Surf lifesaving athletes from Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and the Bay of Plenty battled it out in the Gizzy Grinder long-distance and iron races, including Midway's Ella Sutton.
Photo / Sally Cameron
Surf lifesaving athletes from Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and the Bay of Plenty battled it out in the Gizzy Grinder long-distance and iron races, including Midway's Ella Sutton.
Photo / Sally Cameron
Just over 50 surf lifeguards from Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and the Bay of Plenty slogged it out in the gruelling Gizzy Grinder event here last weekend.
The Grinder is an early-season surf lifesaving sport event that provides an opportunity for senior (14 years and over) athletes to test their fitnessand skills across fun and challenging multi-discipline races.
It was run at Midway and Wainui.
The 55 athletes represented six clubs from three regions.
“We had a strong contingent from Papamoa SLSC, the Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service, Ocean Beach Kiwi in Hawke’s Bay and the three local clubs,” SLSNZ eastern region sport manager Sonia Keepa said.
On Friday evening, the athletes contested a long-distance iron event consisting of a surf ski paddle, beach run, ocean swim and board paddle across Wainui Beach from the southern tip access at Lloyd George Rd to Wainui SLSC − a total distance of 10km.
The lifeguards raced in the city and at Wainui over the Gizzy Grinder event. Wainui's Mako Fukushima-Hall beats the feet at Wainui Beach during one of the challenges.
Photo / Sally Cameron
“It was a good preparation for the Mount Monster in Tauranga on December 14,” Keepa said.
“Stand-out athletes were the team of Tyron Evans and Harry Hayward from Midway while in the individual category, Trelise Chote was the [standout] individual female and Zachary Cairns the individual male − both of Papamoa SLSC.”
Saturday races involved an iron person round-robin in which each athlete completed three rounds of a course, with a five-minute rest between rounds.
“It was a true test of fitness and endurance to complete the three rounds,” Keepa said.
“Again it was Zachary Cairns who dominated the males with Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae’s Max Phillips hot on his heels with consistent races to place second overall for the Under-19/open division.
“In the female U19 event, it was again Trelise Chote chased by Alice Sparks (Dawson Building Midway).
“In the open female race, Ella Sutton (Midway) took the overall win over Isobella Davoren (Papamoa). Both raced well, sharing the lead between them during many of the rounds.”
The action continued with a team challenge of relay water events before athletes moved to the sand track at Midway.
Riversun Wainui’s Rori Fukushima-Hall won the U15/17 male beach flags while Lilla Hain from Midway won the U15/17 female beach flags.
Keepa said it was a great opportunity for the athletes to race at Midway Beach, which is the venue for the 2025 SLSNZ Aon Lifesaving National Championships from March 6-9.
