Surf Lifesaving: Mount and Papamoa dominate NZ teams

WORLD CLASS: 2016 Junior Black Fins captain Hamish Miller leads a strong Western Bay presence in NZ teams named. PHOTO: FILE

WORLD CLASS: 2016 Junior Black Fins captain Hamish Miller leads a strong Western Bay presence in NZ teams named. PHOTO: FILE A_280117aw01bop

Surf lifesaving

Mount Maunganui and Papamoa surf clubs are well represented in two New Zealand teams named this week to compete internationally at the 2017 Sanyo Cup and World Games in June and July.

The Sanyo Cup is a beach competition held annually in Japan. This year's event will take place at the Momochihama Seaside Park in Fukuoka from June 24-25, and New Zealand will join teams from Australia, USA, Great Britain, Netherlands, South Africa, Hong Kong and Japan.

The New Zealand team of five males and five females includes three Junior Black Fins from the 2016 Lifesaving World Championship team in Captain Hamish Miller (Mount Maunganui), Libby Bradley (Mount Maunganui) and Javon McCallum.

Joining them is Casie Fyall and Jessica Miller (Mount Maunganui) who both represented New Zealand at last year's Sanyo Cup.

The team also includes some newcomers to the High-Performance programme in Claudia Kelly, Samalulu Clifton, Bayden Botha and Mount Maunganui duo Lincoln Waide and Oliver Puddick.

Following on from the Sanyo Cup are the World Games which is a multisport event last held in Colombia in 2013.

This year's event will be in Wroclaw, Poland from July 20-July 30 with 27 official sports and four invitational sports featured in the Games.

The lifesaving component is a pool competition only, taking place from July 21-22, and New Zealand will join teams from Australia, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland and Spain.

New Zealand are sending five male and five female athletes. The team includes two Black Fins from the 2016 Lifesaving World Championship team Steven Kent and Natalie Peat (Papamoa), along with Junior Black Fin Olivia Corrin.

Alongside them are previous high-performance squad members Adam Simpson (Mount Maunganui), Andrew Trembath, Jacob Hales (Papamoa), Carina Doyle and Madison Kidd (Papamoa) who have each had significant experience on the international stage from representing New Zealand.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Sport Manager Mike Lord said the World Games was another step for our high-performance athletes in measuring themselves against our international opponents.

"New Zealand has a long history of being leaders in surf sports, and we're looking forward to the opportunity to measure our progress at this stage of our campaign heading towards the 2018 Lifesaving World Championships [Rescue 2018]," he said.

"This team is an exciting mix of skill and experience, and it will be a great opportunity for them to make an impression on an international stage as they will all be pushing for a place in the teams for Rescue 2018 which builds great depth in our high-performance programme."

Sanyo Cup: New Zealand team
Casie Fyall - Waikanae, Claudia Kelly - East End, Jessica Miller - Mt Maunganui, Libby Bradley - Mt Maunganui, Samalulu Clifton - Mairangi Bay, Bayden Botha - Mairangi Bay, Hamish Miller - Mt Maunganui, Javon McCallum - Fitzroy, Lincoln Waide - Mt Maunganui, Oliver Puddick - Mt Maunganui. Danny Morrison - Coach, Steven Vaughan - manager.

World Games New Zealand team
Carina Doyle - St Clair, Ella Drinnan - Orewa, Madison Kidd - Papamoa, Natalie Peat - Papamoa, Olivia Corrin - Midway, Adam Simpson - Mt Maunganui, Andrew Trembath - St Clair, Jacob Hales - Papamoa, Oscar Williams - Piha, Steven Kent - Titahi Bay, Jonelle Quane - Coach, Mark Weatherall - manager.