114 points ahead of their nearest rivals at the two-day event.
Their best results included the double ski (a kayak-like vessel) race, surf canoe and Taplin events. The Taplin event sees teams of three or six competitors (one swimmer, one board paddler, one surf ski paddler) cover the course in a sequence of legs determined by draw at the start of each competition.
Mount Maunganui head coach John Bryant said the team's mantra was fitter, faster, skilled lifeguards save lives.
"That is the daily training environment we try to create here, and we think that the success of that is reflected in the results with us taking out the Eastern Region Champs for the 7th year in a row."
Following the winners in second was Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club from Gisborne with 88 points, with a 16 point buffer over third place.
Rounding out the top three at one of the sport's biggest annual events was Piha Surf Life Saving Club from the west coast, with a total of 72 points.
One of the toughest events on the schedule, the Taplin relay, was won in the open men's division by champions Mount Maunganui followed by Piha and another Mount Maunganui team in second and third respectively. Mount Maunganui took top honours again in the open women's Taplin, followed by Omanu in second and Mount Maunganui in third.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region sport manager Mark Inglis was happy with how the event went and wanted to congratulate all the athletes who took part.
"A huge congratulations to Mount Maunganui for such an impressive performance this weekend, and of course, congratulations to all of the athletes who did an awesome job out there. Everyone, from athletes to volunteers, to officials and spectators allowed us to have such a fun and safe event so we have to thank them for their input," Mr Inglis said.
"Overall, it was another hugely successful weekend for the Eastern Region Championships. Tauranga really turned it on and we're thankful for the local support, because we really enjoy running events here in the Bay of Plenty and showing the region off to the rest of the country."
Weather and surf conditions were almost perfect today, with air temperatures reaching 24 degrees and a small swell of less than one metre.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand has over 30 more events to run around the country over the remainder of the season, including the New Zealand National Surf Life Saving Championships in Christchurch on March 16-19 and the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships [IRBs] in Waipu Cove on April 1-2.
The next event on the calendar is the North Island Surf Boat Championships held just north of Tauranga, at Waihi Beach next weekend from February 4-5.
Top 5 points after Day 2:
ClubPoints
Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service - 202
Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club - 88
Piha Surf Life Saving Club - 72
Orewa Surf Life Saving Club - 52
Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club - 50