Australian Sade Ferguson was the leading Under 17 girls skier at the annual Oz Kiwi Water Ski Challenge at Lake Wiritoa.
Australian Sade Ferguson was the leading Under 17 girls skier at the annual Oz Kiwi Water Ski Challenge at Lake Wiritoa.
Only a superb final leap from a young Aussie going well beyond his previous limit prevent the New Zealand Under 21 group from getting a team victory at the top end of the Oz Kiwi Water Ski Challenge at Lake Wiritoa over the weekend.
The Australian's won both the Under21 and Under 17 divisions, while the New Zealanders claimed the Under 14 team honours.
In the Under 21's, the final result came down to the jumps discipline and the Australians claimed it on a countback of 5m, which was all down to the last leap of Matthew Brown.
Brown made a monster 56.8m off the ramp, eclipsing his previous best of around 50m, to allow his team to overtake the Kiwis.
It was a familiar story told throughout the four days of competition, which began last Thursday, with several national records being broken.
Conditions stayed so hot at the lake for Saturday and yesterday that Meade joked even the North Queenslanders in the Australian team were beginning to feel the heat.
Whanganui's Lily Meade won the individual Under 21 women's division on her home water, with Australians Shania Brown and Chelsea Brien getting the minor placings.
Meade won the jump and tricks divisions, with her large tricks score being a personal best, which was enough to carry coming third in slalom.
The Under 21 men's grade was claimed by Australian Patrick Crisp, with countryman Harrison Harber second and Ashburton's Hugh Donaldson third.
It was an all-Australian top 3 in the Under 17 girls grade as Sade Ferguson was the winner from her sister Molly, with Layne Moroney in third.
In the Under 17 boys, Timaru's Will Gibson was the winner, with Australians Luke McNee and Ryan Sciacca getting the minor placings.
The Under 14 girls grade was won by Christchurch's Emily Milner, with Timaru's Alex Brown second after setting a national jumps record, while Australian Mila Bennett was third.
Under 14 boys was won by Australian Joel O'Toole, with Whangarei's Mitchell Williams second and Aussie Lucas Cornale third.
The skiers held their prizegiving in town last night, and the Australians fly home this morning.
