SLSNZ Surf Rescue Magazine

nov ‘11....issue

47

SURF RESCUE Nothing dusty about Slim... Quake update... Pool champs action...

a fresh start the next 100 years

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from the editor’s desk

Somewhere between it snowing in downtown Auckland and Stephen Donald helping the All Blacks win the Rugby World Cup, I decided to add another highly unlikely scenario. My resolution? To get fit, get motivated and join a surf club.

I’m sure you’ll all agree that one out of three ain’t bad, especially if it’s the latter and I’m proud to say I’m now a qualified surf lifeguard. A few of you, however, made thinly veiled comments like “took your bloody time, didn’t you?” – to which the only response was, yep, guilty as charged.

It’s been five years since I first started covering sports events for Surf Life Saving New Zealand, half a decade hanging out at the beach watching inspirational athletes. Heck, I’ve even watched the boaties too (just kidding, you lot). My one regret is that I didn’t find the movement earlier, growing up on a farm in land-locked Matamata.

The ocean has always held a deep resonance for me but I never made the mental leap and realised just how much surf lifesaving could offer. Well, you’ve got me now. When I passed my surf award, along with a couple of dozen super keen fellow clubbies one cold afternoon at Papamoa, a sense of belonging settled over me. In it for Life, indeed.

There will be tough times. The next day at Papamoa, for example, a tide of putrid tar washed up on the pristine shore (see Rena feature on page 8) but surf lifesaving in this country has 100 years of resilience and resolve to call on.

Above all, the movement is brimming with intelligent, warmhearted folk with a strong sense of public service, everywhere from the keenest young nippers, right up to our interim chief executive (see page 7) and to our octogenarian patrollers (see page 39).

The good folk of Sumner know better than anyone there’s more to a surf lifesaving club than mere bricks and mortar, as you’ll see in our story on page 30. The devastating earthquake in the Garden City in February, five months after the initial 7.1-magnitude tremor, left their clubhouse in the lurch, in every way you can think of.

Did Sumner clubbies buckle with their building? Not on your life – with a little help from some Gizzy cuzzies, members are determined to come back stronger and celebrate their own centenary this season. And speaking of Gizzy cuzzies, we’ve found some awesome Maori leaders spreading the surf lifesaving gospel up in Tolaga Bay – read about their innovative tactics on page 24.

This edition of Surf Rescue is about the people with surf lifesaving tattooed on their soul, who live and breathe and love in yellow and red shades every day. Forget brands or buildings or boats or beaches – those members are our most important resource.

I hope you enjoy their stories.

PHOTO: JOHN ROY

JAMIE TROUGHTON EDITOR SURF RESCUE MAGAZINE

FEATURES: EDITORIAL: Jamie Troughton Contents page

Disclaimer Surf Rescue is the official magazine produced

by Surf Life Saving New Zealand Incorporated (SLSNZ), designed and published by MO Design Co. Advertising and editorial statements do not necessarily reflect the views of the organisation, its executives, the board, the publisher or the staff, unless expressly stated.

Any communication can be forwarded to the editor (contact below).

Surf Life Saving New Zealand PRESIDENT Mr Bob Harvey, QSO, JP

Board Michael Bassett-Foss (Chairman), Warwick Bell, Andrew Lancaster, Nicki Nicol, Brent Warner, Colin Weatherall

Staff INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE Pat Waite GENERAL MANAGER - BUSINESS Paul Read GENERAL MANAGER - PROGRAMMES & SERVICES Brett Sullivan GENERAL MANAGER - CLUB DEVELOPMENT Matt Warren ACTING FINANCE MANAGER Cheryl Lyster ACTING HEAD OF OPERATIONS Joanna Matthew For a full list of SLSNZ staff members, see www.surflifesaving.org.nz/contactslsnz

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Inc Level 3, 202 Cuba St PB Box 9205 Wellington New Zealand Ph 04 384 8325 Fax 04 385 4381 INTERNET www.surflifesaving.org.nz FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/surflifesaving TWITTER www.twitter.com/slsnz

Surf Rescue Magazine Surf Rescue is delivered free to members of Surf Life Saving New Zealand.

EDITOR Jamie Troughton Dscribe Journalism info@dscribe.co.nz ASSISTANT EDITOR Jamie Nilsson jamie.nilsson@surflifesaving.org.nz DESIGN MO Design Co studio@modesignco.com PRINT

5

features

7

THE BOSS What makes Pat Waite tick? Take a moment and he’ll tell you – SLSNZ’s chief executive is new to the organisation but a veteran of similar ideals.

10 OLYMPIC AMBITIONS

THE BLACK TIDE

8

From Ohope to London – Lisa Carrington tells us about being a world champion kayaker and how much mongrel you need to win a ski race.

16

NOTHING DUSTY ABOUT SLIM

Sadly, we’re not talking about the Rugby World Cup. Papamoa was in the path of a horrible oil spill from the grounded ship Rena. See how the local lifeguards responded.

THE COAST WITH THE MOST

PETROL HEAD PARADISE All the fun and fumes from the first round of IRB racing’s new series.

34

Tolaga Bay is better known for its wharf than its surf sports but a couple of good keen men are hoping to change that.

24

He’s our youngest-ever board member but Andrew Lancaster is treating his elevation as just another step in a remarkable surf career.

QUAKE UPDATE After the turmoil, the Sumner Surf Club is getting back on its feet, thanks to the generosity of the surf lifesaving movement.

30

18 POOLING TOGETHER

22

A FRESH START New surf sport series set to boost carnivals and keep our top athletes charging before Rescue 2012.

All the action from the national champs.

HUEY’S BACK! The god of surf returns and finds that Mark Bourneville is often licked but never beaten.

46

DANNY’S DOUBLE ACT A good start, a stutter and what’s next for our Ironman as he battles it out with the best of the best.

38

Surf Life Saving is grateful for the continued support of our principal funder the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

Over the last ten years the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board has, through their annual grants process, allocated over $20m to Surf Life Saving. Without this support we would struggle to sustain the level of service currently provided by Surf Lifeguards throughout New Zealand.

Thank you.

46 SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

6

HEADS UP: News Briefs

Heads up Surf Education

Christchurch clubbie/ architect David Hill won a Canterbury Architecture Awards category for designing a lifeguard tower at Woodend Beach, which he patrolled as a teenager. The Chair had replaced the old lifeguard tower, which had stood for more than 30 years.

Awards jury convener Stephen Crooks said the project was a simple but brilliant concept, superbly executed.

“You can’t help smiling when you see this little building sitting amongst the windswept dunes,” Crooks said.

We have launched a new education brand. Check out the new website at

STATE OCEAN SWIM SERIES

To promote health and well being in our communities, Quantum Events and principle partner State have an exciting six-event ocean swim series on offer this summer. With five years’ proven event success this series is founded with pride, an excellent reputation and a promise to deliver first-class events. To find out more visit:

www.surfeducation.org.nz

Keep up to date with all the SLSNZ events this season at the events section of the website www.surflifesaving. org.nz/slsnzevents

PHOTO: Dougal Holmes

Former SLSNZ guru Mark Weatherall has continued his winning ways, helping Poverty Bay win the Lochore Cup in his first season as Chief Executive.

WEAR YOUR VEST

This season an addition has been made to our Health and Safety; athletes will now be required to wear high visibility competition vests to compete in Regional and National events.

www.oceanswim.co.nz

100 years Since 1911 the Maranui Life Saving Club has been actively training surf lifeguards and providing voluntary patrols.

Maranui celebrates 100 years this season. www.maranui.co.nz

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p

SLSNZ has received a $250,000 Government grant, which will go towards SLSNZ leadership programme!

RESCUE OF THE MONTH

International win!

information for this season’s closing dates and more visit: www.surflifesaving.org.nz/ rescueofthemonth

Facebook and www want to keep up to date with SLSNZ like the Facebook page at www. facebook.com/ surflifesaving and get updates via RSS straight to your Outlook.

Morgan Foster from South Broghton has won the Japanese national beach flags title in Kanagawa, Japan.

NATIONAL JANDAL DAY Slip on your jandals again this year on Friday December 2nd 2011. NJD is proudly supported by State.

Like the NJD official Facebook page for your chance to win www.facebook.com/ nationaljandalday

Midway’s Cory Taylor finished fourth, Lyall Bay’s Tyler Maxwell ninth and Omanu’s Dan Hooker 19th in the under-19 division of the iconic Coolangatta Gold race.

The distinctive voice of our announcer for 50 years at national and regional championships is sadly no more. Syd Jago passed away recently in Hawke’s Bay after a short illness. Syd had a distinctive style, a great memory for names and the voice of change. He had a mellow and unflappable voice and he was a pioneer of announcing from the days when many carnivals would start up a generator to crank up the sound, to the highly professional sound systems of carnivals today. Working closely with Reg Schou, they were a winnable combination PHOTO: Harvie Allison

PHOTO: 21 Club

and Syd was the voice of the national championships. A warm and affable

LAST SEASON STATS

personality, he will be greatly missed by all who came to know him and the Surf Life

Total hours

Preventative Actions

First Aids

2,061

Saving family sends out deepest sympathy to

Rescues

Safety Interventions

Searches

By Bob Harvey

199,078 1,317

101,891 524,065

322

Syd’s wife and family.

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

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FROM THE PRESIDENT: Bob Harvey

Plenty of challenges for our second century Our centenary celebrations went off in style last season but Surf Life Saving New Zealand President Bob Harvey believes embracing diversity is the key for the next 100 years.

It is with the greatest pleasure that I welcome you to our second half, the beginning of our second century between the flags.

This next era has already started in style. Recently at Auckland’s Maritime Rescue Centre, Prime Minister John Key - a great friend of our movement and father of newly-qualified lifeguard Max - handed over a cheque for $250,000 as a way of saying thank you.

It was a sincere thank you for 100 years of dedication and service and this generous gift shows the respect

carry our flame well into the next 100 years.

I believe this leadership programme will restart Surf Life Saving New Zealand and I’d like to think it will bring more diversity than our last century.

It will grow and deliver a richer organisation and reflect the changing culture and society we now live in.

We need, through schools and groups that surround us, to build greater partnerships with the different ethnic groups that are missing from our clubs.

that we have earned from the people of New Zealand

New Zealand has changed in recent decades and we

and the Government.

need to understand that change and to work with it.

We go into this new century stronger and, if a little

In the Auckland region, we need to see Asian,

challenged, we realise we are now one organisation

Indian and Polynesian involvement and we certainly

with a great future ahead. This future needs to be

need, throughout New Zealand, to grow a Maori

owned by surf lifesaving and our partners - luckily the

partnership with youth and young leadership.

strength of our sponsorship and our relationship with our communities has never been better.

I’d like to acknowledge the extraordinary rich friendship that we developed with the out-going Governor General of New Zealand, Sir Anand Satyanand, and we look forward to welcoming, as Patron, our new Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae.

At the annual meeting in Hamilton in September, we acknowledged our brightest and greatest pioneers that are living today in our life membership awards.

I’d like to add a personal congratulations to them and welcome them to the list of giants who made our organisation what it is today.

You can read about the Tolaga Bay innovations happening right now further into this magazine – it’s a great example on how we can benefit and grow.

Like the All Blacks, who were once nearly all Pakeha, we need to recognise change. We need to try harder as we did in bringing women into our organisation.

We now have to add a welcome to newer voices and convert visitors to our beaches into lifesavers.

I’m very optimistic this season will be a great one for us and I welcome every lifeguard in New Zealand to be part of who we are, what we do and what we can be.

Have a great season!

Our newest life members are: Trevor Corkin, Rodger Curtice, Dave East, Tim Jago, Murray Kemp, Garry Mace, Dick McAllister, Eoin Waugh, Murray Wilson and Ron Stack.

In the years ahead, we need to grow our organisation in new and exciting programmes, like the leadership innovation that the Prime Minister acknowledged in handing us the Government cheque.

This outstanding programme will see us growing from

Bob Harvey, QSO, JP

within our organisation, a new leadership profile to

President, Surf Life Saving New Zealand

LEADING THE WAY: SLSNZ PRESIDENT BOB HARVEY SPEAKS AT THE MARCH-PAST AT THIS YEAR’S NATIONALS. PHOTO: ROSS MALYON

FROM THE CEO’S DESK: Pat Waite

New job old passions

LATEST CONVERT: INTERIM SLSNZ CHIEF EXECUTIVE PAT WAITE PRESENTS MEDALS AT THE STATE NEW ZEALAND POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON

He’s the interim head of Surf Life Saving New Zealand and we thought we’d give chief executive Pat Waite the chance to tell us a little bit about himself.

I grew up in Taranaki and going to the beach was

In 2007, I took a year out, working as a volunteer with

Financial challenges are not that difficult to fix – they

part of our family tradition, though I remember with

Rotary International as a district governor.

just require lateral thinking, using networks to ask for

embarrassment my mother stalking the sand on Ngamotu Beach, petrified I’d go too far out.

