Masters medals for Gisborne clubbies as surf lifesaving nationals kick off

Wainui's crew of Nick Webb (left), Matt Logan, Salvatore Zame and Andrew Reid after winning gold in their male short course canoe final in the masters competition of the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships, which started today at Ōhope Beach.

Gisborne athletes wound back the clock as the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships got underway in Ōhope with the masters competition.

The Riversun Wainui and Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae clubs were in the medals, although it was Bay of Plenty clubs that dominated.

Omanu Beach compiled the most points overall, 661, with hosts Whakatāne second on 385, Pāpāmoa third on 197 and Mount Maunganui fourth on 162.

The Gisborne clubs were significantly smaller in numbers. Wainui were eighth-equal on 106 and Waikanae 10th on 99 out of the 40 competing clubs.

Wainui’s highlights included gold to Leigh Sheldrake in the 45 to 49 years female surf race and in the double ski with Belinda Slement, with the pairing faster than any other age group combo.

Sheldrake also won silver in the 45-49yrs board final.

Wainui’s canoe teams won two gold medals and a silver in their respective male and female age groups.

Wainui picked up two medals in the 45-49yrs female beach flags, with Vesna Radonich second and Rachael Williams third.

Waikanae’s highlights included individual gold to Joe Williams in the 35-39yrs male board race, silver to Arna Majstrovic in the 35-39yrs female beach flags and silver to Matt Cairns in the 40-44yrs male single ski.

Cairns teamed with Williams for silver in the 35-39yrs male double ski.

Joy Williams won bronze for Waikanae in the 40-44yrs female beach flags.

The masters is for athletes 30 years and over and traditionally kicks off the nationals.

The club champs got underway after the masters, and Gisborne’s Dawson Building Midway club enjoyed early success with Ella Sutton and Jaqs Kennedy claiming silver in the Under-19 female double ski final.

The four-day carnival started with fine conditions and enough surf to add extra interest to the day’s ocean racing.