She was a stand-out, finishing a close second in the surf race and winning the notoriously difficult ironwoman.
Her performance helped the team to second overall behind Australia, who won the cup for the 11th consecutive year.
An equally strong showing by Corrin at a squad campaign on the Gold Coast the following month secured her selection in the Black Fins open team for the Lifesaving World Championships in Adelaide in November.
The honour of wearing the black cap is not one Corrin takes lightly.
“To be given this opportunity to race alongside the people who have inspired me most is incredible,” she says. “I’m looking forward to learning and developing a greater understanding of what a high-performance athlete is really about.”
New Zealand team coach Danny Morrison says she has more than earned it.
When Corrin first went to the event (in Japan) two years ago she was a talented junior athlete with plenty of potential, he said.
“The last two seasons have seen her skills and strength across multiple disciplines develop significantly — to the point where she can be considered among the best female ironwomen internationally.”
While not every race went her way, her performance in the ironwoman was outstanding, Morrison said. Corrin raced “hard and smart” against some of the best ironwoman athletes and came from behind to pass the reigning Australian ironwoman champion to take the win.
“The victory meant a lot to her, not only for this event, but for her confidence in moving up to the open grades locally and internationally.”
As one of the few athletes in the team required to race in the board, swim, iron and running events, Corrin pushed herself to the limit every time she put her foot on the line, Morrison said.
“Her contribution on and off the beach was world-class and we are very lucky to have her wearing the silver fern.”
On the beach, the Kiwi team members took part in an outreach programme, sharing their lifesaving skills with visiting school children.
Gap year on the Gold CoastLater they went off the beach, taking a bullet train to 1945 atomic bomb site Hiroshima, which Corrin found deeply affecting.
“It was a huge eye-opener and really moving to get the feel of what happened there,” she says.
“That sort of experience is all part of competing in surf lifesaving.
“You aren’t just racing . . . you get to learn about other people’s cultures and get an understanding of what is important to them.”
As well as successfully trialling for the Black Fins at the Gold Coast camp, Corrin did extra training with the Northcliffe club, which she joined to ensure she had a solid base in Australia.
She still competes for Gisborne club Midway but says the base over Tasman will be invaluable when she takes a gap year on the Gold Coast in 2019 and doubles down on an already rigorous training regime.
“It’s all part of my goal of making the Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series,” she says.
“The woman I beat to win the ironwoman event in Japan is the Australian national champion so that’s given me a huge confidence boost.”
Until then, she still has her last year at Gisborne Girls’ High to complete — in between training, of course.
“It is tough having so much time away but I try to make the best of my time at school to get the work done,” says Corrin.
“I do miss out on a bit but it’s all worth it to be able to pursue what I love and am most passionate about.”