During that time, my wife Melva and I went to India

help and by talking and communicating.

to help the polio immunisation programme in the

This is exactly what is happening with SLSNZ. We are

It definitely started a love affair with beaches and

slums of Firozabad and we returned this year with 30

back on track financially and we are also rebuilding

water and now we have a holiday home at Waikanae.

others, continuing the polio programme in the poorer

trust with clubs and members.

Over the last 30 years, our boys have gone from

areas of Delhi.

paddling pools, to sand castles, to surf boards and

The smiling faces of staff in the national office and

My passion for removing the world of the polio curse

across our regions inspire me and their energy and

has been fired by my father, who had polio as a

commitment knows no bounds. If we’d had that

young married man. I grew up in a household that

energy and passion in the banks I worked in, we

Though I’ve never been a clubbie or a great swimmer,

knew sickness very well – dad suffered poor and

could have taken the market by storm.

one of my sons is a rower who rowed for New

failing health.

sailing dinghies – and now their children are into sand castles and mini surf boards.

Zealand in the Pan Pacific Games in Sydney. His wife is a surf lifesaver, while her parents have links to Lyall Bay and Mairangi Bay. Through them, I reckon I’ve met nearly every member of Lyall Bay already!

Our two other sons are firefighters here in Wellington – I guess pride in public service is contagious.

week, go out to patrol the beaches, save lives and

great day was entirely up to me - if I saw things

take pride in their public service.

positively, others usually joined me.

into their ranks later than most, I am their latest

have the solution to every problem, someone around

convert.

me usually does.

The key to success is to surround yourself with positive people who are not afraid to try, to have a go

working in jobs across New Zealand, in Tokyo and

and guess what? Magic happens! That’s been my

Australia.

experience in with SLSNZ, from day one.

Accounting has always been my trade - though I’ve

So how did I get here? Around two years ago, I

worked across many areas including economics,

was approached to assist Diabetes New Zealand

retail, corporate and international banking – and a

as interim chief executive and almost on the day I

few years ago, I was elected president of the institute

finished, I moved to the Stroke Foundation to cover

of Chartered Accountants. At that time, I also joined

for their chief executive while he was overseas.

then as chief executive.

I loved the spirit of Public Trust - it was the first time I’d worked in a non-corporate and I discovered the pleasure in serving people, the pride of public service.

I was also proud to see the organisation return to profit, after a number of years of poor financial performance. I won’t claim all the credit – we had a great team, who shared a dream of returning Public Trust to its rightful place as the preeminent trustee company in New Zealand.

They are truly “In it for Life” and, though I’ve come

I’ve found enthusiasm breeds and, while I may not

I’ve spent my working life in the financial sector,

Public Trust, initially as non-executive director and

But mostly I look at the volunteers who, week after

I learned at a young age that turning a day into a

When approached to take up the interim role at SLSNZ, it seemed like a natural extension of my previous roles, only different.

I’ve discovered surf lifeguards really are “In it for Life” and I haven’t worked with such a passionate group of people before, which is thoroughly inspiring.

As an accountant, I read numbers but I like people best - people are the most important ingredient in success. That is the magic that surf lifesaving has; every member I’ve met is passionate about our cause

Pat Waite

(and they usually don’t mind telling me about it!).

Interim CEO, Surf Life Saving New Zealand

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

10

FEATURE: Rena spill

How do clubbies respond when their workplace, playground and second home comes under direct assault?

As the Rena maritime disaster showed us, they calmly roll up their sleeves and get stuck in, as Jamie Troughton discovers.

Responding to Rena

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AS BLACK SLUDGE and men in white boiler suits

should’ve been out on their boards after training all

descended on his beloved beach, all Shaun Smith

winter in the pool but they couldn’t even get in the

wanted to do was to wake up from this nightmare.

water.”

The Papamoa Surf Club senior lifeguard arrived at

Anger and frustration quickly turned to action, however.

his home beach on a Thursday in early October to a sight he never wants to see again, as oil from the stricken cargo ship Rena washed onto the sand.

that were directly affected and all the clubbies were in there doing their bit. You’ve got to be positive –

It covered everything, throwing dead gannets,

it’s not the end of the world and the only way we’re

oily kelp and driftwood into black heaps, painting

going to get our summer back is by helping out and

picturesque white sand with a hideous shadow.

getting in amongst the clean-up effort.”

“It was pretty numbing,” Smith recalled. “I’d gone

SLSNZ Eastern Region Programmes and Services

down the beach where I live and it was relatively OK –

Manager Mike Lord provided a key link between the

just a few big splotches here and there. I came down

various services enlisted for the clean-up, while nearly

here to the club and there were waves of black oil

5000 people registered to help within the first week

rolling in. There was a stunned feeling as we all stood

alone.

there, almost like we were at a funeral. Nobody was talking – we were all just wondering what on earth we were going to do.”

Mount Maunganui, Omanu and Papamoa lifeguards all started patrols a week before the official start of the season, warning the public of the toxic dangers

Papamoa copped the worst of the initial deluge as more

of oil and helping emergency services monitor the

than 350 tonnes spilled out of Rena’s cracked hull,

containers and debris washing up.

12km offshore on the Astrolabe Reef near Motiti Island.

Omanu stalwart Allan Mundy helped the Fire Service,

A 3km stretch either side of the Bay of Plenty club

Maritime New Zealand and the Department of

soon became the focal point of New Zealand’s

Conservation set up decontamination units along the

worst environmental disaster, prompting a massive

beach and provided important local knowledge to the

response from Maritime New Zealand and armed

agencies coming in from outside the region.

forces.

Mundy said the initial stages of the disaster were the

Despite the initial horror, clubbies from Mount

hardest, while the various agencies came to grips

Maunganui, Omanu, Papamoa and Maketu were

with the enormity of the task, but he was fiercely

among the first volunteers to pitch in and Smith

proud at how the local surf lifesaving fraternity has

quickly found himself at the centre of the clean-up

responded.

operations.

“The three clubs have all come together so well,”

“We’re so recognisable with our lifeguard uniform that

Mundy said. “We’ve been doing a lot of planning

everyone expects us to know everything. Normally

around after-hour emergency response squads and

on a beach, we do – if someone asks us where to

working closer along the coast but one of the real

swim or what to do with a jellyfish sting, we generally

positive things about this situation has been the

know the answer. People were naturally coming to

professional way we’ve all pulled together.

us, so we’ve had to become a clean-up and logistics THE BIG CLEAN: PAPAMOA SURF CLUB MEMBERS SHAUN SMITH AND ANGE JOHNSTON WATCH VOLUNTEERS CLEAR OIL OFF THEIR BEACH. PHOTOS: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

“We’ve got three clubs along this stretch of beach

experts pretty quickly!

“We were in the public eye and we’re pretty wellknown so some pretty searching questions came our

“At the start, there were a lot of unknowns. We didn’t

way from locals during the early stages, as to what

have any gear or systems going but within a couple

was being done at an official level but we’ve handled

of days, things were flowing really well. It just took a

it really well.”

bit of time to discover where to put the resources and how to get them here.”

With two sons at the club, director Ange Johnston sees Papamoa as a second home over summer and the oil spill felt like someone had dumped a skip-bin of sewerage all over the carpet in her lounge.

Smith also believes, despite the environmental horrors, there will be positive spinoffs.

“We’ve all taken this pretty personally which goes to show how much our beaches mean to us and we’re experts at this now but we hope it never happens again. The community has come closer together -

“To see people all over our beach in white boiler suits

the oldies are coming down with cakes to feed the

just didn’t feel right. It was the school holidays, the

troops for example – and you’re meeting people that

surf was going off and it was beautiful conditions

you wouldn’t normally have much contact with. It’s

but there was nothing we could do,” Johnston said.

a major disaster for me personally and the club but

“You just couldn’t believe it was a beach - the kids

that’s the good stuff you’ve got to take out of it.”

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

THE INTERRVIEW Lisa Carrington

flat out

and female Lisa’s voyage from Ohope to London

SR: Congratulations on your world title Lisa.

Has it been full-on since you got back from Hungary?

It’s been a big year for Ohope’s Lisa Carrington after winning the ski race title at the State New Zealand championships in March with the Mount Maunganui club, the 21-year-old vaulted onto the biggest stage of all, winning the K1 200m title at the world kayaking championships in Hungary and qualifying for the London Olympics.

She’ll follow a long and proud tradition of kayaking clubbies when she lines up in London and faces an exhausting training schedule in the buildup but still found time to sit down with Surf Rescue and talk about her achievements.

Yeah, it’s been a bit chaotic doing interviews here and there - I’m enjoying it but there will be a limit though!

SR: You qualified for London a full 11 months out

from the start of the Olympics. Has that made it easier or harder?

It’s easier in that I don’t have to worry about qualifying next year and can focus entirely on peaking for London. It’s also tough because it is a long way off and there’s some pretty intense training to get into before then. We’ve also got to mix it up so it doesn’t get boring or stale and having that big goal –such as the Olympics – means you can get worn down because of the nervous energy. Luckily we’ve got a good structure and good coaching and we’ll have really good plan working with us.

SR: Does it help having another clubbie, Erin

Taylor, alongside you in the K2 crew, knowing she has already had Olympic experience?

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“We’ve never had any females do as well and it’s mainly been a maledominated sport so it’s awesome to boost that up as well.”

SKI STAR: LISA CARRINGTON STARRED AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MOUNT MAUNGANUI EARLIER THIS YEAR, WINNING HER FIRST OPEN SKI RACE TITLE. PHOTOS: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

coach Graham Burt was more of a ski paddler so

into it – he thought it would be good for me. I went

me and is a couple of years older, she does have a

Because she’s been in kayaking longer than

when I was around 14, I started getting into that.

to my first kayaking regatta when I was 16 and the

bit more knowledge. She’s also a really good surf

SR: Did you know straight away that ski was what you were going to focus on?

first regatta was the nationals! I turned up, paddled

athlete and she’ll be awesome once she gets a whole year of training under her belt without injury. We’ve got so much more potential in our K2 because we’ve only been together for about five months. The sky is the limit. We’ve just got to get fitter and stronger and the key to making us go faster is having a really good environment and teamwork. We’ve never had any females do as well and it’s mainly been a maledominated sport so it’s awesome to boost that up as well.

As a young surf athlete, I did well in the Bay of Plenty championships and my board paddling was good but once I discovered ski paddling, that event became a lot better. I remember the days when you had to do all the events because the coach said it was “good training” – man, I don’t know if I could go back and do that these days! While I was under-16, I was third in my first year in ski and the following year third in the under-16s board, won the ski and

a K1 the day before and it was a real dunga old thing. I didn’t fall out – I don’t think – but it was pretty interesting! I guess that’s how I got into it – I didn’t really want to do it but I kind of had to. I went to a regatta the following year, having bought a K1 and having done a little bit more training, and that’s when I got chosen for the Youth Olympics.

SR: Did those opportunities help convince you to

really focus on your kayaking?

Yeah, I’ve always loved the beach and I’ve

SR: Tell us about your early life and how you got

was second in the under-19 ski. From there, I’ve

into surf lifesaving?

always come back to surf because they’re really

won plenty of team medals – at the Mount, we’ve

awesome people. It’s a big family. In surf I found I

got loads of talent and a great number of females so

couldn’t really get much further - if I worked at it, I

sourcing teams is never a problem – but I hadn’t won

probably could’ve made national squads but when

another individual titles until the open ski this year.

you can get the opportunity to go the Olympics

SR: How did you make the move into flatwater

in kayaking, it definitely becomes a little more

kayaking?

fascinating.

I was born in Tauranga but my family has been all around the Bay of Plenty. Mum and Dad are teachers and we eventually settled in Ohope. I joined the Whakatane Surf Club when I was eight or nine and definitely wasn’t a swimmer but I was alright at board paddling – I competed for a couple of years at the Under-14 national championships. But our club

I was pretty reserved and quite shy and I didn’t really go outside my comfort zone so dad pushed me

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

14

THE INTERRVIEW Lisa Carrington

interview continued...

SR: Tell us about the difference between, say, a K1

200m race and the ski race final at the nationals?

It’s more about mongrel in the ski race! You don’t necessarily have to have the best technique on a surf ski but in a K1, technique is king. We don’t have chop and we don’t have waves in kayaking and it’s just you and your boat in the water – it’s all about efficiency. In surf, you can just go out and smash it without the best technique and still get through, plus there are a lot more tactics in surf, with things like getting around the cans and knowing the right wave to chase.

SR: What about life outside sport? Are you still

studying in Auckland?

Yeah, but I’ve put them on hold for the moment.

Kiwi kayakers hunt Olympic glory New Zealand surf lifesavers have a proud record of sitting down and going fast at Olympic Games. Now a quartet of Kiwis are set to continue in the footsteps of the likes of Ian and Steven Ferguson, Grant Bramwell, Alan Thompson and Paul MacDonald.

Lisa Carrington (Mount surf club) started

that I’m fast enough and can take some really

proceedings with her brilliant K1 200m world

positive things from this race. The hard training is

championship win in Hungary in August, setting

paying off.

