Waikanae's Harry Allan and Travis Mitchell and patient Aengus Bettridge on their way to victory in the open men's single rescue final at the national IRB championships in Gisborne. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
Waikanae's Harry Allan and Travis Mitchell and patient Aengus Bettridge on their way to victory in the open men's single rescue final at the national IRB championships in Gisborne. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
Gold to Waikanae in the open male single rescue and a four-gold haul for Midway masters were the local highlights of the Surf Life Saving New Zealand IRB championships in Gisborne over the weekend.
The BP inflatable rescue boat (IRB) nationals, hosted in glorious autumn conditions at Waikanae Beach, producedtight racing and strong performances.
Three intense days of racing resulted in Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service from Port Waikato emerging the overall club champions decisively on 153 points, followed by St Kilda (Dunedin) on 69 and Sumner (Christchurch) on 50.
It was Sunset Beach’s second successive overall honours at the annual champs.
Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae finished fourth on 39 points.
“That was a phenomenal result for us to finish so well on our home beach,” the club’s IRB coach Connor Mitchell said.
Waikanae’s open male team of Harry Allan (driver), Travis Mitchell (crew) and Aengus Bettridge (patient) won the prestigious single rescue title in a thrilling finish in the run up the beach, heading off Australian club Kirra.
Happy family ... Brent and Michelle Mitchell (from left) with their boys Connor and Travis Mitchell, who flew the Waikanae flag high over the three-day carnival. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
“We were pretty stoked ... it was a good, tight race,” an ecstatic Allan said.
He and Travis Mitchell had not raced together for a couple of years.
“We’re stoked to be here, that’s for sure.”
They also won silver medals in the tube rescue and mass rescue and were fourth in the assembly rescue.
That success saw them named overall top open male crew.
Allan and Travis Mitchell joined forces with Connor Mitchell (driver), Callum McKenzie (crew) and patient Lucas Thompson to claim bronze in the open mixed team final.
“We were all over the moon with the results achieved by Harry and Travis,” Connor Mitchell said.
Waikanae A driver Connor Mitchell hurtles round the buoy as crewman Callum McKenzie hauls their patient on board. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
Dawson Building Midway’s masters crew of Matthew Kemp (driver), Alan Thorpe (crew) and patient Emily Atkins went through the competition unbeaten.
They won the tube rescue, assembly, mass and single rescue finals.
Midway's masters crew had a tremendous IRB nationals, winning four gold medals (from left): Alan Thorpe, Libby Dalcom, Emily Atkins and Matthew Kemp. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
Kemp and Thorpe were in a class of their own across the championships and were rightly judged top male masters crew.
“We’re happy with the result, especially given that we did no training,” Kemp said. “Alan and I are proud we could go out and do it without a lot of preparation. We hope it sparks a bit of interest at club level, here and elsewhere, to grow the sport.”
Riversun Wainui’s open female crew of Ruby Lobb and Zyanja Rudge gave it their best and impressed in their first IRB competition.
Speed was key in the small surf conditions. Waikanae's Connor Mitchell and crewman Callum McKenzie go flat out on their way back to the beach. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
SLSNZ general manager sport Zac Franich congratulated all crews who took part.
“You’ve shown that IRB racing continues to go from strength to strength and New Zealand surf lifeguards are world-leading.
“Thank you to our committed and skilled volunteers and officials who are the backbone of our sport, to our awesome host club Waikanae, and thank you also to major partner BP, who make it all possible.”
Wainui's young crew of Ruby Lobb (driver) and crewman Zyanja Rudge gave it their best shot at their first experience of the nationals. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services
Results
Tube rescue – Under-19 female: Fitzroy 1, Sunset Beach 2, St Kilda. U19 male: St Kilda 1, North Beach 2, Fitzroy 3. U23 female: Sunset Beach 1, St Clair 2, Kurrawa (Australia) 3. U23 male: Sunset Beach 1, Baylys Beach 2, Waihī 3. Open female: Sunset Beach 1, Kurrawa (Aust) 2, Nelson 3. Open male: Sunset Beach 1, Waikanae 2, Sumner 3. Masters male: Midway 1, North Beach 2, Fitzroy 3.
Assembly – Masters male: Midway 1, St Kilda 2, Sunset Beach 3. U19 male: Waimarama 1, Sumner 2, Sunset Beach 3. U19 female: Sunset Beach 1, Spencer Park 2, Ōpunakē 3. U23 male: Sunset Beach 1, Ōpunakē 2, Waimarama 3. U23 female: St Clair 1, Sunset Beach 2, Waimarama 3. Open male: Sunset Beach 1, Sumner 2, St Kilda 3. Open female: Sunset Beach 1, St Kilda 2, Sumner 3.
