Surf lifesaving: Kiwis fight back for narrow loss

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Australia won the second surf lifesaving International Challenge, but proved unusually vulnerable in some of the events they were expected to dominate at Mt Maunganui's Main Beach yesterday.

The visitors won the first test by 18 points, but New Zealand bounced back to be just six adrift after the 26-event carnival.

Veteran beach flags expert Morgan Foster was determined to put his arch Australian rival under as much pressure as possible.

"Five years have been a long time but this feeling I've got right now was what kept me going," said the 35-year-old. "It's everyone's dream to wear your country's colours and to get first place."

Foster was also impressed with his teammates. "Chanel [Hickman] had a good win in the flags and she probably did it a bit easier than I did but we had to step up the game," said Foster. "We've been slowly slipping behind on the points' table so I really needed to go out and cane it here - hopefully, it gives us a snowball effect."

Multi-talented Teneale Hatton had just finished an outstanding performance in canoe racing in Australia and had a great paddle helping New Zealand grab second in the mixed ski relay with Travis Mitchell.

Hatton represented New Zealand at a three-day Grand Prix flat-water kayaking regatta in Sydney over the weekend, finishing second in the K1 500m and sixth in the K1 200m.

Another success story was Ayla Dunlop-Barrett, one of New Zealand's top surf swimmers who finished second in the surf race. "It felt way better than the first day and I think we're used to racing these guys now," she said. "They're so awesome and it was hard to try and step up to their level on Monday but I was stoked with how I went today."

Australian captain Shannon Eckstein warned that things will again get tougher for the home side in Friday's last test.