I haven’t studied during the last semester and I’m not

her up as a medal contender in London next

sure if I’ll do summer school and I probably won’t pick

year. Carrington and Erin Taylor (Red Beach)

it up until after next year. I’ve got one more year to go in

then qualified in the K2 500m, finishing ninth

a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in politics and Maori. I’m

in the final. Within a month, the flatwater pair

not sure where it’s going to take me but I’m just finding

had been joined by a couple of canoe slalom

it really interesting and I really enjoy it. That makes it a

specialists, also with links to Mount Maunganui.

lot more achievable when you’re combining it with sport because otherwise it would just get put to one side and never finished.

SR: Are you pretty comfortable being a role model

for aspiring Maori athletes?

Dad is from Gisborne with Ngati Porou heritage and it’s something that can be lost through the generations so it is important for me to get back to my roots, acknowledge it and learn about it. I definitely don’t mind being a Maori role model – I’m really proud of that.

SR: We realise the Olympics are going to be a

huge focus for the next nine months but will you still find time to jump back on a ski?

Yeah, I think so, but we’ll see. I’ll do the odd race I think but I couldn’t put it in writing. You never know.

I was just at home a couple of weeks back and went

Luuka Jones qualified for her second Olympics at the world slalom champonships in Slovakia by finishing as the 14th-fastest nation in the K1 women’s division. She’s been a member of Mount Maunganui for the past two seasons

Joining her will be fellow Tauranga-born paddler Mike Dawson, a former Mount clubbie who trains with the club’s Squad X whenever he’s back from overseas.

Dawson finished 16th in the K1 semifinals in Slovakia, good enough to qualify as the 11thbest nation, capping a remarkable year for the 25-year-old, who funded much of his European campaign through prize money won in various extreme races.

and raced at the 2010 national championships

He won the multi-discipline freeriding world title

in Ohope.

at the Teva Outdoor Games in Italy earlier this

The 23-year-old finished last in Beijing after a frantic last-ditch qualifier but her performances in Slovakia – with a raw time that would’ve been good enough for seventh – have given her confidence.

“My raw time showed the improvements I’ve been making and a jump up in speed,” Jones said. “While it would have been a great end to the season to get through to the finals, I know

year and has featured prominently in extreme races in the United States over the past three years. He also finished second in the world extreme kayaking championships, behind fellow Kiwi Sam Sutton.

“I’m stoked – it’s been a huge season and I’m really ecstatic with 2011,” Dawson said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the Mount for summer, doing a bit of ski paddling and then really getting stuck into my Olympic buildup.”

for a paddle which was really nice but being based in Auckland where my weeks are so hectic, it does get a bit of tiring.

SR: I guess it can be pretty full-on having to be so

disciplined and training so hard?

Yes it is, but I’ve been doing it since I left school.

You start off by making heaps of sacrifices but eventually they don’t become sacrifices, it’s just what I do.

You create your whole life around kayaking and training so everything you do won’t compromise that. We also have really good people around us that keep us wellrounded, which is really important.

SR: Awesome Lisa – thanks heaps for your time

and good luck!

Thank you!

TWO IN A ROW: LUUKA JONES WILL COMPETE AT HER SECOND OLYMPICS IN LONDON. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/ DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

WATER WIZARD: MIKE DAWSON MIXES WHITEWATER SLALOM WITH EXTREME PADDLING. PHOTO: PETER BRICHTA

2 DEC

Proudly supported by

love

your

lifeguards

SURF LIFEGUARDS RESCUE 1,500 PEOPLE EACH YEAR AND PREVENT A FURTHER 350,000 FROM GETTING INTO DIFFICULTY, BUT ALARMINGLY NEW ZEALAND STILL HAS ONE OF THE WORST RATES OF DROWNING IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Pulling on a pair of jandals will have

other surf lifeguards around the country,

special meaning for school teacher Mark

shaking buckets to ask for donations.

Adam on December 2.

is proudly supported by State. Donations

by surf lifeguards from Mangawhai Heads

received will go to clubs throughout New

Volunteer Lifeguard Service, after he got

Zealand, allowing them to train more

into trouble swimming at the Northland

lifeguards, increase patrols and buy

beach.

essential equipment to help save lives and

He’s adamant that without their quick

Mangawhai rlier this year by ea d ue sc re Beach.

Mark Adam rds at Northland ua eg lif rf su r ee Heads volunt

WEAR YOUR JANDALS ON FRIDAY 2 DEC 2011 Follow National Jandal Day on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date and for chance to win!

www.facebook.com/nationaljandalday www.twitter.com/jandalday

Now in its fifth year, National Jandal Day

Earlier this year, Adam was resuscitated

prevent injuries.

actions and skills he would not be here

“As a charity we rely on the big-hearted

today – now he’s urging the public to get

support of the public and we hope Kiwis

behind National Jandal Day on the first

will wear their jandals and dig deep to

Friday in December to donate to Surf Life

donate to such an important cause,”

Saving’s national appeal.

Kannemeyer said.

“When the lifeguards got to me I was

The public can register their workplace for

in a really bad way. I had no pulse and

National Jandal Day and choose which

was unconscious,” Adam said. “They

club they’d like to receive all the money

did CPR and gave me a series of shocks

raised.

with the heart defibrillator – they literally brought me back to life. Just before the ambulance arrived I began to respond. If it wasn’t for those lifeguards on the beach that day, I would not have survived.”

Patrol captain Richard Kannemeyer was one of the lifeguards who rescued Adam that day and the pair will join thousands of

The registered workplace will get a supporter’s pack, to help get everyone in the mood to celebrate the start of summer and wear their jandals.

There’s also a new jandal for jandal promotion, where businesses can match their employees contribution and go in to win special prizes for each size category.

www.nationaljandalday.co.nz

16

PARTNER UPDATE Without the continued support of our partners the valuable work we do in and around New Zealand communities would not be possible. From our large corporate sponsors to our local event coordinators and supporters - our partners’ commitment to helping us prevent drowning and injury in New Zealand is invaluable and we thank them all.

Protecting our Kiwi way of life for over 100 years State proudly joined the Surf family in 2010 and like Surf Life Saving New Zealand, State has been protecting Kiwi’s and what’s important to Kiwi’s for over 100 years.

Spending time at the beach with family and friends is a way of life for many of us. We’re helping Kiwi’s stay safe at the beach this summer by giving Kiwi’s the skills they need to help keep them safe in the water. Like Surf Life Saving we’re committed to reducing and preventing risk at the beach.

In just our second year of sponsorship, we are gearing up for a very successful National Jandal Day on Friday 2nd December. We are supporting Clubbies around the country through fundraising activities from our 28 State stores and three call centres. We’re also offering ‘Cash for your club’ to any Surf member who takes out an insurance policy with State before 31 December. State will give their club $50 for every new policy, plus they will personally collect 100 Fly Buys Bonus Points. Check out the ad in this edition of Partner Update.

Many of our staff have a close association with Surf Life Saving either having been lifeguards themselves or having required the help of surf lifeguards at the beach. Our staff will be proudly supporting Surf Life Saving on National Jandal Day so keep an eye out for them as they shake a bucket on the streets or take part in other fundraising activities.

State and Surf Life Saving - we’ve been protecting the kiwi way of life for over 100 years and we’re proud of it.

Regards Mary-Jane Daly Executive General Manager State

SUPPORTING OUR CLUBS State will be supporting Surf Life Saving Club’s this season with: • ‘Beach condition’ signs, including hazard signage • A new set of lifejackets for each club • Subsidising Competitor Vests State are also our partner with the new find-a-beach website going live in December, including webcams for clubs and providing considerable support as principal partner for National Jandal Day. Get your National Jandal Day t-shirt through Mr Vintage toady. 25% of the sale price is donated to SLSNZ.

17

The longest known sponsorship in New Zealand history

Now the Rugby World Cup’s over…

You and all the other clubbies across New Zealand are part of an organisation that has been keeping Kiwi’s safe while they enjoy their favourite beaches across the country for over 100 years. All of us here at BP are proud of our ongoing association with SLSNZ, which began in 1968 with a replacement boat for the Worser Bay SLSC and still going strong 43 years on.

DHL has been proud supporters of Surf Life Saving Australia and New

BP has been serving New Zealanders for 65 years. During that time we've developed strong connections with the people and places we work in.

We believe we have a responsibility to support these communities. Our partnership with Surf Life Saving is a natural fit; you are the people on the beach every summer keeping safe the people and families that make up our communities.

look to in an emergency.

We have great respect for the hard work, training and organisation that goes on behind the scenes at your clubs to keep these communities safe. The beach is the favourite playground of many Kiwis, including me, my family and my team’s families. We think it's important to help keep them safe while they are enjoying their weekend and holiday outings. Many of our staff are also active Surf members and we think it's important to support them in something they are so passionate about.

witness every time I visit a beach. The systems and skills honed from hours

Zealand since 2003. It’s more than having the same colours yellow and red, it’s always been about a commitment to assisting in the delivery of safer beaches in New Zealand and Australia. The lifeguards we support are the heart and soul of the surf lifesaving movement. It will always be people we

This year we want to continue our programme of support to clubs with our volunteer days, club grants and opportunities for us to help educate the public about beach safety.

Part of the passion we have for Surf Lifesaving is the professionalism I of training, learned from each generation that came before are an inspiration.

As a global logistics organisation with over 500,000 staff world-wide, we share the same values in professionalism, service and being part of something great.

Stay safe and I wish you all the very best for the coming summer.

At BP safety is our number one priority. Our mantra is ‘no accidents, no harm to people and no damage to the environment’. Supporting Surf Life Saving re-enforces that commitment.

Regards

Regards

Mike McGuinness

Gary Edstein

Managing Director

Senior Vice President, Oceania

BP Oil NZ

DHL

SUPPORTING OUR CLUBS

SUPPORTING OUR CLUBS

BP will be supporting each Surf Life Saving Club this season with:

DHL will be supporting Surf Life Saving Club’s this season with:

• A BP Gift Card worth $300 to go towards a club’s fuel costs

• Club Grant’s programme – bigger and better than last year

• $4,000 worth of Fuel Prizes for the new BP Surf Rescue Series

• Summer safety campaign in the media to educate the public and support

BP are also running a major fundraising summer promotion for Surf Life

the efforts of lifeguards

Saving New Zealand in over 200 of their BP stores nationwide. Get your

We are still finalising some plans with DHL after their busy efforts at the

friends and family to support this campaign by purchasing an IRB keyring

Rugby World Cup so more information to come.

and go into the draw to win a year’s worth of fuel.

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

18

PROFILE: Andrew Lancaster

No slim-pickings for new board

SETTING SAIL: NEW SLSNZ BOARD MEMBER ANDREW LANCASTER, RIGHT, WITH MURIWAI CLUBMATE ASH MATUSCHKA AT THE START OF THEIR EPIC VOYAGE AROUND NEW ZEALAND. PHOTO: PAUL ESTCOURT/NZ HERALD

Lifeguard, adventurer, leader and athlete - now Andrew Lancaster has become Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s youngest-ever board member. Jamie Troughton profiles the remarkable 26-year-old.

ANDREW LANCASTER IS LIVING proof that

the new group. “My youth and the representation

He’s also been an Auckland agegroup rugby

you get out of surf lifesaving what you put in. In

I bring from a younger group of the membership is

representative, while the loosehead prop has helped

the 12 short years since he sat his surf award as a

very valuable but also I’ll bring a fresh way of looking

Ponsonby win eight consecutive Auckland club titles.

14-year-old, Lancaster has accumulated virtually

at things and a new set of eyes.”

every qualification possible and attended nearly every

And to top it off, Lancaster was one of the driving

It was entirely appropriate Lancaster was on hand

forces behind the Six Surf Lifeguard campaign,

in Auckland recently when Prime Minister John Key

circumnavigating New Zealand in IRBs earlier this

He’s competed a national level, jumped out of

handed over a government cheque for $250,000 to

year.

helicopters and helped circumnavigate New Zealand

SLSNZ, which will be used to run young leadership

in an IRB.

programmes within the movement.

Now he’s about to contribute at the highest level

“This special grant will allow us to develop effective

crossing of the North Atlantic in an open-hulled rigid

of the movement, having been elected onto Surf

leaders and grow our own talent,” SLSNZ President

inflatable.

Life Saving New Zealand’s board. At 26, he’s the

Bob Harvey said. “We are an organisation passionate

youngest ever, but having youth on his side certainly

about preventing injury and drowning and we are

doesn’t faze the Muriwai clubbie.

lucky to have so many outstanding, charismatic and

course.

“I’ve crammed a lot in since I got stuck into surf and I

talented people who make up our membership.”

don’t have a lot to go but this is the biggest challenge

Harvey could well have been talking specifically

of them all and I felt it was the next step,” Lancaster

about Lancaster, who was a member of a leadership

said. “It wasn’t until about a week before applications

development group from 2006-08.

closed that a few of my peers convinced me to have a go and put my name down – now I’m looking forward to helping at a national level and growing the organisation and improving some of these challenges we’re facing.”

“The skills have been handed to me through surf – it’s an organization that once you’re in, you don’t want to leave and you just follow a pathway that’s been stepped out by others in previous years,” Lancaster explained. “You learn along the way and there’s such

Lancaster has joined a new-look board, which will

a superb support network in clubs and at national

be chaired by Hawke’s Bay’s Mike Bassett-Foss.

level that allow for that learning and development.”

