Settling for silver wasn't an option yesterday for Tauranga Boys' College pairing Thomas Reid and Caleb Aperahama at the national age-group championships at Mount Maunganui after they were tipped over a week ago at the Vanuatu Junior Open in Port Vila.
Reid and 1.98m-tall Aperahama were runners-up to Tauranga's Willis Glen Vile and Darryl Lewis in Vanuatu but yesterday made amends, wrapping up the under-17 national title on their home beach with a hard-fought battle against Otumoetai College's Jack Boyle and Will Clague, who were fourth on the national under-17 development tour.
Aperahama and Reid won the first set 21-17 but were thumped 21-8 in the second before bouncing back to win the decider 15-12.
Aperahama is part of the New Zealand under-17 rugby squad but hasn't given much thought to the oval ball code in recent weeks.
"Nothing's happening with the New Zealand team till July so I've got a bit of time, although I'm supposed to be training soon with the Chiefs under-21s so I'll have to start doing some running soon. "Right now it's all beach volleyball."
Tauranga Girls' Bria Merritt and Amy Robinson combined to win the under-17 girls' title while Alice Bain (Tauranga Girls') and Beneice Douch (Bethlehem College) won the girls' under-19 final.
New Zealand beach volleyball age-group champs:
Under-17:
Boys' semifinals: Jack Boyle/Will Clague b Burton McAdam/Tom Mabbot 20-22 21-13 16-14, Caleb Aperahama/Thomas Reid b Cameron Hayes/Matt Hansen 21-18 21-18. Final: Aperahama/Reid b Boyle/Clague 21-17 8-21 15-12.
Girls' semifinals: Annuska Menoita/Annalise Vukets b Tyla McMullan/Melissa McDonald 21-8 21-11, Amy Robinson/Bria Merritt b Micky Wooler/Lauren Anning 21-15 21-5. Final: Robinson/Merritt b Vuketa/Menoito 21-9 21-11.
Under-19:
Boys' semifinals: Max Longdill/Manaia Harris b Jesse Kempf/Manu Botes 2-0, Keanu White/Matt Kilpatrick b Sonny Hirini/Brad Fullerton 2-0. Final: Longdill/Harris b White/Kilpatrick 18-21 21-13 15-11.
Girls' semifinals: Alice Bain-Beneice Douch b Holly Boyle-Katie Wood 21-17 21-17, Dylan Vaetoe/Andrea Tauai b Maro Venter/Bex Storey 21-17 21-12. Final: Bain/Douch b Vaetoe/Tauai 21-17 21-17.
Under-21:
Boys' semifinals: Paora Morunga/Griffin Muller b Thomas Heijs/Luke Velebit 2-0, Thomas Hartles/Jesse Hawkins b Rene Kapa/Morgan Seymour 21-11 21-17. Final: Hartles/Hawkins b Morunga/Griffin 21-16 21-17.
Girls' semifinals: Charlotte Joy/Sophie Joy b Anna Charlton/Alex Gardner 21-5 21-3, Claudia van Velthooven/Aneta Buckley 21-11 21-14. Final: Joy/Joy b Buckley/Hunter 26-24 21-18.