Mount Maunganui surf lifesaver Jess Miller has grabbed two medals on an eventful penultimate day at the Australian championships on the Gold Coast.
The 15-year-old Bethlehem College student won bronze in the under-15 tube rescue, then backed up to win silver in a thrilling under-15 surf race final.
"I was quite confident
in the tube and was hoping for a medal and I'm really happy with how it went but the surf race was my big focus," Miller said. "I was just really excited before every race and managed to channel that excitement into it."
She couldn't back up in the under-15 diamond lady final as the rigorous day took its toll in 1.5m surf on Kurrawa Beach.
"My legs were starting to hurt a little bit and my swim could've been better but I just got mauled under the waves."
But Mount Maunganui coach John Bryant couldn't take anything away from his start charge, fiercely proud of her breakthrough effort.
"What Jess has done is phenomenal - it's the first time we've had swimming medals at the Aussie champs and it really caps off a great summer for her when she was one of the most consistent performers around," Bryant said. "This might give the New Zealand selectors something to think about - it just shows that she's up with the best in the world."
Mount also had finalists in the open women's taplin, where Emmanuelle Bescheron, Brooke Shergold and Kendall Elliott performed admirably, while Cara Ryan has made tomorrow's board race final.
It could've been a great day for the Bay contingent but for a horrible bit of luck.
Papamoa beach sprinter Kodi Harman - who won the New Zealand open title last month - could have capped a great day for the Kiwi contingent in the under-17 final, but he stumbled just short of the line while leading and was disqualified.
Harman and Mount under-19 sprinter Jamie Banhidi have both made their beach flags finals tomorrow, however.
