Surf Lifesaving: Crews put skill, fitness to test

The Epic-IRB Long Haul race tomorrow will provide some spectacular action. Photo / File

One last fleeting reminder of what we enjoyed over the summer hits the Bay of Plenty coast tomorrow with The Epic-IRB Long Haul back for its second year.

This unique event, sponsored by McMillan Lockwood Group, has attracted some of the best IRB crews to battle out the race from Ohope Beach to Mount Maunganui Main Beach.

Eight crews of three, plus a support team, are taking on the challenge. Four are local - two from Mount, one from Papamoa and one from Maketu - plus crews from Red Beach, Muriwai, Sunset Beach and defending champions West Shore from Napier.

While the overall course is the same as last year, there are several new and different challenges as crews race for between three to four hours.

The point of difference with this event, compared to a similar one based at Ninety Mile Beach in Northland, are the different activities crews will complete at Matata, Pukehina, Papamoa and Omanu before the finish at the Mount.

The crews will be required to assemble and break down their equipment, perform rescues and carry out a number of other challenging exercises.

Leigh Sefton, Surf Life Saving NZ's club development officer for Bay of Plenty, says the tasks are mixed up so it is not just a flat-out race.

"At Pukehina, one crew member will run across the spit and swim out to the 200m buoy. The remaining two crew members will go around the spit, enter the harbour and proceed to pick up the other crew member. The IRB must go round the 200m buoy.

"A lot of things can go wrong as strategically they have to refuel wherever they think they need fuel. Their support crew will be on the road and they have to liaise with them to make sure they are at the appropriate stops."

The epic race will finish in front of the Mount Maunganui Surf Club with the winning crew expected to be dashing for the finish line about 3pm.