Surf lifesaving: Papamoa teams shine

Papamoa twins Kirby and Chad Wheeler collected the under-21 overall title at the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand IRB championships at Waipu Cove on Sunday, with victories in the mass and assembly rescue finals, while rookie Papamoa premier crew Troy Walsh and Mitch Brady finished third in their division. With seniors Tom Berthelsen and Liam Smith winning the mass rescue, Papamoa finished third overall on 43 points, ahead of Sumner (37).

Paekakariki were fifth, boasting the top senior crew overall of Tyler Mills and Dwight Garton.

East End stalwart Andrew Cronin came close to creating history at the New Zealand IRB championships but had to settle for a nonetheless impressive streak instead.

Cronin and crewman James Morwood won all four finals in the premier division, sealing the assembly rescue and single rescue on a choppy last day at the Northland beach, but were beaten into fourth in the open teams final alongside clubmates Geoff Cronin and Campbell Begg. That was still good enough to help the Taranaki club to a record fifth consecutive overall title, finishing on 80 points, nine clear of St Clair.

St Clair's performance was anchored by sisters Carla and Steph Laughton - who again swept their division and made the semifinals of the teams race - but the South Islanders were abetted by quality finishes from the two other women's crews, a strong senior display and a rising tide of under-21 crews.

"Last year we were developing as a club and we got third overall, which we were stoked with, and this year we've come through with pretty much the same crews," said Carla Laughton. "We've been teaching them to race their race and not worry about other teams - concentrate on the small things and getting them right."

The siblings were helped when the assembly rescue final had to be re-run - Sumner's Megan Keats and Sarah Truscott had turned in a blinder in the first attempt - but it capped a magnificent season for the Dunedin pair who started with world championships success in Adelaide in November.

"We got in the boat in August and I'm pretty stoked it's the end of the season. I can't wait for winter."

Waimarama's win in the open teams race was a first for the Hawke's Bay club and was also something of a family affair, with brothers Jason and Rhys Harman involved, along with Ben Cross and his sister, patient Leila Cross. The victory was still a surprise, after injury took out oldest sibling Mike Harman.