New Zealand in battles with Australia

WORLD CLASS: Midway member Chris Dawson at the world lifesaving championships in Adelaide last year. Dawson has made yet another national team — this time for pool rescue competitions in Germany and The Netherlands. Dawson won two gold medals at the New Zealand pool rescue champs in Auckland at the weekend, as did Wainui club member Jack Keepa (see the following picture in this gallery). Picture supplied

SURF LIFESAVING

BOTH New Zealand teams — the Black Fins and Junior Black Fins — are in battles with Australia at the Lifesaving World Championships in Adelaide.

The youth team, the Junior Black Fins — coached by Gisborne’s Matt Cairns — lost the overall points lead they had held overnight, despite having one of their most successful days at a world championship event.

They won 13 medals — four gold and nine silver — yesterday, yet still finished 16 points adrift of Australia. But the Junior Black Fins are determined to fight back in the pool events.

In the senior competition, the Black Fins had another strong day in the pool, with Midway’s Chris Dawson, St Clair’s Carina Doyle and Titahi Bay’s Steven Kent winning medals.

Head coach Jason Pocock said the team showed a lot of heart.

“Steven (Kent) made all the individual A finals for the second time, which is epic,” he said.

“We believe he’s the only person to have done this, and he’s now done it twice.”

The pool section ended with the Black Fins and Australia tied on points at the top of the standings.

This means New Zealand’s hopes of retaining the senior world lifesaving title rest on their performances on the beach and in the ocean today and tomorrow.

The senior and junior teams switched venues today, the Black Fins heading to Glenelg Beach for the ocean events, and the Junior Black Fins going to the South Australia Aquatic Centre for the pool events today and tomorrow.

Junior Black Fins coach Cairns said he was proud of yesterday’s performance.

“It’s been a huge team effort and you can see everyone is working really hard for each other,” he said.

“While I’m so proud of them, I’m not at all surprised. As coaches, we see the work they put in over months and years, and they’ve prepared really well. Now the world can see what they are capable of.”

Claudia Kelly, from New Plymouth’s East End club, won six medals yesterday.

They included the gold medal for the prestigious oceanwoman event. Kelly was up against two tough Australian competitors who finished second and third.

This was one of the toughest events on the schedule, due to its format that incorporated swimming, running, surf ski paddling and board paddling.

Another standout performance came from Zac Reid, who dominated the swimming races and won three gold medals yesterday.

Gisborne’s Briana Irving (Waikanae) was a member of the Junior Black Fins’ second-placed oceanwoman relay team, while Chris Dawson (Midway) won bronze for the Black Fins in the 50-metre manikin carry. (See story on back page)

Medals yesterday —

Black Fins

Bronze — 200m super lifesaver: Carina Doyle.

Bronze — 50m manikin carry: Chris Dawson.

Bronze — 100m manikin carry: Steven Kent.

Junior Black Fins

Gold — Oceanwoman: Claudia Kelly.

Gold — Men’s rescue tube rescue: Zac Reid, Oscar Williams, Declan Dempster, Lochlainn O’Connor.

Gold — Oceanman relay: Zac Reid, Declan Dempster, Oscar Williams, Aidan Smith.

Gold — Men’s surf race: Zac Reid.

Silver — Women’s board rescue: Tessa Bradley, Claudia Kelly.

Silver — Men’s board rescue: Lochlainn O’Connor, Declan Dempster.

Silver — Mixed ocean lifesaver relay: Sasha Reid, Claudia Kelly, Declan Dempster, Aidan Smith.

Silver — Oceanman: Declan Dempster.

Silver — Women’s rescue tube rescue: Sasha Reid, Macy Burns, Lucy Makaea, Tessa Bradley.

Silver — Oceanwoman relay: Sasha Reid, Lucy Makaea, Claudia Kelly, Briana Irving.

Silver — Men’s surf race: Lochlainn O’Connor.

Silver — Women’s ski: Claudia Kelly.

Silver — Women’s board: Claudia Kelly.