Midway, Wainui clubbies tame the Mount Monster at Mt Maunganui

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

MIDWAY and Wainui enjoyed success as nearly 300 surf lifesavers took on the Mount Monster in Mt Maunganui yesterday.

The third running of the 25-kilometre race had individuals and teams competing over a course comprising a 5km beach run, 1.5km swim leg, 12km ski leg to Omanu and 6km board paddle.

The Midway team of Blake Brown (run), Matt Scott (swim and board) and Sam Newlands were first team overall.

They completed the course in two hours 18 minutes 14 seconds to win by 38 seconds from Piha pair Nick Berry and Olympian Steve Ferguson.

Midway also won the under-19 women’s division. Tyler Burgss (run), Olivia Corrin (swim and board) and Kirby Scammell clocked 2:37:22 — the fastest of the all-female teams.

The Wainui team of Jacque Klavs (run), Jack Virtue (swim), Jonty Low (ski) and Joe Puddick (board) won the u19 men’s division and were fourth overall in 2:22:06.

Callum Torrie provided the Gisborne highlight of the individual competition.

Midway’s Torrie was third in the u19 men’s division and 10th overall in 2:24:50 — an effort coach Matt Sutton said was just reward for the hard work he had put in at training in recent weeks.

Another Midway member, Danielle Scott, was ninth in the u19 women’s division in 2:56:09.

Omanu’s Ben Cochrane overcame severe cramp to win the men’s title in 2:20:14, heading off Papamoa’s Mason Bryant by 13 seconds, with Piha’s Ben Gillies (2:20:47) third.

Piha’s Kirsty Waanan won the women’s title in 2:33:20 from clubmate Hannah Williams (2:34:34) and Mt Maunganui’s Jess Miller (2:36:46).