SURF LIFESAVING: Moodie brothers dominate nationals

SHANE HURNDELL
Hawke's Bay lifeguard Dan Moodie is considering a professional career in Australia after dominating the national surf lifesaving championships at Taranaki's Oakura Beach during the weekend.
"There's not as much money to be won in Aussie as there once was but it's still an option for me," Moodie said today.
The 18-year-old former Napier Boys' High School student who is still eligible to compete at under-19 level next year exceeded his own expectations with six gold medals at the nationals and for the second time in three years was judged the Male Competitor of the Championships. His golds were won in the open and under-19 ironman finals, the under-19 board rescue with Sam Cox and in the under-19 run-swim-run, surf race and board race finals.
With his younger brother Nick winning the under-16 ironman title the Moodie brothers captured all three male ironman titles up for grabs.
Tomorrow Moodie travels to Australia for a holiday and then next week will resume training as he will compete in the Australian nationals on April 1 and 2.
"I won't do as many events as I did in the weekend ... just half a dozen," he said.
At the end of winter Moodie will again travel to Australia to train and if does decide on the pro career he will have trials in January.
Nick Moodie also collected silvers in his under-16 ski race final and board relay final where he combined with Tim Cox and Hamish Beattie. Beattie captured another silver in his board race final where Nick Moodie gained a bronze to complete his four medal haul.
The Moodie brothers were among the major contributors to the Westshore club's fourth placing in the battle for the top club behind winners Red Beach of Auckland, second placed Midway of Gisborne and third placed Mount Maunganui.
Their clubmates Madeline Diver and Avril Turvey won the under-16 girls board rescue title and were third in the under 16 girls board relay with Melissa Earle.
World champion Nikki Cox bagged five medals, three of them gold. She retained her open women's ski race title and won two further titles in the double ski with Jess Berridge Hart and board relay with Berridge Hart and Amy Vaughan.
This trio were also third in their ski relay.
* Ocean Beach Kiwi lifeguards won five gold medals at the national masters championships in Taranaki last week. Ben Doggett won the 35-39 years ski race, Ben Bennett the 50-59 years ski race, Greg Larsen the 55-59 years ski race and beach sprint titles and this trio joined John Merritt to win their canoe race final for the second consecutive year.