Surf Lifesaving: Anderson team heavy with stars

Glenn Anderson. Photo / Jamie Troughton

New Zealand surf lifesaving captain Glenn Anderson will make a return to the beach as he tries to help his Taranaki team retain the New Zealand Surf League title in Mt Maunganui.

Anderson has opted to sit out the International Surf Challenge as New Zealand battles four other nations over three tests from January 31 to February 4, resting after a gruelling international campaign last year at the world championships. But he'll lead a star-studded Taranaki team for the two-day inter-provincial championship on February 5 and 6, which also features a team from New South Wales.

Included are national beach flags champion Steve Harris, world flags champion Paul Cracroft-Wilson, national surf race champion siblings Ayla and Dylan Dunlop-Barrett and world champion IRB champion Andrew Cronin.

Auckland, second last year, have national representatives Travis Mitchell, Kirsty Wannan and Rachel Clarke to call on, as well as ironman Chris Moors.

The two-day event will feature under-19 athletes competing on Mt Maunganui's Main Beach in the morning and senior athletes in the afternoon.

It is the final event in the nine-day Festival of Surf Sports, helping celebrate 100 years of the movement in New Zealand.

- NZPA