State Beach Series: Choppy seas make for challenging event

Annabel Anderson. Photo / Georgia Schofield

It wasn't the best day weather-wise for competitors and supporters on Race 15 of the State Beach Series.

A great turnout of people showed up on Tuesday night at Takapuna Beach, despite miserable weather conditions.

A gusting 20-knot Sou'easter made the seas choppy for competitors providing a challenge for both paddlers and swimmers.

North Shore youngster Jackson Cropp was a notable participant who was absent this week. However NZ swimmer Steven Kent made short work of the conditions, taking the lead early on to finish in 17m 12" ahead of Axel Wholfarth who came in second while Sean Newcombe placed third.

A much better performance by the New Zealand lifesaver Kirtsy Wannan who made a comeback this week to take out first place in the women's event.

In the 5km men's run, Finn Mason charged ahead with Kostya Seleznev and Simon Maunder hot on his heels. Finn managed to maintain the lead to finish just seconds ahead of Seleznev in 18m 30". In the women's event, Tara La Grange dominated the field once again making this her 15th straight win of the series finishing the race with an impressive time of 21m 36".

Kiwi canoeist Steven Ferguson was back in fine form this week taking out the 5km Surf Ski paddle in a respectable time of 27m 35", 8 seconds ahead of Robbie Ford with Tim McLaren back in third. Dene Simpson blitzed the women's event coming home with a time of 30m 48".

New Zealand Stand up Paddle Boarder Jeremy Stevenson won the Men's 3km race. He was challenged throughout the entire race by NZ windsurfer JB Tobin and Troy Mcasey.

Stevenson won in 19m 18". James Spithill - the current Helmsman for the Oracle Racing team also took part in this event.

World Number two Annabel Anderson outclassed her competition winning convincingly in 19m 34".

Results:

Ocean Swim 1000/1500m - Male
1 KENT, Steven
2 WOHLFARTH, Axel
3 NEWCOMBE, Sean

Ocean Swim 1000/1500m - Female
1 WANNAN, Kirsty
2 O'CONNOR, Johanna
3 MCKENZIE, Danielle

Beach Run 5km - Male
1 MASON, Finn
2 SELEZNEV, Kostya
3 MAUNDER, Simon

Beach Run 5km - Female
1 LA GRANGE, Tara
2 EICHMANN, Jesse
3 EICHMANN, Jamie

Surf Ski Paddle 5km - Male
1 FERGUSON, Steven
2 FORD, Robbie
3 MCLARIN, Simon

Surf Ski Paddle 5km - Female
1 SIMPSON, Dene
2 WILSON, Tracy
3 DODWELL, Rachael

Stand-Up Paddle 3km - Male
1 STEPHENSON, Jeremy
2 TOBIN, JP
3 MCASEY, Troy

Stand-Up Paddle 3km - Female
1 ANDERSON, Annabel
2 ALEH, Jo
3 STUART, Victoria

Board Paddle 3km - Male
1 DONNELL-BROWN, Nico

Board Paddle 3km - Female
1 SPICE, Korrin

Junior Beach Run 2.5km - Male
1 HADDY, Josh
2 GOOD, Jake
3 SAXBY, Toby

Junior Beach Run 2.5km - Female
1 HARDEN, Brieanna
2 CROPP, Jacey
3 BURKITT, Sarah

Junior Swim 300m - Male
1 MCPHEAT, Adam
2 GRIMWOOD, Will
3 BRAMLEY, Jackson

Junior Swim 300m - Female
1 BROOKE, Elle
2 HARROWER, Lauren
3 HALLIDAY, Katie

Novice Swim 300m - Male
1 HARDEN, Joshua

Novice Swim 300m - Female
1 DALTON, Mackenzie
2 ALLEN, Jacqueline
3 FORBES, Candy