On your marks ... get set ... go! The sun beat down relentlessly as 48 top surf lifesavers battled it out at the transtasman Tri Series at Waipu Cove. Yesterday's competition was the second of three challenges that will be hosted on New Zealand shores this summer season. New South Wales Countryand Central Coast, both from Australia, competed against Kiwi team Northern Region in the competition. The swell was small but that didn't stop Ruakaka lad, Dylan French, 17, tackling the challenges head-on. He is the only Northlander selected for the team, which takes in all regions north of Raglan. "I just love it. I've always been right into the water so I just decided to start start surf lifesaving," the Whangarei Boys' High School student said. The keen swimmer has been riding a wave of success since he started with the Ruakaka Surf Lifesaving Club as a "nipper" five years ago. "The atmosphere is great. It's like a big family. Everyone has heaps of fun," Dylan said. He was named Sport Northland U19 Surf Lifesaving Athlete of the Year in 2008 and now represents the Red Beach Surf Lifesaving Club in Auckland. He hopes to take his sport to the world stage one day in the wake of his idol, Corey Hutchings. Official results of yesterday's competition were not available but event organiser Kirsten Bird said it looked as though New South Wales Country won, with Northern Region second. Three teams, each boasting 16 of their region's most fierce competitors, took to the waves to give more than 100 onlookers an entertaining spectacle. From sprints to relays, rescue, racing and iron man and women's competitions, the day was swell.
