COUNTING DOWN TO WORLDS

PUTTING IN THE MAHI: The Gisborne athletes in the New Zealand open and junior surf lifesaving teams are putting in the training hours as they prepare for the world championships in Italy next month, among them Waikanae's Lachie Falloon. File picture

The nine Gisborne surf life saving athletes in the Black Fins open and junior teams for next month's World Championships in Italy are hard at work with their final preparations.

Jack Keepa, Summer Rolston, Lachie Falloon and Oska Smith — all members of the Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae club — are in the 12-person junior team.

Dawson Building Midway's Cory Taylor, Chris Dawson, Oliva Corrin and Waikanae's Brianna Irving and Michael Hanna are in the 12-person open team.

Cory Hutchings and fellow coach Arna Majstrovic complete the Gisborne line-up in the two teams.

The world championships start on September 27 in Riccione, Italy with pool events, followed by beach disciplines.

“It's an exciting time,” says former world champion Hutchings.

“Taking the team to Italy after such a long time between world championships is pretty cool,” he says of his transition from athlete to coach.

“The event is usually run every two years but because the world has somewhat closed down due to Covid-19 we've had to wait an extra couple of years.”

Events will be split between the pool and the beach and there won't be a lot of cross-over for the open and junior teams.

That means Hutchings will not have the chance to see his Waikanae junior athletes competing.

But he knows they will be a formidable challenge for their international rivals.

“They've all prepared as best they can,” he said. “There hasn't been anything left to chance — that's for sure.”

He knows first-hand how the open athletes are shaping up, having recently been to the Sunshine Coast with the team for their final preparation camp.

“Cory, Liv, Chris and Brianna are all professionals.

“They know what they need to do to be ready to race at the world level.”