Former Highlanders rugby chairman Colin Weatherall and Mount Maunganui identity Brent Warner are the other new faces, joining incumbents Warwick Bell and Nicki Nicol.

Lancaster is adamant his youth will be an asset to

That outrageous ambition came after reading a book

by British adventurer Bear Grylls, who completed a

Lancaster and Muriwai teammate Ash Matuschka were joint leaders of the team of six drivers, which included Auckland-based Jason Harvey, Blake Ingram and Matt Buswell and Antony Morgan of Papamoa.

In two IRBs, the group traveled 5200km around the coastline, taking 34 days. As project leader and manager, Lancaster “It really was an eye-opener and we just wanted to do something here for our organisation that we know and love so much. Looking back now, it seems like a long time ago but we were phenomenally lucky in the weather we got, especially down the West Coast. In saying that, we’d done a huge amount of planning

And it’s not like Lancaster has limited his

to ensure we got the best possible run and we’d

achievements to surf lifesaving either. He’s a qualified

studied the maps over the last 10-15 years to get

chartered accountant with a Bachelor of Commerce

that window that we chose. We rested at the right

from Auckland University, now working as an

times and a lot of our planning came off – it ran a lot

investigator for the Inland Revenue Department.

smoother than any of us predicted.”

19

New crew in charge Surf Life Saving New Zealand has a fresh new board. They tell us a bit about themselves.

MICHAEL BASSETT-FOSS - CHAIRMAN I am passionate about Surf Life Saving because it involves kids and families and turns youngsters into well rounded young adults, with excellent networks, strong leadership skills, enduring friendships, a strong sense of values and social responsibility. Most of all it is fun, active, and is at the beach!

I became a pool swimmer at nine when juvenile arthritis kicked me out of traditional rugby and softball HEAVYWEIGHTS: PRIME MINISTER JOHN KEY GREETS ANDREW LANCASTER AS HE PRESENTS A $250,000 GRANT TO SURF LIFE SAVING NEW ZEALAND. PHOTOS: SHANE WENZLICH

My earliest memory? We were competing in the interdistricts in Whakatane in huge surf with a massive drift. When the gun went, four of us Bay of Plenty athletes took off on a 1.2km run to the west end of the beach and went out by the rocks. We swam as a group, made it out 20m from the first buoy and were the only team to finish. The moral of the story?

Always check the conditions!

WARWICK BELL

teams. We moved from Hamilton to Otaki when I was

Growing up in Gisborne, it was impossible not to

13 but there was no heated pool so a strong surf

have an affinity with the beaches and surf and, once

club got me hooked and I’ve never looked back.

involved, I became hooked. The friendships and

My earliest memory was the cold spring mornings

camaraderie gained remain for life.

and needing to get into a cold pool for swim training.

I qualified in 1975 after spending a couple of years

Also, at the Christchurch nationals when I was 14, I

hanging around, moved to Auckland in 1978 and

sprained my ankle playing tag in the sand hills with

immediately got involved in the club management

the older clubbies and then had to swim the surf race

whilst completing and patrolling. This progressed

They originally allocated 40 days to make

with a bandage dragging along behind me!

to district level before taking a break. After being a

the trip but caught up huge chunks of time

COLIN WEATHERALL

by making the most of benign conditions – including a remarkable 440km day that took

Surf Life Saving is the greatest community service

them around Cape Reinga and right down the

and sporting organisation in New Zealand. I really

West Coast to Muriwai.

enjoy being able to give a little to our community and

But the success of the trip wasn’t a fluke – it

I love to feel the sand between my toes!

director for the world championships in Auckland in 1998, I came back in 2006 as a surf trustee on the Marine Rescue Centre in Auckland.

My earliest memory of surf lifesaving was in school, walking to Midway beach in 1969 to watch the New Zealand champs and Waikanae win the Nelson

came down to an intense 18 months of hard

It all started over 30 years ago, when my son Mark

Shield for the fourth consecutive year – a huge event

work and detailed preparation.

turned five. He started nippers at Brighton Beach and

for Gisborne.

“As a team, we were working anywhere from 20-30 hours a week, especially over the last six months or year. We were doing huge amount of hours and our families and girlfriends got a little bit sick of the project.

“For the last eight weeks, we’d go into the shed after work and be working on the gear

we were then lucky to have all the family follow on.

Scott and Tracey are also active lifeguards and have

NICKI NICOL

held many other roles over the years at club, regional

I am passionate about Surf Life Saving because of

and national level.

the contribution it makes to the New Zealand way of

My wife Ann and I have made friends all over New Zealand, all because of our mutual passion for Surf Life Saving.

life, providing a safer environment for communities at the beach. There are some fantastic people who have made immense contributions to our community and it is rewarding to see when they are recognised.

until 10pm or midnight most nights. We’d

BRENT WARNER

go to bed and get up and do it all over again.

I love the people in Surf Life Saving - they are the

There were also six months of physical training

as my family had a bach near the surf club, and the

true heart and soul of the organisation. They are

in the gym to get our bodies right.

friendships and fun have kept me involved ever since.

passionate and driven to deliver an outstanding

My own kids are now nippers and the cycle starts

“We need to work on strength in our core and

community service, which is combined with the

again. I’ve got a lot out of my involvement and feel

upper body, just so we could take the beating

lifestyle that goes with being a lifeguard and the

very privileged - I’m also enjoying being on the board

we’d end up getting. That served us well –

feel-good factor of saving a life. Contributing to the

and see that as a very tangible way to give something

we’d be about two inches shorter if we hadn’t

community drives my passion for the organisation

back.

done all that work!”

and all the people involved.

Now Lancaster wants to take the same

I have been an active lifeguard and competitor at

club at Red Beach every weekend and just hanging

approach – thorough research and hard work –

Mount Maunganui for 29 years, during that time

out with mates. Hours in the water patrolling, training,

to his board duties.

I have meet a significant range of people and

helping out with nippers, handicap surf races, IRB

developed lifelong friendships, I thrive on the people,

rides – I just loved getting involved in everything.

I joined Red Beach in the early 1980s as a nipper,

My earliest memories are of hours and hours at the

the lifestyle and the competition.

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

20

SURF SPORTS: Pool Champs

Hind’s timely reminder

Finally something for Papamoa to cheer about She’s hardly clipped a tube in anger over the last four years but Natasha Hind gave a timely reminder of her skills at the State New Zealand pool championships recently.

The Lyall Bay 21-year-old was in imperious form,

“I was really happy with the times because I hadn’t

weekend and always gives 100 percent, wins a few

winning the open women’s 100m rescue medley,

competed seriously for a couple of years,” Hind

things here and there but was pretty excited about

200m swim with obstacles, 200m super lifesaver and

said. “The last serious pool competition I did was the

doing the line throw.”

the 50m manikin carry.

2007 German Cup so it’s been nearly four years - I

She also announced her desire to have a crack at the national team for the Rescue 2012 world championships, after missing the last two worlds campaigns because of the Beijing Olympics and Delhi Commonwealth Games.

“The last two worlds have clashed with the major

didn’t know what to expect but I was quite pleased with the results. A couple of weeks out, I got hold of Steve Kent and did a bit of training with him but it was surprising how much I remembered.

“I definitely lost a little bit in the manikin carry but the basic skills were all still there.”

competitions – this time, if I do make the Olympics,

Kent missed the second day to attend a wedding

there will be time to focus solely on swimming but

but he won the two events he entered – blitzing the

then also have a big enough build-up to Rescue

100m manikin carry in 53.21secs, ahead of Piha’s

2012, if I was lucky enough to make the team,” Hind

Steve Ferguson and Dylan Pahina (both 1:03.71) and

said. “That’s definitely in the back of my mind heading

edging Glenn Anderson in the 100m tube swim.

into next year.”

Midway’s Chris Dawson booked himself a trip to the

Her Olympic selection hinges on whether she can

German Cup with wins in the under-19 100m rescue

whittle 0.5secs off her 200m freestyle time, down

medley and the open 200m super lifesaver, while

to the Olympic A standard of 1:58.33. She’s also a

Papamoa teenagers Mason Pickering and Natalie

strong chance to make it in a relay, after helping the 4

Peat also impressed.

x 200m relay squad to a silver medal in Delhi.

Away from the elites, it was the open men’s line throw

Hind didn’t have it all her own way in Hamilton, which

that captured one of the stories of the meet, when

was hosting the pool championships for the first time,

41-year-old Papamoa stalwart Greg Akroyd paired

with Lyall Bay teammate Sam Lee pushing her hard in

with 12-year-old clubmate Marshall Wells to win.

the 100m rescue medley and the 50m manikin carry.

Their 15.94sec time was well clear of Oreti (17.22)

Lee was just 0.44secs behind Hind’s 1:15.02 medley

and Piha (17.29), though they had an anxious wait

time and even closer in the manikin carry, clocking

before their golds were confirmed.

38.52secs compared to Hind’s 38.23.

Akroyd, whose last national title was on the beach “a long time before Marshall was even born!”, was originally set to compete in masters but Papamoa manager Ange Johnston convinced him to enter the open division for extra points.

Not that they needed it – when the final points were tallied, the Bay of Plenty club had bolted clear, ending Lyall Bay’s five-year winning streak.

Papamoa finished with 948.5 points, with Lyall Bay on 746 and Mount Maunganui on 722, providing a nice boost to the club after the dramas of the Rena oil spill disaster on their beach.

“This is certainly a timely boost for the club and community,” Papamoa coach Kurt Wilson said.

“We’ve been training in the pool since May and, while it’s been tough keeping them out of the ocean for the last month, at least they’ve had something else to focus on.”

A 16-member Australian under-20 team also competed at the championships, including Devon Halligan, daughter of former Waikato rugby player and Kiwis league star Daryl.

Anderson, Kent and Lee formed the backbone of the New Zealand team selected for the German Cup,

“Marshall was so excited after the event but because

with Dawson, Ayla Dunlop-Barrett, Andrew McMillan,

But in the longer distances, Hind was in another

of the manual timing, we had to wait six hours for

Madison Boon and Dannielle O’Connor.

realm, clocking 2:07.87 in the 200m swim with

the results to be confirmed,” Akroyd explained. “He

obstacles and 2:29.07 in the super lifesaver. Orewa’s

was excited about the possibility of winning a medal

Rachel Clarke, fresh from a stint in police training in

but he was out of his skin when we found out it was

Porirua, was second in the latter event in 2:40.38.

gold. He’s one of those kids who is at the club every

See sport.surflifesaving.org.nz for full results.

21

COMEBACK KID: NATASHA HIND’S PERFORMANCE AT THE STATE NEW ZEALAND POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS WAS A TIMELY REMINDER OF HER TALENTS. PHOTOS: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

TOP 10 PAPAMOA 948.5 LYALL BAY 746 MT MAUNGANUI

722

WAIKANAE

564.5

N.P.O.B

358

MIDWAY

287

PIHA

281.5

SUMNER

215

ST CLAIR

164

PAEKAKARIKI 138 POOL PARTY: ACTION FROM THE STATE NEW ZEALAND POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN HAMILTON.

OPEN STARS: WITH 29 YEARS BETWEEN THEM, PAPAMOA 12-YEAR-OLD MARSHALL WELLS AND 41-YEAR-OLD GREG AKROYD MADE FOR UNLIKELY OPEN LINE-THROW CHAMPIONS.

ON THE FLY: AUSTRALIA’S DEVON HALLIGAN SHOWS SUPERB TECHNIQUE IN THE 200M OBSTACLES SWIM.

AT THE READY: PAEKAKARIKI’S JAKE ALLEN GET SET FOR THE START OF THE MANIKIN TOW.

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

22

HIGH PERFORMANCE: Coach’s corner

Build-up begins for a big year in surf New Zealand coach Scott Bartlett is looking forward to a huge summer of events. He tells Surf Rescue about his plans for world domination next year.

THE NEXT 12 MONTHS are going to be massive for surf lifesaving in New Zealand and beyond.

With the world championships on our doorstep in Adelaide next year, a lot of the progress our athletes can make on the beach or in the pool this summer will define how well we do at the worlds.

It all starts now. We’ve got teams going to the German Cup pool competition and also a couple of beach carnivals in Australia.

The German Cup is the strongest pool competition outside of worlds, if not a little bit stronger because of the athlete depth.

It’s a long way to go to Europe but we just can’t replicate that sort of competition in the Southern Hemisphere – from that perspective, the value of the German Cup is just massive and it’s also a great opportunity to test our athletes in an international environment.

That’s also the case for our 12 athletes heading to Australia. We would normally have sent a team to the Sanyo Bussan competition in Japan but it was cancelled this year because of the Japanese tsunami.

“From the overall High Performance program, I’m really happy because we’ve got a really good tracking system in place now and we’ve also got a lot of good events on offer for them to train and trial for.”

When we looked around, there were a few options available to us. With a bit more research, the Coffs Harbour carnival turned out to be just craft racing which a lot of the Queensland clubs go to.

