Gisborne athletes in national squads,Local athletes make high-performance open squad

Cory Taylor

SURF LIFESAVING

SURF athletes from all three Gisborne clubs have been named in Surf Life Saving New Zealand high-performance squads following the national championships at Mount Maunganui last weekend.

Included in the open squad are Dawson Building Midway’s Cory Taylor, Chris Dawson and Olivia Corrin, and Casie Fyall from Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae.

Included in the development squad is Jamie Gedye from Waikanae.

In the youth squad are Ava Smith and Jack Keepa from Riversun Wainui, and Briana Irving, Christy Tate, Georgie Pitkethley, Lachie Falloon and Seven Mapu from Waikanae.

The athletes named will be eligible for selection into the Black Fins, Junior Black Fins and New Zealand Development team for international competitions.

Those competitions include the annual Sanyo Cup in Japan, and the International Surf Rescue Challenge to be held this year in Durban, South Africa.

“Final teams will be announced closer to each event,” a Surf Life Saving New Zealand spokeswoman said.

One of the selectors was Gisborne’s Michelle Mitchell, from Waikanae.