The 750-plus competitors received a formal pōwhiri and a briefing before the action started in the Oceans 26 junior surf lifesaving carnival in Pāpāmoa today. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
The 750-plus competitors received a formal pōwhiri and a briefing before the action started in the Oceans 26 junior surf lifesaving carnival in Pāpāmoa today. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
Gisborne athletes produced some strong performances on the opening day of the Oceans 26 junior national surf lifesaving championships in Bay of Plenty.
The carnival at Pāpāmoa was held in metre-sized surf today with the waves expected to get a little bigger on Friday.
The surf races started Thursday’s programme.
While no one from Gisborne featured on the podiums in that event, there were some fine swims and close finishes.
In the Under-12 girls’ age group, Wainui’s Indy Williams was pipped for a medal, finishing fourth. Midway’s Zoe Gardner was fifth.
In the U14 girls’ division, Midway’s Sophie Phelps was fourth and clubmate Sophia Castles ninth.
Maisie Thorpe (Mid) was fifth in the U11 girls’ division and Elijah Grey (Mid) was seventh in the U11 boys’ division.
Wainui's Indy Williams went close to the podium at the Oceans 26 event at Pāpāmoa on Thursday after finishing fourth in the U12 girls' surf race final. Photo / Keepa Digital
Thomas Waide (Mid) was eighth and Ben Thorpe (Mid) 10th in the U12 boys’ division.
Xavier Booker (Wainui) was 11th in the U13 boys’ final, the best from Gisborne in that age group.
The U14 diamond (iron) heats were held and advancing to the semi-finals in the girls’ division were Midway’s Sophie Phelps, Sophia Castles, Charlotte Gray and Charlotte Willoughby.
Wainui’s Zoe Keepa and Natalie Hudson, and Waikanae’s Aurelia Hudson also went through.
Midway's Blake Taylor advanced to the semi-finals of the U14 boys' diamond race. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
In the U14 boys’ diamond, Blake Taylor (Mid) was second in his heat and clubmate Mason Wallace also made it through to the next round.
The U13 boys’ diamond saw Midway’s Toby Garrett and Harry Briant through to the semis, joined by Wainui’s Xavier Booker and Tyler Sheldrake.
In the U13 girls’ diamond, Alyvia Williams and Faith Evans from Wainui advanced to the semis, along with Midway’s Bree Barclay.
In the beach sprint on Thursday afternoon, Midway’s Lucy Spence was ninth in the U11 girls’ final and Waikanae’s Tyson Puddick was ninth in the U11 boys’ final.
The day’s programme was still going at the time of publication.
