Cream of NZ junior crop in action

BLUE AND GOLD: Waikanae’s Emily Horne and Edan Wilson head for the finish line in the under-14 girls’ board rescue at the Gisborne junior championships. Waikanae, Midway and Wainui are involved in the Oceans ’17 national under-14 carnival at Mt Maunganui, which started today. FPS Photo

GISBORNE’S rising surf lifesavers are pitting their skills against the best young talent in the country at Oceans ’17 on Mt Maunganui’s main beach.

Hundreds of junior athletes are at the Mount for the New Zealand under-14 national championships, which started today and run to Sunday.

Nearly 900 entries have come from 46 clubs from as far north as Waipu Cove to as far south as Dunedin’s St Clair.

Gisborne is represented by Waikanae, Midway and Wainui.

Waikanae were second at the 2016 edition won by Omanu, while Wainui were eighth-equal and Midway, 19th-equal.

Midway go in as the reigning Gisborne junior champions, while at the recent Eastern region junior champs Waikanae’s overall fifth was the best of the Gisborne clubs.

The u14 nationals are among the biggest surf lifesaving events in the country and a training ground for youngsters to develop into lifeguards of the future.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand sport manager Mike Lord says the carnival is the high point of the junior season and many of the athletes have been training and competing at a local level in preparation.

“There’s always an amazing atmosphere at the Oceans carnivals as the kids give the competition their all but also display great sportsmanship, looking out for one another and cheering each other on.

“It’s a great chance for them to hang out with their mates in an environment that they love.”

The largest group of athletes at this year’s carnival is from Red Beach. The Auckland club has a 70-strong contingent while Mt Maunganui has 54 and Mairangi Bay, 52.

The under-13s comprise the largest age group, with 276 competitors taking to the sand and sea over the four days.