A scuba diving invasion

SCUBA DO: The first family team to enter the snorkel-scuba race, the Edwards family.

Organisers of the Russell to Paihia Snorkel Scuba Race last month noted the event was not only one of the best in recent memory but it also raised $3900 to be shared between the BOI Coastguard, Russell Radio and Paihia Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The funds came from the fish auction with snapper, crayfish, trevally, and tarakihi on offer and raising $792 while the evening's dinner, prizegiving and auction at the new Paihia fire station saw $1325 raised. A report from organisers noted the forecast stormy weather did not eventuate nor did it put the hardy entrants off with some 14 teams competing this year, six of whom came up from Auckland to challenge the locals!

"It seems the people of the Far North love their 'quirky' events so we'll be back again next year for more fun and fundraising!"

The event itself, held on Saturday, September 20, saw a group of diving enthusiasts from Auckland winning the long-running and highly peculiar underwater contest for the second year in a row. The 32-year-old event sees five swimmers take turns to snorkel across the Veronica Channel while towing a decoy duck as a baton; the sixth team member completes the last 200m in scuba gear, then sprints up the beach and downs a beer.

The Auckland-based Wettie Young Guns completed the 3.5km Russell to Opua snorkel-scuba relay race in 44m:20s on Saturday, September 20, beating 14 other teams for the coveted trophy.

This year also featured a family team for the first time, the six members of the Edwards family of Kerikeri and Paihia, ranging in age from 11 to 53, finishing in a respectable seventh place. The race was preceded by the icebreaker swim at Paihia, in which children had to retrieve blocks of ice from the water to win prizes; while snorkel-scuba competitors also took part in a spearfishing contest, with the biggest catches auctioned for charity.

Snorkel-scuba race results: Wettie Young Guns 44:20s 1, Auckland Freediving Club Apnea Freaks 45:10s 2, Port Valley 51:46s 3, AFC CO2 Fanatics 52:41s 4, Port Valley Young Guns 56:10s 5, Wettie BOI 56:36s 6, Team Edwards 58:33s 7, Dominato 1:00:21s 8, Wettie #1 1:04:19s 9, Paihia Volunteer Fire Brigade 1:04:53s 10, Broadway Health 1:10:18s 11, Wettie#4 1:10:28s 12, Bay Bottom Crawlers 1:11:30s 13, Guns & Hoses 1:50:34s 14.