Surfing: Harker haul helps Bay to League success

The Harker name lives on in surf lifesaving, courtesy of a dominant Bay of Plenty win in the Surf League under-16 division.

Fifty five years after Reg Harker won the first of five New Zealand surf race titles, his grandson Taris was an integral part of the Bay team which collected 251 points over the two days of competition in Mount Maunganui.

They eased home ahead of Auckland (213 points), with Gisborne third on 187.

"It's been great to compete in a team with strengths all over the beach," the youngest Harker said. "It's good to have grandpa and the whole family down here watching - Aunty Janine was down here yesterday too and it made this win even more special."

Janine Harker and her brother Kim - father of Taris - were also accomplished surf lifesavers, with Taris following in their footsteps as a specialist ski paddler.

Although Reg competed for the Waitemata and Red Beach clubs in Auckland, the whole family have recently moved up from Christchurch to Papamoa, where Taris has joined the local club.

At 74, Reg is still trim and fit, heavily involved in masters swimming and looking like he could still hold his own on the beach, where he won 11 national titles in all.

Bay of Plenty's under-16 win was their third in succession, helped by the dominance of ironmen Ben Johnston and Ben Cochrane and ironwomen Jess Miller and Katie Wilson.

Auckland's disappointment was tempered, however, by an equally impressive under-14 victory, clearing out to beat the hosts by 16 points. Bay of Plenty were second on 179, with Gisborne also claiming third in that division, ending on 163.

Auckland's under-14 effort was boosted by wins in the female surf teams race, the mixed rescue relay and sprinting victories to Kelsey Lewis (beach flags) and JJ Waru-Koroi (beach sprint).

Auckland also picked up five second-placings, under-pinning their consistency.

With the under-14 and under-16 competition finished, attention now turns to the under-19 and open events, which will be held over the weekend.