It also coincides with one of the rounds of the Fastest Man on Sand series up in Redcliffe so eight athletes will compete on both Saturday and Sunday in Coffs Harbour, while four will do the first day at Coffs Harbour and then head to the Fastest Man on Sand carnival on the Sunday.

From an exposure point of view, the likes of beach sprinters Kodi Harman, Chanel Hickman and Paul SCOTT BARTLETT PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

Cracroft-Wilson will get a lot of benefit out of it.

23

As we head into a huge season of surf sport, we profile four of our high performance squad members as they chase dreams of representing their country and winning a world title.

Athletes like Kev Morrison and Mike Janes were left out of the New Zealand team because of injuries over

Steve Kent

winter and we didn’t want to put any more pressure on

One of our current national team members, Steve is the current Commonwealth champion

them from a selection point of view but they’re likely to

for the 50m manikin carry in the pool and at the recent Australian Pool Championships,

use the Coffs Harbour carnival to see where they are in

Steve walked away with four individual gold medals.

terms of preparation.

The Titahi Bay club member also broke the New Zealand record in the 50m manikin at

After that, we’ve got a full New Zealand trial in

the same championships, beating Australian arch-rival Andrew Baildon. Steve has been

Whangamata on December 17, the first of four key

training 12 sessions a week in his bid to qualify for the German Cup and Rescue 2012

beach selection events. All the selectors will be there

teams.

and we’re encouraging any athletes who aspire to international level to come along.

That trial will also see the debut of our new six-round

Chanel Hickman

surf series, which is a great concept and something the

She’s the current national beach flags champion but Chanel really burst onto the

athletes have been requesting for a while.

international scene 12 months ago when she beat at star-studded field in both flags and

Next year’s world championships aren’t until November and that gives us a bit of breathing space.

We’ll announce the high performance and development squads at the end of nationals, with the Rescue 2012 team to be selected from these. Rescue 2012 organisers may also include an under-20 team competition for the first time, which could mean a

sprint at the Sanyo Bussan Lifesaving Cup in Japan. The South Brighton flyer was then picked for the New Zealand team for the International Surf Challenge, where she won her event in all three tests.

Currently training on the Gold Coast, Chanel willl compete at the Fastest Man on the Sand series in Australia, honing her skills in preparation for the summer surf season here in New Zealand, with a clear goal of making the Rescue 2012 team and winning both the sprint and flags golds for New Zealand.

fantastic opportunity for younger lifesavers to represent our country. We’ve fully supported this and have committed to sending a team if the event is confirmed.

Most of the high performance squad will build their season from May until November - that will be their big

Sam Lee Sam is another current national team member, who won two individual silver medals at the last world championships in 2010, plus a gold medal in the 200m obstacle relay.

six months of base and training.

At the recent Australian Pool Championships, she collected two gold medals amid a fast

We’ll give the athletes a bit of time off after the trials in

placed her in the top-two performances in the world this season.

early April but the challenge for them is to come back down after our summer so they can build back up.

They’ve got to do a fair bit of work with their coaches and the High Performance squad to make sure they

and growing women’s field in the open ranks, while her times in the 200m obstacle race

Sam is currently training in Wellington with the Lyall Bay club, training 10 sessions a week in the pool and two sessions a week in the gym. She’s also eyeing the German Cup Rescue 2012 campaigns with interest.

can peak twice in a big year. It can be quite difficult.

The other aspect involves any of our athletes particularly the swimmers - who make the London Olympics. We won’t have any access to them until the end of July but that still gives us nearly four months to bring them back into the surf environment.

Australia will be in the same boat - they’ve got athletes who could be going to the Olympics, like Megan Nay, an outstanding backstroker and freestyler, who could come into the mix for them.

We could have as many as three or four in contention for both the Olympics and Rescue 2012 so there could be a few minor hurdles to jump.

Cory Taylor Rising ironman star Cory Taylor is fast making his presence felt on the international stage, with his recent third-place finish at the junior Coolangatta Gold race in Australia making a lot of people sit up and take notice.

The Midway club member has just spent the winter months kayak racing throughout Europe in a bid to transfer this gained power back to his ski paddling and enhance his ironman even more. He’ll test that training with the New Zealand A team in the Coffs Harbour Carnival, alongside Dan Moodie and Chris Moors.

He’s a fast swimmer and keen board paddler - this combination could form a potential weapon, which he hopes can one day challenge that of his coach and fellow Midway member, Cory Hutchings, who won 11 national ironman titles in a glittering career.

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

24

HIGH PERFORMANCE: Coach’s corner

CONTINUED Fortunately, the Individual Performance Plans for each athlete have shown us exactly how they’ve been tracking for the last six months and will continue to do so over the next year.

Most of them are in pretty good shape at the moment, which is great, although there are a couple just getting over injuries.

From the overall High Performance program, I’m really happy because we’ve got a really good tracking system in place now and we’ve also got a lot of good events on offer for them to train and trial for. Things are looking good at the moment.

Things have been pretty busy for me as well - I started up Bartlett’s Swim School in Mount Maunganui in August and we’ve got nearly 400 kids enrolled for the last term.

The most exciting thing for us is that we’ve got two local schools and two local kindergartens involved, which allows us to get kids who haven’t swum before into the program. There are around 50 kids who haven’t had any previous swim training before, which we’re stoked about.

It’s an absolute treat on a daily basis - I get to deal with the very top end and I get to deal with the kids who are just starting out. It’s a great cross-section of kids to coach.

That’s it from me for now – see you on the beach!

New sport series boost for NZ The athletes have demanded it now they’re going to get it.

The new Sonic Race Series will kick off in

lunch time on the third day of the Oceans

Whangamata on December 17, offering prizes

12 championships at Mount Maunganui on

and bragging rights to New Zealand’s top surf

February 25.

lifesaving talent.

The series will feature five rounds of top-end ski, board, swim, sprint and flags racing, with ironmen and iromwomen getting six rounds, including a grand final at the Oceans 12 under-14 national championships.

“After the success of the centenary season, it’s important to keep moving in the right direction and add an edge and something new to the surf sports calendar,” SLSNZ sport development manager Brad Edwards said.

“Athletes have been asking for this sort of thing and we’ve managed to introduce it in a way that will boost the existing events in the process which has also been identified as a strong priority for the sport.”

The series will start with the joint Northern/ Eastern region carnival in Whangamata – which also doubles as a national trial – and will take in each of the four regional championships, starting with the Central Regionals at Oakura on January 15.

The Eastern Regionals – formerly the NRCs – will follow at Mount Maunganui on January 28 and 29, followed by the Northern and Southern championships on February 18 and 19.

Athletes will need to compete at three of the five rounds, with the top-10 ironmen and women qualifying for the decider during

YOUNG GUN: MIDWAY’S CORY TAYLOR WILL BE CLOSELY WATCHED THIS SEASON. PHOTO: MARK DWYER/LAVA MEDIA

The winners of the grand final races will receive Sonic paddle boards valued at $2250 each.

A working group including John Bryant, Matt Sutton, Travis Mitchell and Andrew Newton brought ideas from athletes and clubs to help shape the race series concept.

With Rescue 2012 just one year away the introduction of more top level racing couldn’t be more timely.

Edwards is confident the series will have double benefits – as well as providing more high quality racing and the added incentive of series titles and prizes for athletes, the events themselves will get a boost with elite-level racing.

“In the past, the NRCs (now the Eastern Regionals) have been right up there with the nationals, for our top athletes. Ultimately we’d love to lift the standard and profile of the Central, Northern and Southern championships to get them up to the same level.”

After each round, points will be tallied and posted on the SLSNZ sport web site, sport.surflifesaving.org.nz

2011/12 Summer of Surf Sport

www.surflifesaving.org.nz/slsnzevents

October 2011 State New Zealand Pool Championships

November 2011 28 – 30 October Hamilton

BP Surf Rescue Series #1: Northern Region

12 – 13 November Omaha

December 2011 NZ Surf Boat Series #1: Wellington Super Surf Boat Event

3 December Paekakariki

BP Surf Rescue Series #2: Eastern Region

10 -11 December Whangamata

January 2012

February 2012

NZ Surf Boat Series #2: Whangamata Surf Boat Spectacular

2 January Whangamata

NZ Surf Boat Series #3: North Island Surf Boat Championships

4 – 5 February Waihi

BP Surf Rescue Series #3: Central Region

14 January Oakura, New Plymouth

9 – 12 February Mount Maunganui

Central Regional Championships

15 January Oakura, New Plymouth

Lion Foundation New Zealand Surf League (U14, U16, U19, Open)

Eastern Regional Championships (formerly NRCs)

28 – 29 January Mount Maunganui

Northern Regional Championships

18 – 19 February Ruakaka

Southern Regional Championships

18 – 19 February New Brighton

U14 New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships (Oceans 12)

23 – 26 February Mount Maunganui

NZ Surf Boat Series #4: Piha Big Wave Classic

25 February Piha

March 2012 BP Surf Rescue Series #4: Southern Region

3 March Warrington

State New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships

15 – 18 March Gisborne

BP Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships

30 March – 1 April Warrington

26

FEATURE: Tolaga Bay

PIECE OF PARADISE: THE BOTTOM STORY OF THE ORIGINAL CLUBHOUSE IS NOW THE TOLAGA BAY GEAR SHED. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

Cunning Coa leading surf re

27 Famous for its wharf and as a piece of East Coast paradise, Tolaga Bay is also becoming a centre of surf lifesaving innovation thanks to a pair of enterprising locals, as Jamie Troughton discovers.

IF YOU NEEDED PROOF that things have always been done a bit different up the Coast, listen to some of the patrolling stories from the Tolaga Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.

Impromptu ironman races across the Uawa River to the end of the iconic wharf and back, mussel-gathering expeditions via IRB and long patrol lunches involving roasted lambs tails on driftwood bonfires.

Sheltered from the serious southerly swells, the sleepy slice of paradise has a perfect golden curve and you can see why scoring a festive season patrolling stint would be one of the best gigs around.

That sleepiness in the small settlement, 60km north of Gisborne, has also been one of the biggest challenges for the local surf club, however. Founding member Ray Dever reckons there’s virtually 100 percent attrition in their ranks – himself excluded – as all the young talent eventually heads off for work or study.

asters evival SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

28

FEATURE: Tolaga Bay

“ Our kids don’t see rowing or surf sports and you’d never get them into speedos – they don’t identify with that side of surf lifesaving – so we’ve got to bring in the water sports that they do and identify with.”

REGAN FAIRLIE

ALL ABOUT WHANAU: TOLAGA BAY LOCALS KEREHAMA BLACKMAN (LEFT) AND REGAN FAIRLIE HAVE BEEN LEADING A SURF LIFESAVING REVIVAL IN THE EAST COAST SETTLEMENT THROUGH SOME INNOVATIVE RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

Now a couple of keen locals have taken up the

Burly Blackman, a combative former lock for Ngati

challenge. Kerehama Blackman, 33, and 32-year-old

Porou East Coast who still plays for the local Uawa

Regan Fairlie are determined to rebuild the club back

Rugby Club, admits they’ve had to get cunning to

up to its heyday in the late 1980s, when they had

attract interest to their surf ambitions.

more than 30 active members.

Instead of rocking up to the rugby club with our surf

And in true East Coast style, they’re bringing their

lifesaving hats on, we’ve joined the rugby team and

own spin to how a surf club should work in their

got ourselves in a position to put surf lifesaving on the

community.

table as part of their off-season training,” Blackman

Skis and canoes? Nope. The club has just got funding to buy a handful of new stand-up paddle boards. Fairlie grew up surfing in and around Tokomaru Bay and knows this coast intimately.

He’s an accomplished waterman - who could probably go to sea on a strainer post with a pair of crutching shears as paddles – and points out there’s a good reason they’re putting their faith in the SUP movement.

“Our kids are right into waka ama and it’s a nice transition from waka ama to stand-up, then into surfing and surf lifesaving,” Fairlie explains. “Our kids don’t see rowing or surf sports and you’d never get them into speedos – they don’t identify with that side of surf lifesaving – so we’ve got to bring in the water sports that they do identify with.”

said. “The fullas had visions of lying on the beach in speedos but once they got down there and started some surf training, they had nothing but respect for the sport.”

For the first time in nearly two decades, surf lifesaving in Tolaga Bay is on the rise again, with Blackman crediting Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s Groundswell Project as playing a major part.

“From when we first started three years ago, it was just talk around the table. We were in survival mode with a two-man committee. We’re now educating in the school, running programmes after school, helping out at community events and we’re just trying to fly our colours anywhere. Our view is that our whanau don’t want to compete but they want to be active so we’re trying to get activities going for them under the club umbrella.

“That’s why Groundswell was good for us because we were able to change things to suit our community.

What works in the urban areas doesn’t necessarily work in the rural areas.”

