Black Fins good to go

AMPED FOR IT: Gisborne surf lifeguards Olivia Corrin (pictured here) and Briana Irving (see next picture in this gallery) will represent New Zealand at the Lifesaving World Championships in Adelaide next week. Corrin leaves today with her Black Fins teammates. Irving heads to Australia at the weekend. Both have been training hard. Corrin picture by Paul Rickard, Iriving picture by Strike Photography

The New Zealand Black Fins teams are assembling in Adelaide this week to begin final preparations for the Lifesaving World Championships, and Gisborne’s Olivia Corrin and Briana Irving are ready for the challenge.

Midway 18-year-old Corrin is in the open team who are out to win their fourth consecutive world teams’ title.

Waikanae 16-year-old Irving is in the junior team determined to end Australia’s dominance in the youth age group.

Corrin’s Midway clubmates Gold Coast-based Cory Taylor and Auckland-based Chris Dawson are also in the Black Fins open team. Both have been part of previous world championship-winning squads.

There will be 44 other countries involved in the championships, which have attracted 4000 athletes who will compete in carnivals ranging from masters to interclub to the pinnacle open and youth events over the period November 16 to December 2.

Corrin is one of several newcomers in the open team.

“It’s really exciting,” she told The Gisborne Herald before she left for Adelaide this morning.

“I just cannot wait to get over there and race alongside some of my idols.”

The surf component of the championships will be contested at Adelaide’s Glenelg Beach while the pool component is at the nearby South Australian and Aquatic Leisure Centre.

The Black Fins teams are in action from Tuesday, November 20 to Sunday, November 25.

Corrin said her training had been going well.

“We’ve had several camps as a team this year, in New Zealand and in Australia, and they’ve been really good.”

She has a big schedule on the surf side — individual board, ironwoman, ski and swim disciplines, plus team events.Corrin will also compete in pool events.

The surf component will probably not be much different to the pool wave-wise because Glenelg Beach usually has a long wade and flat surf, apart from wind chop, she said.

“It’s going to be a really good experience to get out there and race against the world’s best, and learn from them,” she said. “It is going to be pretty nerve-racking first time at that level. But I want to go out there and give it all I have, and see what I get out of it results-wise for the team.”

Corrin said performing her best for the team was her main focus.

“I will do every single thing I can to help push the team towards winning a fourth world title, which would be great.”

Corrin raced in the Junior Black Fins team in The Netherlands two years ago, where they finished runners-up to the powerful Australians, but it will be a new experience for Irving.

“Like Olivia I’m really excited but I’m a bit nervous,” said Irving. “But those nerves will be like fuel for me to go harder.”

She will compete in the beach events — flags, sprint and relay — and joins the junior team in Adelaide at the weekend.

“I’ve trained hard. I’ve done a lot of running, some gym work and worked on my beach flags technique. I think I’m ready to go, and intend to do what I can for the team. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped me get there, my coaches and especially my family.”

Black Fins coach Jason Pocock said it was expected to be the biggest international lifesaving competition ever held.

“Our team members have been training furiously to compete in this biennial carnival.”

“We have good experience in our team, with seven of the athletes having raced in at least one world championship event in the past. This means there is a solid core of experience in the team, which is invaluable.”

The Black Fins won the open title at Adelaide in 2012, France in 2014 and The Netherlands in 2016.

Gisborne clubbies played parts in all these campaigns.