Plenty of Gisborne success at Champion of the Bays

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

Strong performances by Gisborne athletes were highlighted by second overall for Waikanae, an ironwoman win to Midway’s Olivia Corrin and shut-out performances by the Waikanae beach sprinters in the Champion of the Bays lifesaving carnival at Ohope.

The two-day carnival attracted several hundred competitors from Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and other parts of the North Island.

Waikanae speedsters Briana Irving and Casie Fyall took out under-19 and open women’s beach sprint and beach flags titles respectively.

Up and coming Waikanae youngster Seven Mapu was also untouchable, with wins in the u16 men’s beach sprint and flags.

Midway’s Corrin has only just got back into hard training, which made her u19 women’s ironwoman win even more meritorious.

Corrin also won the u19 women’s run-swim-run while clubmate Matt Scott won the open men’s run-swim-run.

Emerging talent Ruben Bronlund, of Midway, had a good win in the u16 ironman and board races. Midway’s Will Pittar won the u19 men’s ski final.

Waikanae’s female runners romped away with the u19 and open women’s beach relays.

Waikanae’s u19 men’s surf canoe team did the double in the short- and long-course event.

Waikanae also won the u19 women’s’ long-course canoe, were second in the u19 short course, and another Waikanae team were second in the open women’s short-and long-course events.

Wainui’s Jack Keepa was second in the u16 men’s run-swim-run and fourth in the u16 ironman.

Conditions 'suited the Gisborne competitors'Waikanae head coach Cory Hutchings said there was a mildly challenging two-to-three-foot choppy swell.

“That suited the Gisborne competitors, with our wave knowledge and higher level of surf skills.’

Under-19 competitor Georgie Pitkethley stepped up for her club, he said.

“Georgie won the under-19 women’s board and was second in the ironwoman to Olivia. She also won the board rescue in her age group and was part of our women’s board and taplin relay wins.

“She showed a lot of improvement from our last carnival in December, which reflects on the increased training she has been putting in.”

Waikanae were second to Mount Maunganui on overall points.

“But we didn’t have any masters or open competitors, and those points counted heavily for the Mount.

“Overall, with just 20 competitors, it was a great effort from the club to achieve that sort of result.”

Hutchings said all three clubs produced some outstanding performances.

“We’re training together a lot and it’s pleasing to see that success rate across the district.”

Midway head coach Matt Sutton said it was the best weekend of coaching he had enjoyed for years.

“Competitors like Ruben (Bronlund) and Will (Pittar) competed hard all weekend and were just amazing.

“The other two I was really impressed with were our first-year under-16 girls Sasha Fergus and Jess Fearnley,

“Those two had some great results, highlighted by their third place in the unber-16 board rescue.”

Sutton said there had been a noticeable change in the culture in the club.

“The whole group is really working hard and working hard for each other.”

Wainui head coach Dion Williams was impressed by Keepa’s performances.

“His swimming and board paddling were exceptional. He was there with the leaders in all his races and I was very proud of him,” Williams said.

“It was also good to see how well the Gisborne composite teams did, with athletes from the three clubs racing together.”