Aussie-based Gisborne lifeguard Taylor to captain the Black Fins

Gisborne and Midway's own Cory Taylor will lead the New Zealand Black Fins team again at the Lifesaving World Championships on the Gold Coast next week.

Gisborne’s Cory Taylor will once again captain the New Zealand Black Fins open team, who are in action at the Lifesaving World Championships.

The Gold Coast-based champs run from today - although the international part of the championships is being held next week - through to September 8.

Dawson Building Midway’s Taylor, who lives and trains on the Gold Coast, has captained the Black Fins at previous world championships.

He won the Ironman and board race at the 2022 worlds.

In 2023, he was unbeaten in the International Surf Rescue Challenge (ISRC) in Texas, the biggest international ocean and beach competition in the world outside of the worlds.

He is also a 10-time Nutri-Grain Ironman Series athlete and a five-time New Zealand Ironman champion.

This will be the third time Taylor has captained the Black Fins.

Black Fins campaign lead Steve Kent said Taylor was selected as captain in recognition of both his athletic prowess and the high regard in which he’s held by teammates.

“Cory is a truly great Black Fin. He has previous experience at both an international and world championship level and has demonstrated time and again a calm and strong leadership presence within the team.

“He speaks when it’s needed, and when he speaks, it’s always worth listening to.

“He’s an incredible athlete at an individual level, but he’s also a quintessential team player and works hard for the collective victory as much as for himself.”

The Black Fins team includes fellow Gisbornites Chris Dawson, Olivia Corrin, Briana Irving and Oska Smith, while Sophie Petro and Yahni Brown are in the Junior Black Fins (Under-19).