ON THE RISE: THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOLAGA BAY SURF ATHLETES TRY OUT THEIR NEW STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDS. PHOTO: TOLAGA BAY SURF CLUB

29

IN RURAL TOLAGA BAY, Ray Dever wears so

Then, disaster. A blustery Sunday afternoon in June

many hats, sometimes it’s just easier for him to go

1996 intensified into a gale-ridden evening, as a

around bare-headed. The amiable 59-year-old, a

fierce north-westerly wind blew down the Uawa River

rumbling laugh never far from his throat, is currently

valley. It knocked over power poles, left trees strewn

a fisheries officer but spent a long stint as the sole-

all over the neighbouring Tolaga Bay Golf Course and

charge policeman in the town. As well as his surf

lifted the top story off the seven-year-old surf club

lifesaving duties, he’s also a volunteer fireman and

and deposited it 150m out into the surf.

member of the coastguard.

in the breakers for quite a while and bits of it kept

pioneers when Tolaga Bay campground manager

coming ashore,” Dever recounts sadly. “It was a bit

Jack Clark started patrols down the southern end of

of a heart-breaker for us and we had a helluva battle

the beach near the iconic wharf in the mid-1960s.

with the council over whether the building should’ve

“We only had a reel and a line and that’s about all – it

been there in the first place. We had to start

was just a matter of getting over there and having a

fundraising again and put the building back up on the

whole lot of fun on the beach, while keeping an eye

hill behind, where it is now.”

on things,” Dever recalls.

IN THE PRESS: HOW THE GISBORNE HERALD REPORTED THE WILD WEATHER ON JULY 1 1996.

“It blew our building out to sea – we could see it

As a teenager, Dever was one of the surf lifesaving

The bottom level of the surf club remains as a gear

“It went defunct for a few years but Eugene Paea

shed, with the new building 100m further back

(Tolaga Bay’s policeman before Dever) and I kicked it

from the beach. The freak winds that day didn’t just

off again in the mid-80s because our kids were just

damage the clubhouse, however. “Everyone had

starting to play down the beach. We bought a bit of

the wind knocked out of them and it took a while to

gear off Midway – a few boards and bits and pieces –

crank it up. It’s never really gelled having the building

and then added our first IRB.”

separate like it is now – it needs to be down on the

The club survived the devastation of Cyclone Bola in 1987 and two years later, after intensive fundraising, members opened a new two-story clubhouse on the foreshore at the northern end of the beach. Things were looking great for the small but enthusiastic

beach. My argument is the rugby club is in the rugby grounds, the golf clubrooms are on the golf course and the surf clubrooms are in the cemetery. It’s all cemetery reserve land – you could say it’s a bit of a dead end!”

group of volunteers.

A DAB HAND: RAY DEVER HAS BEEN A PILLAR OF THE TOLAGA BAY COMMUNITY FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

30

ON THE RISE: THE NEXT GENERATION OF TOLAGA BAY SURF ATHLETES TRY OUT THEIR NEW STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDS. PHOTOS: TOLAGA BAY SURF CLUB

“ Once we get it sorted here, we can take this model up the coast and show other communities how we did it. We’re chucking our nets out and seeing what we can gather in.”

KEREHAMA BLACKMAN

THE HEYDAY: THE OPENING OF THE NEW CLUBHOUSE IN 1989. PHOTO: GISBORNE HERALD

BLACKMAN STARTS CHUCKLING when he

look after the environment and the community as

recalls his introduction to surf lifesaving, by none

well,” Fairlie explains. “We’re trying to move more to

other than Dever. It was in the early 1990s when the

being a kaitiaki for the area. We’re starting to get a

movement in the area was reaching a crescendo

lot of rubbish coming down the river from the farms

and, as Blackman explains, club stalwart Dever had

and forestry so we’d like to raise awareness of that,

some hard-case recruitment strategies of his own.

by using the surf lifesaving club to start driving it.

“He used to head down the beach with a trailer on the back of his truck with all sorts of old boards on

We want to work better together with the logging companies and it gives us some authenticity.”

it. He used to drive through town telling at us to

For his part, Blackman doesn’t mind if Tolaga Bay

get down to the beach and we’d all go out surfing

members never win a national beach flags title, tow a

on them. He’d be on the beach yelling at us to

manikin at withering speed or snaffle a taplin crown.

stop standing on them and to get on our knees and

The measure of his success will be in a generation of

paddle properly. But that engaged us, introducing us

water-confident, pro-active kids coming through.

to surfing, and he slowly got us into surf lifesaving.”

“Look at all these kids around here – we don’t

Blackman and Fairlie used to compete against each

want to be a statistic on the New Zealand map for

other as kids, when Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay

drownings. We want to grow it so everyone’s proud

squared off in surfing carnivals. These days, both

to be a part of the scene and all our kids are qualified.

have kids of their own and, when Fairlie moved back

Once we get it sorted here, we can take that model

into the area four years ago, he joined in with a group

up the coast and show other communities how we

of teenagers and sat his surf lifesaving award.

did it. We’re chucking our nets out and seeing what

Now he’s keen for the club to take a holistic view of Tolaga Bay. “We’re not just a surf lifesaving club, we

we can gather in.”

31

Real life rescue shows LFA’s value Lifesaving First Aid Ltd recently celebrated its first birthday. Surf Rescue looks at the innovative program with heavy links to the surf lifesaving movement.

It proved to be the ultimate piece of on-the-job

Lifesaving First Aid training manager Rob Howes

the incredible North Beach rescue showed first aid

training – exactly what Lifesaving First Aid was set up

believes it show-cased the worth of taking training

was rarely needed in a typical classroom learning

to achieve.

into the workplace and tailoring courses to suit

environment.

In late September, Lifesaving First Aid instructors Hira

needs.

“Accidents rarely happen in a training room and each

Edmonds (Bethells Beach), Claire Carrington (Bethells

“The oxygen levels in the patient were extremely low

and every workplace is difference,” James said. “It

Beach) and Ellie Gain (Spencer Park) were teaching

and therefore good compressions and re-oxygenation

is crucial that businesses and their staff have the

senior surf lifeguards from all over the country at

were vital,” Howes said. “The greatest benefit to this

knowledge and confidence to administer first aid to

Christchurch’s North Beach.

patient was the fact that the responding lifeguards

work colleagues or the general public in a range of

were very skilled in effective CPR which gave the

environments and circumstances.

Christchurch surfer James Tuhikarama, 47, was competing in a North Wai Boardriders Club event at

patient the best possible chance of survival.”

the same beach, when he had a heart-attack and

Lifesaving First Aid was set up officially in September

was dragged out of the water, face-down, by fellow

2010 but its roots go much deeper - specialised

competitors.

first aid training was started by Surf Life Saving New

Up in the North Beach clubrooms, Edmonds saw

Zealand a decade ago in Wellington.

a make-believe rescue scenario turn into a real life

Surf lifeguard training accounts for a large slice of

drama.

current clientele – LFA runs 8-12 courses per week

He quickly mobilised the six students, who were completing Pre Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC) training, and they provided CPR until emergency services arrived.

Tuhikarama spent a week in intensive care in an induced coma and nearly three weeks in hospital but has now recovered. He has no doubt he owes his

from June and December and 6-8 courses per week for the rest of the year – but the corporate market is steadily growing.

Tauranga gym Bodyzone recently got LFA to run a workplace first aid course at their premises and general manager Matt Adsett said it was invaluable on-the-job training for his staff.

life to Lifesaving First Aid, and later caught up with

“Hira’s delivery was humourous, with good learning

the six teenaged surf lifeguards who had learned their

objectives and above all, it was relevant to our

lessons so well.

work environment,” Adsett said. “We all came away

“That’s the only thing that kept me alive,” Tuhikarama said. “They were so happy to see me as well. They know their stuff and they know how to save people.”

feeling very positive and enthusiastic regarding our training and I would highly recommend them to other businesses.”

Lifesaving First Aid administrator Keri James said

www.lifesavingfirstaid.co.nz | 0508 teach us

Training for Life

32

FEATURE: Christchurch update

Spirits still high for Sumner clubbies It’s been a year of upheaval across New Zealand and no-one felt it more than the residents of Christchurch. The Garden City’s surf clubs have been hit particularly hard but, as Jamie Nilsson discovers, generosity and support from fellow clubbies is already helping heal the scars.

At the end of Oceans 11, all the Christchurch club

THEIR BUILDING MAY be cracked and broken and

difference, with over $38,500 raised already. Money

Sumner’s event memorable was awesome. We

their city ravaged but their spirits are unbroken.

has been donated from the Gisborne Mayoral

have always had the attitude of really trying to help

account and Gisborne Chinese Association - “the

the smaller clubs throughout New Zealand as much

whole area has really got in behind the fund”,

as we can, so for Sumner to win the board was

Gisborne Herald editor Jeremy Muir points out.

amazing. SLSNZ is a tight-knit organisation - it was

Sumner surf lifeguards, after more than eight months of horrible upheaval following the February 22 earthquake in Christchurch, are more determined than ever to celebrate their centenary in style.

Though nearly 80 percent of the clubhouse remains unusable and lies squarely in the ‘white zone’ meaning members are not allowed to fully rebuild or repair their base until they get into the ‘green zone’ -

Gisborne’s own love for surf lifesaving and the beach was motivation for sponsoring a damaged community

names were put in to a hat and Sumner’s name was pulled out.

“Giving away the board was really special,” Sonic owner Matt Sutton says. “In the grand scheme of things, it was nothing after what they had all been through, but knowing that we played a part in making

awesome to see the whole movement rally around particular clubs when they need help.”

facility in Sumner but the inspiration to help Sumner

AFTER OCEANS 11, organisers had the huge task

came from Gisborne Salvation Army major Graham

of sadly shifting the State New Zealand Surf Life

Medland.

Saving Championships, originally planned for New Brighton beach as part of the centenary celebrations.

the usable chunk of the building has been converted

“It was what we in the Army call a ‘God moment’,”

into a patrol operation base and first aid room, ready

Medland recalls. “I was standing outside the club

And it wasn’t just the event that needed moving -

for the season.

(after the quake), taking photos when this guy ran

SLSNZ also wanted to help all South Island clubs

past and said ‘mess isn’t it?’. Turns out, that man

with the unplanned costs of transport to the new

was Alistair and on the club’s committee. He stopped

Mount Maunganui venue.

And with the help of a monumental fundraising drive from the good folk of Gisborne, there’s more hope on the horizon.

to chat and told with me about every hurdle they now faced. We exchanged names and contact details

“We bought a tent with some of the money raised

and it went from there.” The club is a worthy focus

in Gisborne and we don’t have any showers but the

for Gisborne’s fundraising efforts, says Mr Medland,

council will put up portaloos for us.,” Sumner funding

who has been to Christchurch twice since the 6.3

manager Alastair Malcolm explains. “Things are

earthquake.

starting to look really positive.”

“I think the fund for the club is brilliant. Human nature

Offers of help came flooding in. A message on the SLSNZ Facebook page saw more than 25 people offering billet accommodation to South Island clubbies and numerous offers of gear were also received.

The earthquake rumbles are fading in Christchurch while the rebuilding of homes and lives ramps up.

Sumner, one of the first surf life saving clubs in New

says we like to have something solid to invest in, so

Zealand, kick-started their centenary season with

it is great. Just to be able to give a group of people a

a formal dinner, march past display and junior surf

bit of encouragement, to show them that the rest of

display. The celebrations could not have come at a

country hasn’t forgotten about them, is so important.

better time, giving Sumner surf lifeguards something

We see the devastation on TV and we can turn it off

They’re keen for an open-minded approach from club

to look forward to and looking back with pride on 100

when we have had enough.

supporters, especially for the management of the

years of service.

“But the people of Christchurch can’t walk away.

Although they face a lot of work, Sumner members are excited by the possibilities for the club and the community.

club and future economy.

The club has been blown away by the amount of

They are going to live with this for an entire

Christchurch-based club development officer Scott

support they have been receiving, not only from the

generation, that’s how big it is.”

Roberts says the resilience of surf club members is

Sonic Surf Craft, the Gisborne-based surf life saving

now shining through, long after the dust has settled.

wider surf life saving family but the outstandingly generous members of the public as well.

equipment manufacturer, also came on board by

“It has been incredible over these months, watching

“We are overwhelmed with the kindness from

supporting the Christchurch clubs at this year’s

Gisborne, Surf Life Saving New Zealand, PALMS

people rally together and look after their wider surf life

Oceans 11, where they donated a blank canvas

Shopping mall, ASB, the Lion Foundation and

saving family,” Roberts says. “I still struggle to look

paddle board for all the under-14 athletes to write

members of the public,” Sumner club secretary Pip

at town and think of what has gone and the amount

their messages of support on.

of people that were lost that day but it makes a lot

“We are all thinking of you” and “hope you can use

of the smaller things seem insignificant now and it

your beach soon” were reoccuring themes.

makes you appreciate your friends even more.”

Ives says. “We are so very humbled and thankful.”

The Gisborne earthquake fund has made a huge

HEALING HANDS: UNDER-14 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITORS SENT MESSAGES OF SUPPORT THROUGH TO THEIR BELEAGUERED FELLOW CLUBBIES IN CHRISTCHURCH. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM TERRIBLE TIMING: THE SUMNER SURF CLUB’S CLOCK STOPPED AT 12.51PM ON FEBRUARY 22 AND LEFT THE CLUB WITH A MASSIVE REBUILDING JOB. PHOTO: JAMIE NILSSON

Donate to the Gisborne Quake Relief Fund at Westpac. account number

03 0638 0743399 00 The club is registered as a charity and donations to the fund are tax deductible.

