Aussies edge Black Fins

Gisborne Intermediate runner Briana Irving on her way to the Year 8 girls' title at the NZCT AIMS Games cross country in Tauranga. Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services

GISBORNE surf lifesavers played their part as New Zealand fell just short of upstaging Australia on their home beach in the International Surf Rescue Challenge yesterday. The Aussies won the third and final open test of the series at Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast. They had already won the first test on Thursday but New Zealand bounced back to claim the second test honours on Saturday.

The series was decided yesterday over the last six events of the day. Australia sneaked home with 77 points to New Zealand’s 75, with the United States third on 40. It gave Australia an overall total of 236, with the Black Fins second on 228, the United States third on 118 and Japan fourth on 106.

The New Zealand team featured three members of Gisborne club Midway — Cory Taylor, Chris Dawson and Devon Halligan, all of who are based on the Gold Coast. The trio contributed top-three performances throughout the series.

In yesterday’s test, Dawson won the surf race, Taylor and Dawson combined with Adam Simpson (Mt Maunganui) and Marty McDowell (Titahi Bay) to win the tube rescue and the Gisborne pair were also in the winning beach relay team.

Taylor was also third in the ironman to go along with his third placing in the first test and second behind teammate Max Beattie (Omanu) in the second test.

Halligan won the women’s surf race yesterday and picked up three second placings, including the ironwoman.

The second test, held on Saturday, was a thriller and ended in a historic first stand-alone test win for New Zealand over the transtasman arch-rivals. The Black Fins finished with 78 points, just one ahead of Australia. Again, the Midway contingent in the team contributed vital points.

Dawson was third in the surf race, second with Taylor, Simpson and McDowell in the tube rescue, second with Beattie, Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy) and McDowell in the taplin relay and third with Halligan, Peat and Simpson in the mixed surf team race with

Halligan won the surf race, was second in the board rescue with Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay), third in the board race won by McKenzie and second in the tube rescue with McKenzie, Natalie Peat (Papamoa) and Teneale Hatton (Piha).

Australia had the wood on New Zealand in the youth (under-19) series but it was also hotly contested. The Aussies won all three tests to finish on 185 points, with New Zealand second on 154 and the USA third on 74. The New Zealand team featured two Midway competitors — co-captain Matt Scott and 15-year-old Olivia Corrin. Both made significant contributions over the three tests.

Scott’s efforts included third, fifth and first placings in the surf race, two wins and a second as part of the tube rescue team, two seconds in the taplin relay and a second in the ironman in the second test.

Corrin underlined her exciting potential and machine-like stamina with multiple top-three performances on the sand and in the water. Among her highlights were a win and two seconds with Hannah Williams (Piha) in the board rescue, three wins as a member of the beach relay team, three seconds in the tube rescue and a second placing in the surf race yesterday.

Corrin and Scott were also members of the mixed surf team who posted a win and two seconds over the series.