SURF LIFESAVING: Nikki puts study on hold for NZ team

SHANE HURNDELL
Hawke's Bay's latest New Zealand open surf lifesaving representative Nikki Cox will have some "catching-up" to do when she makes a late appearance at Waikato University in April.
Her selection in the New Zealand team for the March 22 and 23 Tri-Nations carnivals with Australia and South Africa on the Gold Coast meant she had to delay her start to a four-year Bachelor of Management course by almost a month.
"I was suppose to start on March 2. But I won't be going until April now ... I'll have some catching up to do," she said.
It will be one of the few occasions in her life Westshore's first Kiwi open rep will have some catching-up to do.
Because when it comes to surf lifesaving more often than not Cox, 20, is the one being chased.
That's likely to be the case this weekend when Hawke's Bay's first New Zealand open team rep since Ocean Beach Kiwi paddler Katrina Egan was selected in the early 1990s represents her club at the Waimarama-hosted Hawke's Bay championships. At last year's champs she collected 13 first placings, seven seconds and a third.
"I could compete in both open and under-19 events last year. I can't this year but I will still go in as many events as possible to help the club out and help my build-up for Australia and next month's nationals in Mount Maunganui," said Cox.
It was that unselfish approach from the versatile Cox at last weekend's Surf League finals in Mount Maunganui where Cox helped the Hawke's Bay open team finish third equal with Canterbury which secured her secure the trip to Australia.
"That selection is the highlight of my six-year involvement in the sport to date," said Cox, a product of Rudolf Steiner School.
In Australia she will compete in ironwoman, board, ski, beach sprint and beach flags events.
"Everything apart from swimming," she said. A member of the New Zealand Development squad since 2001, Cox proved she was ready for the next step up by winning the open women's board race title at last year's nationals and then by being the top woman in this summer's Dash for Cash series which is open to anyone in the country.
Her heavy training schedule, 20-25 hours a week, is another indication of her commitment to the sport. Like so many Westshore athletes, Cox is full of praise for the work put on by their coach Chris Swain.
"Chris has the passion to see other people doing well," Cox said.
That passion has obviously rubbed off on Cox. In between her busy training and competition schedules she also has time to coach and will join clubmate Dan Moodie, the country's top male lifeguard, in again coaching their club's under-14 team at next month's Ocean Athlete Championships in Mount Maunganui.
If the commitment Cox has given to surf lifesaving over the last six years is any indication, she will have no trouble catching up with her university commitments ... when she eventually gets there.