Midway's Ella Sutton will captain the New Zealand junior Black Fins at the International Surf Rescue Challenge next week. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media
Midway's Ella Sutton will captain the New Zealand junior Black Fins at the International Surf Rescue Challenge next week. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media
Gisborne teenager Ella Sutton will lead the New Zealand Junior Black Fins in their campaign at the International Surf Rescue Challenge next week.
Teams from 11 nations will go head-to-head at Mount Maunganui from November 27-30.
Sutton, a member of the Dawson Building Midway club, has been named captain ofNew Zealand’s junior team.
She was delighted to have been given the honour and said racing under the Silver Fern meant a lot to her.
Multi-talented surf lifesaver Ella Sutton is determined to lead her New Zealand junior team by example at the International Surf Rescue Challenge at Mt Maunganui next week. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media
“To be given the opportunity to compete on the international stage with such a great group of people is so exciting,” said Sutton, whose father Matt is a former New Zealand representative.
“Wearing the [black] cap on a New Zealand beach makes this experience all the more special this year, and I can’t wait to see what our team can do.”
Ella Sutton cannot wait to see how the Kiwi junior team goes next week at the International Surf Rescue Challenge.
Holly Fletcher, Surf Life Saving NZ’s performance pathway lead, said SLSNZ was proud of Sutton and the co-captains of the New Zealand Pathway team – Olive Pearce and Hamish Miller from Mt Maunganui SLSC.
“They have shown outstanding leadership qualities this year,” Fletcher said. “It’s exciting to see their progress, and especially to watch as they gain international experience on home soil.”
The Junior Black Fins team includes Sutton’s clubmate Jacqueline Kennedy, while the NZ Pathway team include Midway’s Sophie Petro and Waikanae’s Seven Mapu.
The Black Fins senior team will be led by Midway’s Cory Taylor and includes his clubmate Olivia Corrin, Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae’s Briana Irving and former Waikanae athlete Oska Smith, who is now with Bay of Plenty club Omanu.
