NZ up for battle at the mount

Gisborne teenager Olivia Corrin in training at Mount Maunganui this week for the International Surf Rescue Challenge. Corrin is co-captain of the New Zealand Black Fins youth team, who face four nations in the three-test series that started today. Picture by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services

WORLD champions New Zealand are competing on home sand for the first time since 2011 at the International Surf Rescue Challenge, which started in Mount Maunganui today.

The Black Fins open and youth teams are involved in the three-test series, which pits them against arch-rivals Australia and several other countries.

Among the Kiwi contingent will be Gisborne’s own Cory Taylor in the open team and his Midway clubmate Olivia Corrin, who is co-captain of the youth team.

Today’s test will be followed by a second test on Saturday and the third on Sunday.

Overall points will decide the open and youth champions.

The Tri Nations Challenge and Trans-Tasman Challenge is also being contested as part of the event.

Gold Coast-based Taylor and his Black Fins teammates went into the challenge as the world champions, dethroning the Aussies in Adelaide in 2012, then successfully defending the title in 2014 in France and last year in The Netherlands.

However, it has been six years since they have competed at home and the Australians boast an impressive record in the challenge, winning it in Japan in 2013 and Australia in 2015.

Other countries involved in the open challenge are Canada, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa and the United States.

New Zealand are competing against Australia, Great Britain, South Africa and the Americans in the youth challenge. Held every two years, the challenge features beach and ocean events.

Heading into the series, Black Fins open team coach Jason Pocock said they were in great shape and excited about competing in New Zealand for the first time as world champions.

Team captain Max Beattie said any time you represented your county in front of family and friends was special.

“Similar to last year’s world championship team, we picked a really versatile group of athletes and we’re all really looking forward to racing in front of a home crowd.

“We are concentrating on taking it race-by-race, supporting each other, and the result will look after itself.”

The Black Fins youth team are coached by former Gisborne man Matt Cairns, with Midway’s Matt Sutton his assistant.

All teams trained in the Mount this week, and also got out to the community, visiting schools and surf clubs.