Waikanae dominant in the surf

INTO SHORE: Midway’s Jesse Blakeman (left) and Olivia Corrin on their way to second in the open women’s double ski. Picture by Paul Rickard

Waikanae SLSC took a stranglehold on the Ralph Morse Memorial Shield in the opening phase of the Gisborne-Tairawhiti senior surf lifesaving championships at Midway Beach on Saturday morning.

The defending champions scored 129 points across the double ski, canoe and IRB component of the championships, with Midway a distant second on 32.

Waikanae won 14 of the 19 events decided on Saturday, with a clean sweep in the IRB races.

Midway picked up five titles in the canoe and double ski events.

“It was a good start for us. We had good numbers of competitors turn up and they competed well across all three events,” said Waikanae head coach Cory Hutchings.

“That’s one of the strengths of the club. We cover everything really.”

Hutchings said the strong start was very pleasing.

“We have started the local championships strongly, but we want to strive to be competitive across every event.

“In the past Waikanae might have been strong in a few events, but now we work hard to be competitive across the lot.”

Midway’s head coach Matt Sutton said they were really happy with how the first phase of the championships went for them.

“The double skis and canoe results were a really good sign for us moving forward,” Sutton said.

“We are not concerned about the overall points situation.

“We are more interested in developing the athletes we’ve got.”

Wainui did not have IRB, canoe or double ski competitors on Saturday.

The second phase of the championships will be held in early February.

Results — Double ski

Open men: Waikanae A (Quaid Thompson/Jordan McLarin) 1, Midway C (Will Pittar/Callum Torrie) 2, Waikanae B (Sam Ferkins/Sam Middleton) 3.

Open women: Midway A (Annabel Higgins/Alex Bermingham) 1, Midway C (Olivia Corrin/Jess Blakeman) 2, Waikanae A (Lauren Pickett/Charlotte Blackburne) 3.

Open mixed: Midway A (Will Pittar/Alex Bermingham) 1, Waikanae A (Quaid Thompson/Lauren Pickett) 2, Waikanae C (Sam Ferkins/Seren Rogers) 3.

Surf canoe

Open men: Waikanae A 1, Waikanae B, 2, Waikanae C, 3.

Open women: Midway A, 1, Waikanae A, 2, Waikanae B, 3.

U17 men: Waikanae A 1, Waikanae B, 2, Midway, 3.

U17 women: Waikane B 1, Waikanae A, 2.

Surf canoe, run-canoe-run

Open men: Midway A, 1, Waikanae C, 2, Midway B, 3.

Open women: Midway A, 1, Waikanae A, 2, Midway B, 3.

U17 men: Waikanae A, 1, Midway A, 2, Waikanae B, 3.

U17 women: Waikanae B, 1, Waikanae A, 2.

IRB tube rescue

Open men: Waikanae A (Connor Mitchell/Clayden Hope) 1, Waikanae B (Sam Blackburne/Cole Williams) 2.

Open women: Waikanae A (Britta Carroll/Ana Naden) 1, Waikanae B (Aoife Fyall/Holly Hope) 2.

IRB single rescue

Open men: Waikanae B (Sam Blackburne/Cole Williams) 1, Waikanae A (Connor Mitchell/Clayden Hope), 2.

Open women: Waikanae A (Britta Carroll/Ana Naden) 1, Waikanae B (Aoife Fyall/Holly Hope) 2.

IRB assembly

Open men: Waikanae B (Sam Blackburne/Cole Williams) 1, Waikanae A (Connor Mitchell/Clayden Hope) 2.

Open women: Waikanae A (Britta Carroll/Ana Naden) 1, Waikanae B (Aoife Fyall/Holly Hope) 2.

IRB mass rescue

Open men: Waikanae A (Connor Mitchell/Clayden Hope) 1, Waikanae B (Sam Blackburne/Cole Williams) 2.

Open women: Waikanae A (Britta Carroll/Ana Naden) 1, Waikanae B (Aoife Fyall/Holly Hope) 2.