Multisport: Breakthrough for Moors in ironman

Chris Moors claims victory. Photo / Jamie Troughton

Chris Moors has his sights on cracking surf lifesaving's elite series in Australia after a breakthrough ironman win in the national championships in Mt Maunganui yesterday.

The 26-year-old Red Beach competitor took out the blue-ribbon race from Westshore's Hamish Beattie, with Daniel Moodie - who has won the past five ironman titles - relegated to third.

Moors started a long season by finishing ninth in the Coolangatta Gold in Australia six months ago and he admitted he's now got some weighty decisions about where to go with his sport.

"I really want to have a good crack at that Kellogg's series in Australia and I'll just see how I go whether I do the Coolangatta Gold again later this year," Moors said. "The build-up to the Gold obviously treated me really well and the extra training meant I seemed to have a bit more left in me in that last leg of the ironman today."

Another streak-breaker was the Piha men's boat crew

The two crews have had a fierce rivalry but Piha's double victory - they also won the short-course title - was especially sweet for two retiring crew, Craig Knox and Bruce O'Brien, who have been rowing the Piha boat for 20 and 19 years respectively.

"We haven't had that bloody trophy for decades," sweep Mark Bourneville said. "That was the only medal those guys hadn't won and we managed to get it for them today. We're just delighted."

In recognition of 100 years of community service the 21 club represented the inaugural centenary plaque to Papamoa's Natalie Peat as the highest scoring under-19 athlete at the championships.

Mt Maunganui retained the New Zealand championship title with 129.25 points ahead of Papamoa (83.75) and Red Beach (69.5).

The championships were plagued from the outset when they were transferred from New Brighton and Mt Maunganui after the earthquake.

Nature nearly had the final say when the Japanese tsunami caused the Civil Defence Emergency Management organisation to stop water competition on Saturday, but the restriction was lifted yesterday and two days of water competition fitted into one day.