Mitchel Brady from the winning Papamoa crew. Photo/Andrew Warner
Papamoa crews finished first and second to claim the 2015 BOP IRB Long Haul challenge on the Mount Main Beach on Saturday afternoon.
The third version of the epic race sponsored by McMillan Lockwood BOP builders took in six stops from Ohope Beach to Mount Maunganui for the nine crews
of three surf lifeguards from Sunset Beach (3), Papamoa (2), Pukehina, Mairangi Bay, defending champions Red Beach and Whiritoa clubs.
The crews had to break down their equipment, carry their heavy engines 100 metres over hot sand, perform simulated rescues and carry out a number of other challenging exercises at each of the six stages, while navigating the tricky Bay of Plenty coastline.
The first Papamoa crew of twins Kirby Wheeler and Chad Wheeler with Mitchel Brady made it to the finish 35 minutes quicker than last year's winners, thanks to the calm conditions and a relaxing of the rules.
"The usual rules state that being winter there is usually no one on the beach so crews have to stay within the surf line, that is stay inside the breaking waves to make it tougher," said SLSNZ Eastern Region sport manager Mark Inglis.
"But it was such a nice day with so many people on the beach and surfing it just wasn't safe owe let them run pretty much a straight line and into the open waters."
Mr Inglis said the event went without any major incident but defending champs Red Beach and the third Sunset Beach crew had to withdraw early with mechanical failure.
2015 BOP IRB Long Haul Results:
1 Papamoa, 2 Papamoa, 3 Mairangi Bay, 4 Sunset Beach, 5 Sunset Beach, 6 Pukehina, 7 Whiritoa