Follow Sumner SLSC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sumnersurf or their website www.sumnerslsc.co.nz

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

34

SLSNZ Awards : In it for life

Surf’s best on show A celebration of Surf Life Saving took place in Hamilton recently, with national honours awarded to past and present clubbies at the 2011 DHL In it for Life Awards. More than 65 of New Zealand’s elite Surf Lifeguards and members were officially recognised for their hard work and dedication.

1. RODGER CURTICE

Haxton, Gardner and Morse – now another 10 names

He’s has recently been the driving force behind the

In other major awards at the function, New Plymouth

have been added to the ultimate honours board

construction and developments of the new club

Old Boys scooped two big ones with Glenn

at Surf Life Saving New Zealand. The 10 new life

house at Muriwai, a $4million project.

Anderson named Coach of the Year and his partner,

members were included at a prestigious luncheon in Hamilton recently, with eight more major awards and a number of service awards celebrated at the DHL In it for Life Awards.

The awards celebrate volunteer work spanning many decades, with one of the highest honours going to Piha lifeguard Rodger Curtice. The 71-year-old was made a life member for 54 diligent years with the

Waikanae’s Murray Kemp has proved himself a huge asset to the Gisborne area. He’s been involved in

Dunlop-Barrett’s international performances included

numerous high level national and international events.

winning a gold medal in the surf race at the 2010

Kemp is a life member of Waikanae and has held been on the committee, served as chairman, has been a competitor and also a club coach.

Garry Mace’s contribution to the surf lifesaving

to get the award,” Curtice told his local paper, the

movement has involved several clubs, including New

Western Leader, recently.

Plymouth Old Boys and Lyall Bay, but latterly has linked

social convener to president, and in 1992 the club crowned him a life member. The father-of-two has

with Mairangi Bay, where he has been club president, club chairman, club captain and club coach. As a competitor, he was also a New Zealand team captain.

taken a behind-the-scenes role within the club after

Levin-Waitarere’s Dick McAllister has been a huge

a serious car accident but has always thought it is

asset to the Western District, having also served on

important to do something for the community for

the SLSNZ board. He’s held various club roles like

nothing.

chairman, club captain, patrol captain and president.

“My father was club captain for a while and my

Lyall Bay’s Ron Stack started lifeguarding in 1959

uncle was involved too. Growing up in that kind of environment you learn from it.”

East End’s Trevor Corkin has been involved with his club since 1957, and has been a SLSNZ coach and selector and had huge involvement in sport within the Taranaki area. As well as his Taranaki involvement, Corkin has held various club roles including club

Athlete of the Year.

the national surf official group and has officiated at

West Coast club. “I’m very humbled and honoured

He’s held numerous roles with Piha in his time, from

Ayla Dunlop-Barrett, named High Performance

and since then he has been involved in the success of many North Island clubs, including Castlecliff, Levin-Waitarere and recently Lyall Bay. He’s always been a fixture at local carnivals, officiating and chatting to the young clubbies. Stack was crowned a life member of Lyall Bay in 2000 and has been involved in the committee, coaching and

president.

lifeguarding.

North Beach’s Dave East has been heavily involved in

Eion Waugh has also been a member of many of the

World Championships in Egypt, while she also became the first New Zealander to win a belt race title at the Australian Championships in April.

Waimarama’s Phil Harman won Instructor of the Year and the award for Innovation of the Year went to Pacific Surf Life Saving Club. The club’s roving patrols, using bicycles, have been recognised as an environmentally friendly, cost effective and low maintenance patrolling method.

The bikes were engineered to carry essential patrol equipment including rescue tube, fins, VHF radio and first aid kit and helped to extend the club’s patrol capability to high-risk areas around the beach.

Craig Todd from Sumner Surf Life Saving Club will take home the DHL Volunteer of the Year Award for his outstanding contribution to the club as chairperson, carnival controller and building and development manager.

The title of Official of the Year will go to Johnny Clough, from United North Piha Lifeguard Service for his huge participation in surf sports.

SLSNZ spokesman Brett Sullivan said the awards were highly sort after in the Surf Life Saving community.

surf officiating at a local level and nationally.

‘Bay’ clubs in the Wellington area but since 1984, he has been with Lyall Bay assisting wherever he can.

“The DHL In it for Life Awards Luncheon pays tribute to

East was awarded life membership of North Beach

Waugh was a life member of former surf life saving

the significant time and effort our members devote to

in 2000 and has been right through member hoops,

club Island Bay and vice president of Worser Bay.

keeping our beaches safe during the summer months,”

surf sport competitor, patrol captain, club captain, team manager and committee member.

St Clair’s Murray Wilson has been a member since 1966 and since then he has been awarded a club life

Muriwai’s Tim Jago has had a huge involvement with

membership after stints as chairman, club captain,

the Northern Region on the board, as president and

president and coach. He’s been a huge asset to the

as operations manager and chief executive.

Otago area.

Sullivan said. “Many of them dedicate summer after summer to support our cause and we are delighted to formally recognise their huge commitment and enthusiasm. We are very proud of all the winners.”

35

Major Awards DHL SURF COACH OF THE YEAR

Peter McInnes, Mangawhai Heads Paul McVicar, Titahi Bay SLSC

Glenn Anderson, New Plymouth Old Boys SLSC

Ken Middleton, Titahi Bay SLSC

DHL INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCE

Kim Nilsson, Waimarama SLSC

OF THE YEAR Ayla Dunlop-Barrett,

Brad O’Leary, Otaki SLSC

New Plymouth Old Boys SLSC

Daniel Russek, Mangawhai Heads

DHL INSTRUCTOR OF THE YEAR

Andy Shaw, Kare Kare SLSC

Phil Harman, Waimarama SLSC

Brian Sullivan, Piha SLSC

DHL VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

Nicholas Tomkins, Orewa SLSC

Craig Todd, Sumner SLSC DHL OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR Johnny Clough, United North Piha INNOVATION OF THE YEAR

Jamie Torrance, St Kilda SLSC Faron Turner, Orewa SLSC Ariki Vertongen, Otaki SLSC

Pacific SLSC

Brendan Barry-Walsh, Muriwai LS

LONDON TROPHY

Scott Weatherall, Brighton

Awarded to the club with the greatest number of surf lifeguards qualified in one season per capita of members Riversdale GUDSELL TROPHY

Distinguished Service Awards Gordon Finlayson, Mangawhai Heads

Awarded to the club with the greatest number of

Alan Franich, Orewa SLSC

surf lifeguards qualified in one season

Deborah Handford, Orewa SLSC

Mairangi Bay and St Clair

Dick McAllister, Levin-Waitarere

Service Awards

Graeme Newton, St Clair

Justin Barr, Muriwai VLS Damian Burden, Brighton SLSC Pauline Butt, Muriwai VLS James Coombes, St Clair Jessica Costello, Mangawhai Heads Murray Dix, Mangawhai Heads Michael Ferguson, Mangawhai Heads Gordon Finlayson, Mangawhai Heads Timothy Green, Orewa SLSC Stuart Handford, Orewa SLSC

2. GLENN ANDERSON

3. AYLA DUNLOP-BARRETT

Stephen Pye, Kare Kare SLSC Shane Radovanovich, Paekakariki SLSC Andrew Sekula, Piha SLSC Brian Sullivan, Piha SLSC Graeme Trevor, North Beach SLSC

4. CRAIG TODD

Colin Weatherall, Brighton SLSC Scott Weatherall, Brighton SLSC Brian Webber, Piha SLSC Jonathon Webber, Piha SLSC Jocelyn Wright, Whangamata SLSC

Debbie Hutchings, Waikanae SLSC

Life Membership

Rob Jones, Mairangi Bay

Trevor Corkin, East End

Sam Julian, East End SLSC

Rodger Curtice, Piha SLSC

Alan Kindred, Muriwai VLS

David East, North Beach SLSC

Sue Smith-Kindred, Muriwai VLS

Tim Jago, Muriwai VLS

Ewan Lang, Titahi Bay SLSC

Murray Kemp, Waikanae SLSC

Malcolm MacDonald, Brighton

Garry Mace, Mairangi Bay SLSC

Byron Malcolmson, Titahi Bay SLSC

Dick McAllister, Levin-Waitarere

Brian Maney, Red Beach

Ron Stack, Lyall Bay SLSC

Glenda Mann, Kaka Point

Eoin Waugh, Lyall Bay SLSC

4. HARD WORKER: SUMNER’S CRAIG TODD IS THE VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR. PHOTO: SLSNZ

Liam McDowell, Titahi Bay SLSC

Murray Wilson, St Clair

5. IN CONTROL: THE UNFLAPPABLE JOHNNY CLOUGH (UNITED NORTH PIHA) WAS AN EASY CHOICE FOR OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/ DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

5. JOHNNY CLOUGH 1. LONG-SERVING: PIHA STALWART RODGER CURTICE WAS ONE OF 10 NEW LIFE MEMBERS ANNOUNCED AT THE DHL IN IT FOR LIFE AWARDS. PHOTO: NICOLA MURPHY/WESTERN LEADER 2. SHOWING THE WAY: GLENN ANDERSON’S WORK WITH NEW PLYMOUTH OLD BOYS SAW HIM WIN THE COACH OF THE YEAR TITLE. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/ DSCRIBE JOURNALISM 3. THE REEL DEAL: AYLA DUNLOP-BARRETT’S BELT RACE WIN AT THE AUSTRALIAN TITLES WAS PART OF A VINTAGE INTERNATIONAL SEASON FOR THE TARANAKI STAR. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

36

SURF SPORTS: IRB Series

TOP CLUBS (first round)

Waimarama 24 Sunset

21

Mt Maunganui

16

Muriwai

16

United Nth Piha 11 Mairangi Bay

7

Papamoa

7

Ruakaka

3

Kariaotahi

3

PICK-UP LINES: WAIMARAMA’S CAMERON RITCHIE REACHES FOR HIS PATIENT, BEN CROSS, UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF DRIVER MIKE HARMAN. PHOTOS: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM PLEASE BE PATIENT: A BOAT FULL OF PATIENTS HEAD OUT THROUGH THE OMAHA SURF.

37

LAUNCHED: SUNSET’S ROBBIE SHRIMPTON, LEWIS POWELL (OBSCURED) AND BRYCE NICHOL POWER HOME OFF THE BACK OF AN OMAHA WAVE.

New crews rising for Sunset The new BP Surf Rescue series, which kicked off at Omaha Beach recently, will see smaller clubs like Sunset Beach reaping the benefits of regular competition, as Jamie Troughton writes.

Not many people know where Sunset Beach is and

make!” McGuire laughed. “But this was my first-ever

“We all enjoy racing and even just the training – it’s

when they do, it’s often for the wrong reasons.

competition and I’m proud of everyone - I reckon we

social and competitive at the same time. We were

did really well.”

down on the beach training when the first rescue

But thanks to the efforts of the club’s burgeoning IRB crews – who patrol the isolated West Coast beach at

Just three weeks earlier, three fishermen were swept

the mouth of the Waikato River - that awareness is

out to sea and drowned while setting a net at the river

starting to change.

mouth at Sunset and six days later, another perished

Sunset sent five crews to the opening round of the

and two more fishermen had to be rescued.

inaugural BP Surf Rescue series at Omaha Beach

McGuire was involved in the search and rescue

recently, with the green and gold caps bringing home

operations for the first incident, which also involved

a cluster of medals.

crews from nearby Karioatahi, in a devastating start to

No wonder Mal McGuire was excited – the bubbly Sunset 18-year-old took out the women’s top prize,

happening and all that training just kicked in.”

That’s where the four-round BP series has immediately shown benefits. It’s given smaller clubs like Sunset, Karioatahi and Ruakaka a viable and hard-fought racing series to hone their rescue skills.

Further rounds will be held in Whangamata from

to deal with it.

December 10-11, Oakura on January 14 and

“I’ve had a gap year this year so I’ve used it to really

teams race and coming within a DQ of getting a clean

get involved in surf lifesaving – I’ve even taken over as

sweep.

Jandal Day coordinator so I’ve kept pretty busy. We all

the wrong gate – it was a bit of a rookie mistake to

straight out to the mouth of the river where it was all

the season but the Tuakau farmgirl was well prepared

pairing with Alana Ibbs to win the assembly rescue and

“We won all three single rescue races but I drove to

initiated and we already had the boats out. We headed

Dunedin’s Warrington Beach on March 3, which will be the ideal buildup to the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand championships at the end of March.

pretty much live out there at the beach – it’s our home

Top Hawke’s Bay crew, Mike Harman and Ben Cross,

away from home, through winter and summer.

are hoping to get to every round of the series and

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

38

CONTINUED started off by finishing second in the premier division, behind Muriwai’s David Butt and Brent Matuschka.

“It’s a bit of a shame that a few other top teams couldn’t make it to this round but we’re looking forward to the rest of the series when they should be there,” Harman said. “It’s just so good to be racing at this time of year and there are so many more competitions to aim for with this new series.”

