Ryan Welch fired big time as his Waimarama club finished second at the Central Regional surf lifesaving championships in New Plymouth during the weekend.
Welch won the open and under-19 board races and finished second in the under-19 ironman where he was pipped in the run up the Oakura beach by the New Zealand Development squad's ironman Daniel Nelson of Taranaki's East End club.
Waimarama finshed second to East End in the interclub section and Hawke's Bay were second to Taranaki in the inter-district competition which saw Western Districts finish third and Wellington fourth. The Bay contingent consisted of a 20-strong Waimarama team and smaller teams from the Pacific and Westshore clubs with the latter fielding a development side.
Waimarama won the men's open and under-19 taplin relays and finished third in the under-16 mixed taplin relay. They also won the under-19 and under-16 beach relays with both teams anchored by Kurt Petherick and Jason Harman.
Their clubmates Alyce Fulford and Rachel Hooker and Alicia McCormack and Zoe Nilsson were placed first and second respectively in the under-19 board rescue. Waimarama's domination of the board rescue continued when Sam Spencer and DJ Morris won their under-16 one.
Spencer also won his under-16 surf ski event. McCormack added another title to her CV when she took out the under-19 diamond lady.
Veteran Westshore competitor Chris Swain provided the highlight for his club when he won the open men's surf race. Pacific's Renee Baarspul won the open women's beach flags while her clubmate Charlotte Matthews took out the under-19 surf ski race.
SURF LIFESAVING: Welch in top form at regional contest
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