Top-five finish for Gisborne’s Midway at New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships

Midway finished the national surf lifesaving championships in style on Sunday when they won the final event, the open mixed taplin relay. Tyron Evans won a sprint to the line to pip Mount Maunganui. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

Midway were the fifth club overall and came home with eight gold, six silver and nine bronze medals from the Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships, held at Ōhope Beach last weekend.

The Gisborne club also had the final say in the last event of the four-day carnival on Sunday afternoon.

Midway's Sophie Warren won the U19 female beach sprint and was second in the U17 female final at the national surf lifesaving champs. Photo /Jamie Troughton - Dscribe Media.

Dawson Building Midway’s Olivia Corrin, Sophie Petro, Yahni Brown, Jacqueline Kennedy, Cory Taylor and Tyron Evans won a nail-biting open mixed taplin relay, pipping Mount Maunganui in a sprint finish.

Bay of Plenty’s Ōmanu Beach marched away with the top club overall honours, retaining the Alan Gardner Memorial trophy with 550 points – over 130 more than their 2025 total.

East End from Taranaki were second on 346 points, followed by Mairangi Bay on 328 points.

Midway were fifth on 165 points, Gisborne’s Riversun Wainui were 26th on 14 points and Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae 31st on nine points.

The New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships were blessed with four days of fine, sunny weather and surf conditions that gave all competitors a good chance to excel. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

Surf Life Saving New Zealand described the championships as an “incredible” four days of competition.

“Huge congratulations to all our medallists – what an achievement. From clubs who have brought one competitor to race to clubs with 40+ athletes, our community has shown such a high level of skill and commitment,” national event manager Luke Smith said.

“We’ve seen some stars on the rise, alongside senior and masters athletes inspiring the next generation.”

Midway teenager Jacqueline Kennedy showed her class on the ski, winning the Under-19 female final among other successes. Photo / Dominic Gasparich

Midway’s eight national titles went to Brown (Under-19 male surf race), James Hamblyn (U19 female beach sprint), Kennedy (U19 ski), Sophie Warren (U19 female beach sprint), Tyson Ingoe (U15 male beach sprint), the open male board relay (Cory Taylor/Jack Lepper/Tyron Evans), the U17 female board rescue (Emily Petro/Ella Sutton) and the open mixed taplin relay.

All top six places in the various events scored points and Midway’s accumulated points tally of 165 indicated how successful they were in the finals they made.

Among their silver-medal highlights were the U19 female double ski, in which Sutton and Kennedy were denied gold on the line; and Taylor’s second placing to Joe Collins, of the New Plymouth club, in the open male ironman final – one of the races of the champs.

Midway's Cory Taylor gave the blue riband open male iron final everything before finishing just metres behind winner Joe Collins. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

Midway head coach Jack Gavin said he was incredibly proud of his whole squad.

“Predominantly, they were newcomers to their age groups, so the results were very pleasing, quite outstanding,” Gavin said. “It shows a lot of promise for next year.”

Wainui came home with two titles.

Rori Fukushima-Hall won the U17 male beach flags and the club’s open female canoe crew of Rachael Williams, Vesna Radonich, Belinda Slement and Sophie Cook) won the long-course gold.

Wainui's open female team, who won gold in the long-course canoe, are (from left) Sophie Cook, Rachael Williams, Belinda Slement and Vesna Radonich.

Head coach Dion Williams said it was an “awesome” national championships.

“Beauty weather, little waves to catch, it really was a gem of a four-day champs and our [Wainui’s] team were unreal,” Williams said.

“In the canoe, Wainui’s prolific history in canoe continues with another gold to ‘the Golden Girls’.

“Rori Fukushima-Hall is extreme in his beach flags speed. He earned his gold. He was brilliant.”

Wainui's Rori Fukushima-Hall was interviewed moments after winning the Under-17 male beach flags. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

Williams said Betsy Findlay (eighth in U15 female beach flags) and Stavers King (sixth in U15 male beach sprint) were really good performers.

“Zyanja Rudge was in the top half of her [U17 female] swimming finals. She’s such a great kid to have around. Positive mindset rubs off on everyone and you can’t help but have fun.

“All in all, it was a great 2026 nationals.”

Waikane's Clancy Ryan leads the field around one of the turning flags at the national champs. He was one of his club's standouts. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services

Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae had its moments in the carnival.

Clancy Ryan was one of the club’s standouts, including a sixth place in the U15 male diamond.

Georgie Beaufoy was fifth in the U17 female beach sprint and fourth in the U19 female beach sprint.

Matt Latu was fourth in the U17 male run-swim-run.

Waikanae head coach Arna Majstrovic said she was “extremely proud” of their efforts.

“Our club is slowly gaining momentum with lots of positive coming away from the weekend. The culture of our club is something we are most proud of and we can’t wait for what’s to come next season.”

The 2027 New Zealand championships will be held in Christchurch.