Waikanae IRBs set to race well

MEDAL CHANCES: Waikanae SLSC will have three crews racing at the North Island IRB championships in Waihi this weekend. Driver Britta Carroll and crewman Ana Naden, seen here competing for the regional team last month, have strong medal chances in the open women’s events. Picture by Paul Rickard

SURF LIFESAVING

WAIKANAE surf lifesaving club will have three crews in action this weekend at the North Island inflatable rescue boat championships at Waihi Beach, and they have medal chances.

A total 58 IRB rescue boat crews from 17 surf lifesaving clubs throughout the North Island will be racing.

Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae will have nine surf athletes involved altogether across the IRB single, assembly, tube rescue, mass rescue and team events.

“Driver Britta Carroll and her crewman Ana Naden raced really well for the Tairawhiti-Gisborne team in the recent inter-provincial championships in Gisborne,” head IRB coach Connor Mitchell said.

“I would expect that team to do really well in the open women’s events at Waihi.”

Mitchell will drive another boat with his crewman Oliver Shivnan in the men’s under-22 competition.

“We’ve done reasonably well in the past and hope to perform well again this weekend,” Mitchell said.

The third boat will be driven by Cole Williams, with crewman Sam Blackburne.

“They’ve prepared themselves quite well for this carnival, with solid training, and I think they are capable of some podium finishes.”

The three patients used this weekend will be brothers Harry and George Allan and Briana Ingoe.

Event manager Scott Bicknell expects fast-paced racing.

“A good swell is forecast for the competition this weekend, so the racing could be tough, with the waves adding another exciting element to the mix,” he said.

“It could get a little bit gnarly trying to navigate the surf.”

This weekend’s BP North Island IRB championships will be the first IRB event for the year. The BP South Island IRB championships will be run on March 16 at Dunedin’s Waikouaiti Beach, followed by the national IRB championships on April 6 and 7, also in Dunedin.