Race training day for Ohope

‘Something positive to end the season’: Competitors in the open double ski charge through the breakers at the national surf lifesaving championships in Gisborne last year. Surf athletes from the three Gisborne clubs will compete on Saturday as individuals in a race training day at Ohope, following the cancellation of the nationals, which were to be held there this weekend. File picture by Paul Rickard

SURF LIFESAVING

THE sport side of the surf lifesaving season has not ended after all for Gisborne surf athletes. A race training day is planned for Ohope on Saturday.

The 2021 New Zealand surf lifesaving championships were to have been staged at Ohope from Thursday to Sunday this week.

Last week’s decision by Surf Life Saving New Zealand to cancel the championships due to the Covid-19 levels, with Auckland at Level 2 until the weekend, has “gutted” lifeguards throughout the country.

The coaches from the three Gisborne clubs have been in touch with coaches in the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Auckland and elsewhere since last week’s decision to see what alternative event could be arranged.

“We wanted to give the athletes who will miss out on the nationals this year something positive to end the season,” Riversun Wainui coach Dion Williams said.

“We are planning what we are calling a racing training day at Ohope on Saturday.

“It will be a fairly casual day, not a carnival as such, but we hope it will give the athletes, who have been hugely disappointed by the cancellation, some fun to finish off the summer.”

Athletes from the three Gisborne clubs will attend, along with others from Mt Maunganui, Taranaki and possibly several other clubs.

They will compete without club caps, as individuals.

Williams said he would take a group of about a dozen over there.

Dawson Building Midway head coach Matt Sutton said his club would also have about a dozen athletes involved.

“Our university students won’t be there because they’ve had to go to uni, but our core group of athletes will be racing,” he said.

“We want it to be a fun way to end the season.

“These guys and girls are so used to aiming for mid-March for the nationals, this gives them the chance to put a lid on the season.

“While it’s designed to be fun, there will still be some intense racing between the Gisborne and Bay of Plenty clubs in particular.”

Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae head coach Cory Hutchings said the day’s racing will give the athletes an opportunity to have a bit of a “blowout”.

“It will also give them some closure on the season.”

About 15 from Waikanae will take part.

“We’ll be doing individual races like board, ski, ironman, surf race, and the beach events.

“Then we’ll have a mixed taplin relay competition with athletes from various clubs making up teams and competing together.”

The racing starts at 10am on Saturday at Ohope.