‘Top club’ title on line

THEY'RE OFF: The start of the under-10 board race at the Eastern Region Junior Surf Life Saving Championships at Midway Beach last month . . . junior surf lifesavers will be in action again at Midway on Monday for the Gisborne junior championships. Picture by Paul Rickard

THE “top club” title goes on the line this long weekend when the district's junior surf lifesavers contest their Gisborne championships, and big sea conditions have already played a part.

The solid southerly swell has forced organisers to postpone the championships until Monday at Midway Beach.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand club development officer Sonia Keepa said that due to heavy seas Midway the Gisborne/Tairawhiti Junior Surf Committee decided to postpone the event.

“We had hoped to start the champs tonight and continue tomorrow, but sea conditions are too dangerous down there for the youngsters, and also very unpleasant on the beach.

“The sea is set to moderate over the weekend, and the swell direction will change to south-east,” Keepa said.

When the champs get under way on Monday, about 160 youngsters from the under-8 division to u14s will be in action.

“We've still got clubs coming from Whakatane, Riversdale and Waimarama to battle it out with the Gisborne clubs,” Keepa said.

The junior championships trophy for top club will be awarded to the club with the most points at the close of competition.

Overall age-group champions will be found in all seven age divisions.

Midway won the Top Club title in the 2020 Gisborne junior championships.

“We are expecting a strong showing on Monday,” Keepa said.

“The young athletes got a good workout in the Eastern Regional Championships (ERCs) three weeks ago, so they will be well primed for these local championships.”

Dawson Building Midway will have a team of close to 70 involved.

“The kids are fizzing to get out there,” Midway junior coach Jared Phelps said.

“They got a taste of it at the ERCs and want to have another crack at it.

“I'm looking forward to seeing what the kids have got.”

Phelps would not be drawn on likely individual performers on Monday.

“The team events mean most to us as a club.

“That's where you build your culture, and develop good friendships, relationships and good athletes.

“We're hoping to excel in the Cameron relays and board relays,” he said.

“We've also got a couple of speedsters who should do well in the beach events.”

Riversun Wainui will have about 45 starters.

“It's really exciting to have the new crew in action at the champs,” head coach Dion Williams said.

“We've got a whole bunch of new kids ready to learn and get stuck into it.

“Charlie Keepa and Max Phillips should go really well in their age group, especially with the prospect of some surf,” he said.

“Quinn Lockwood and Gabe Lobb will be in there, too.

“They're good surfers and will do really well in the board races, particularly.

“The younger ones below them are certainly an exciting prospect.”

Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae club manager Clara Wilson said her club would have about 40 on the start line.

“We're really stoked to have a good team of young grommets getting out amongst it again,” she said.

“As was the case at the ERC junior champs, it will be a fairly young team, with lots of newbies. We're looking forward to seeing how they go.”

Chloe Kapene should be a standout performer for the club in the u14 events, given her outstanding form at the ERC senior championships.

“Jerome Tamatea is looking forward to hitting the beach flags pit again in his age group (u13),” Wilson said.

Midway and Wainui tied on points at the ERC junior championships three weeks ago, so the battle for the top club spot should be close, with Waikanae also in the mix.

The competition begins at 8.30am on Monday morning, and will run right through the day.

The u14 rescue events will be held at a twilight carnival on February 16.