A golden start to the day at Pāpāmoa Beach was perhaps a sign of things to come for Gisborne athletes at the Oceans 26 junior lifesaving carnival today. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
A golden start to the day at Pāpāmoa Beach was perhaps a sign of things to come for Gisborne athletes at the Oceans 26 junior lifesaving carnival today. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
A family tradition was continued at Oceans 26 when Indy Williams led all the way to take the gold in the Under-12 girls' board final. Her father and uncle are previous national open and junior board champions. Photo / Jaimee Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
A magic moment for Wainui youngster Indy Williams, the New Zealand U12 girls' board champion. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
Midway’s Blake Taylor then stepped up to win the U14 boys’ final. He also won his heat and was second in his semi.
Midway's Blake Taylor produced a powerhouse performance to win the U14 boys' board final. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
Eva Summerlee, from Wainui, completed the Gisborne treble by winning the U11 girls’ board final after topping her heat and semi.
Wainui's Eva Summerlee on her way to gold in the under-11 girls' board event. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
“Indy and Eva both got off the beach first in their finals and caught a wave on their own to win. They led from start to finish,” Wainui’s head coach Dion Williams said.
“Blake Taylor was super strong in his final – a really good win.”
Midway’s Maisie Thorpe was fifth in the U11 girls’ final and clubmate Lucy Spence was ninth.
Benjamin Thorpe (Mid) was fourth in the U12 boys’ final, clubmate Noah Atkins was sixth and Jasper Shand (Wainui) was eighth.
Tyson Puddick (Waikanae) finished eighth in the U11 boys’ board final.
The beach events continued today.
Midway was fourth in the U11-12 mixed beach relay and Wainui was fifth out of 68 teams.
Surf races started Thursday’s programme and while no one from Gisborne featured on the podiums in those events, there were some fine swims and close finishes.
In the U12 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 also fourth.
Maisie Thorpe (Mid) was fifth in the U11 girls’ division.
Midway's Sophie Phelps is giving it everything for her club at the Oceans 26 national junior surf lifesaving carnival. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
The U14 diamond (iron) heats were held Thursday 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.
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.
Wainui's Xavier Booker negotiates a tough shore break to get through to the semi-finals of the diamond (iron) event in his age group on Thursday. Photo / Jamie Troughton – Dscribe Media Services
In the U13 girls’ diamond, Alyvia Williams and Faith Evans, from Wainui, advanced to the semis, along with Midway’s Bree Barclay.
In the 2km beach relay on Friday, Wainui finished 20th and Midway 32nd out of 92 teams.