The Waimarama senior team of Timothy Cox and Jason Harman also won their division, holding off Mount Maunganui’s Jason Watts and James Roy, with United North Piha’s Leif Neilson and Miles Regal third.

Mount Maunganui twins Kirby and Chad Wheeler were the pick of the under-21

Top tips from Dave Hickey If there is anything Dave Hickey doesn’t know about IRBs, it’s probably not worth knowing. Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s resident gaspowered guru gives some helpful advice about getting the best out of your boat.

Rack it or lack it An IRB storage rack is a great idea. It keeps them stacked neatly out of the way, dry and off the ground. PSP Engineering are your rack specialists – get hold of them on 09 624 1004 or email psp@pl.net

crews, winning the teams race and

Give your valves some lovin’

rewarded for consistency, placing second in

There’s nothing more annoying than a faulty inflation

the assembly rescue and third in the single

valve but some simple TLC can go a long way. Clean and

rescue.

lubricate the valve at least once a season, using silicone

Papamoa’s Mitch Brady and Nick Oldham were second overall, ahead of another Sunset Beach crew, Sam Dwen and Shane Edwards.

At 19, Edwards is the oldest of Sunset’s

grease or similar and the tool supplied in the IRB repair kit. Be careful not to cross-thread it and always leave the valves in the closed position when transporting. This will stop damage to the pin. If your valve is leaking, check the O ring seal for grit. Use a bit of WD40 to clear it.

young crews, still rookies on the racing

Avoid gauge rage

scene but fast making waves.

Got a dodgy inflation gauge? No worries - faulty gauges

“We had three teams in one of the finals at Omaha – that’s pretty cool considering people still don’t know who we are. They think we come from Australia – I tell them ‘Y’know the Waikato River? We’re at the end of that!’

“We’ve come a long way in a short time we didn’t know what we were doing at the start and used to bug the officials at the first events we went to but we loved driving boats and thought we may as well race them.”

can be sent to the manufacturer for re-calibration. Teltherm Instruments will take care of it. They’re at 295 Neilson St, Onehunga, in Auckland. Ring them on 09 633 0040 or visit www.teltherm.co.nz

Got plumbing problems?

You can recycle your Covertex fuel bladders by cutting the fittings out of a faulty bladder and sending to Covertex.

Get the 15 litre black fabric bladder for best performance.

Contact 09 836 8255 or email sales@covertex.co.nz

Having a parts party?

The good folk at Arancia have all the parts you need, from

For full results, see sport.surflifesaving.org.nz

fuel bladder attachments to foot straps, from valves and gauges to auto-bailers. They’ll supply repair kits, knives and pouches, foot pumps and paddles. Just give them a shout on 09 815 0469 or email info@arancia.co.nz

Time to say goodbye?

Just remember, if you’re selling your IRB to a private user, you need to remove all the sponsor signage. We’ll hook you up with some orange IRB paint, at no charge. Drop me a line 027 2806420 or david.hickey@surflifesaving.org.nz Happy boating!

40

PROFILES: Members making waves

Danny’s double-act He’s the ultimate poacher turned game-keeper. Danny Morrison is transferring his athletic prowess into the world of officialdom, as Jamie Troughton writes.

Most athletes would be content with one long and

at the IRB world championships in 2008, admits

“I’ve told Dad I’ll use that whistle for my first-class

rewarding playing career and be stoked with two.

his competitive instincts may keep him out of the

refereeing debut and I’m using a plastic one until

officiating ranks at the national championships for a

I make it. I’m really enjoying the refereeing side of

few more years to come.

things – part of the motivation is to stay involved with

But Danny Morrison isn’t the type to drift off in search of a couch and a bucket of KFC. As he retires from rugby and edges his way into surf lifesaving’s masters

“I’m the director of surf sports at Mairangi Bay so

scene, the 31-year-old is already plotting ways to

I’m effectively a team manager. And because I’m still

stay heavily involved in both sports.

racing in teams, there isn’t much I can do from an

He began the first phase four years ago when he volunteered to help officiate the Oceans under-14

officiating point of view because I’m still trying to look after the club.”

national championship carnival in Mount Maunganui

That’s OK – he’s still got plenty of time up his sleeve,

and has since branched out into the Lion Foundation

if his family involvement is anything to go by. Parents,

Surf League and refereeing rugby.

Grant and Val, have been involved at club, regional

“I had 10 years with the Auckland Surf League team and when I finished, (former SLSNZ sport manager) Mark Weatherall rang me up and suggested I stay

of view, I’m looking long-term and trying to make a career out of it. There’s only a certain shelf-life for a referee and the reality is I’ve got about 10 years to have a crack and see how much I can make of it.”

The former Thames Valley halfback and North Harbour Marist stalwart hung up his boots at the end of the club rugby season for the final time.

and national level for 44 and 47 years respectively,

“I started dabbling in reffing last year but I’ve been

while brother Kevin is a New Zealand representative,

full-on this season - I was doing schoolboy rugby in

also with 10 years experience in the Surf League.

the mornings and then playing premier rugby in the

involved as an official,” Morrison said. “My thoughts

Cousins include Olympic swimmer Dean Kent and

were I was going to be there anyway and I could

brother Steve, both national surf representatives, and

either sit in the grandstands and watch and have a

noted Titahi Bay surf athletes Martyn, Danny and Will

good time or I could get in and help out. I’m quite

McDowall.

happy to rip into it.

the sport, just because I love it. “From a selfish point

afternoons. That’s been really beneficial to get both sides of the story on the same day and it’s shut me up a little bit on the field as well. I’ve been yelling more at my own players than the referee, which has been a bit different. You could say it was a bit of a

Morrison’s pedigree even goes back one more

guilt trip – I’ve spent the last 20-odd years trying to

“The Surf League pretty much runs itself – all the

generation – grandfather Tom Morrison was a three-

tell the referee what should be happening at a ruck

guys there know what they’re doing and the officials

test All Black wing in 1938, later becoming All Black

and it’s probably about time I picked up a whistle and

know how the systems work - so I’m getting more

selector/coach and then NZRU chairman in a long

saw it from his side of the fence.”

into the commentary side and with the under-14

and distinguished career.

championships, it’s more about creating a really cool event for the athletes.”

The Mairangi Bay club member, who won two golds

“I’m really enjoying the refereeing side of things – part of the motivation is to stay involved with the sport, just because I love it.”

The younger Morrison even has his grandfather’s whistle that he used to coach the All Blacks with – though he’s saving it up for his first big appointment.

DANNY MORRISON IS MAKING THE TRANSITION FROM ATHLETE TO OFFICIAL, BOTH ON THE BEACH AND THE RUGBY FIELD. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

41

surf’s late bloomer

MASTERFUL: SID SALEK PERFORMED WITH APLOMB AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS EARLIER THIS YEAR. PHOTO: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

Most people his age have trouble walking to the local shops but Sid Salek is still swimming, running and reveling in his late-life infatuation with surf lifesaving, as Jamie Troughton discovers.

At 81, all Sid Salek wants these days is to feel useful,

Royal Humane Society bronze medallion for rescue

He competes each year in a number of ocean swims

to know that he’s still got some relevance. Little does

at sea.

and enters triathlons with his renowned “Old Farts”

the Omanu Surf Life Saving Club member realise that he graduated from the useful ranks some time ago and ventured into the realm of inspirational.

Affectionately known far and wide as ‘SupaSid’, the leather-bound octogenarian has already begun another season of patrolling. And when the long season starts to wind up - with his 82nd birthday in sight - Salek will once again line up in the State New Zealand Championships in Gisborne, hunting more masters medals and challenging his body to keep up with his brain.

“It’s not a state of body, it’s a state of mind and of attitude,” Salek, one of New Zealand’s oldest

He’d always loved the water but it wasn’t until a

team.

marriage breakup in 1982 that he moved to Lyall Bay

At the 2011 State New Zealand Surf Life Saving

and eventually wandered over to the club his father

Championships, Salek completed a massive masters

helped start.

day, taking part in the surf race, run-swim-run, the

When he sat his surf lifesaving award in 1985, he not only became the oldest person at the club to sit the award for the first time but he stunned instructors by busting out a 6min 20sec effort for his 400m freestyle swim.

He moved to the Bay of Plenty in 1992, but linking with Omanu in the last decade was when he really started feeling like he belonged in the movement.

beach sprint and the beach flags. And most Sunday mornings through last winter, Salek headed down to the Wairoa River near Tauranga for Omanu’s skitraining sessions.

His only concession to advancing years? Rather than a club ski, he paddles his new light-weight sea kayak up and down the river. “They’ve been chiding me that I need to learn how to surf ski … I don’t think I’ll quite manage that,” he laughs ruefully. “But they’re all very

patrolling lifeguards, muses. “It’s as simple as that.

“The informal respect and support I’ve had from the

supportive and they really are my extended family.”

I’m always discovering new things about myself and I

club has been fantastic. Older people value being

It’s a family Salek is growing to love more and more

like pushing the limits.”

able to assist and being involved. We don’t like to just

with every passing season.

The former Wellington optometrist only qualified as a

sit around and being treated as a piece of furniture.”

“One of the great skills that surf lifesaving gives you

lifeguard in 1985, though his links with the lifesaving

Sitting around just isn’t Salek’s style. He’s competed

is the trust and knowledge that you are part of an

movement stretch back much further.

at a number of world masters swimming carnivals

effective, capable team who will always have systems

all over the globe, typically picking on the toughest

of back-up and assistance. That’s huge.

His dad Lou was an early member of both the Lyall Bay and Maranui clubs in the Capital and Salek gained his Royal Lifesaving Society certificate of attainment in 1942.

Six years later, he put it to magnificent use, saving a drowning man in Wellington Harbour and winning the

disciplines – like the 200m butterfly, the 800m freestyle and the 400m medley.

“I’m a firm believer that older people have an array of life skills and experiences and there’s no reason why

He gets around town on his pride and joy, a 1969

we shouldn’t stop utilising those skills, just because

Lambretta scooter, and loves nothing more than

of age. They can be invaluable from a logistical point

enjoying long, languid afternoons aloft in a glider.

of view or working behind the scenes.”

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

Two great kiwi summer icons – partner up We’re delighted to confirm, Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park is again teaming up with Surf Life Saving New Zealand to ensure Kiwis have the best summer ever. As the official charity of Coca-Cola Christmas in the Park, we are part of the world’s largest free annual event. Millions of people have experienced this great event over the past 17 years, either at the park or via television.

Surf Lifeguards will be out in force at both the Christchurch and

Surf Life Saving will also benefit from funds raised at the events.

Auckland events selling light-sticks and Santa hats and giving

Surf Life Saving New Zealand would like to express sincere

away Jelly Belly treats for a gold coin donation.

thanks on behalf of all its members and clubs to Coca-Cola for its

For Surf Life Saving, it is a wonderful opportunity to partner with such a high profile event leading into New Zealand’s summer

continued commitment and support helping keep New Zealand’s favourite playground safe.

and helps ensure beach safety is top of mind over the busy holiday season.

Hagley Park 26th November & Auckland Domain 10th December

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48

HUEY GOD OF SURF: Huey interviews Horse

Huey God of Surf Straight from the Horse’s mouth

A man swaggers into the St Helliers café with a confident cowboy strut, head held high and looking like he is looking for someone (which he is). He’s got the sort of physical look you expect to see standing at the door, turning away underage patrons and enjoying it. He scans the café, goes straight past the water cooler and gives me the raised-eyebrows salute.

Aaarggh.... so it’s true.

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.

HSG: “Horse, nice to meet you. But why the long face?” I thrust out my hand and prepare for the Piha boatie death grip. He looks about as comfortable at this café as Mike Tindall will be at the next family Christmas gathering.

H: Nice to meet you too. [Clearly he misses my joke and blurts out.] Just worried about my crews some of them aren’t as fit as I would like them to be at this time of year. [Wow, that’s up there with global warming - no wonder he looks worried.]

HSG: “Right then let’s get down to this interview.

Who would you most like to meet?”

H: Vladimir Klitschko. [What a way to kill a conversation. Best I move on, and quickly… I am not going to even ask why. I may wake up with a horse head in my bed.]

HSG: “What do you do to relax - let’s call it horsing around?”

H: Sometimes I play the guitar! Oh yeah, and I like a vino! [Nice. Thinking as a musician he would be a cross between ZZ Top and Jack Johnson on uppers.]

HSG: “If you were reincarnated as any part of the surf boat, what would it be and why?

H: The sweep oar. It’s the most important part of the equipment, without it the crew and boat go nowhere!

HSG: “Who do you most admire in surf lifesaving? Why?” H: Pete Brown, the president of Piha SLSC, my rowers and my fellow sweeps at Piha. Have to mention Knoxy & Brooster, rowed 20 years for Piha.

They are all part of ‘the Family’. [He actually said

49

Mark Trevor Bourneville NICKNAME: Horse AGE: 48 FULL NAME:

LOTR or Matrix, plus all the surf boat videos we do at Piha ‘The Big Show!’

FAMILY: Wife Nathalie and four beautiful children; Ariane, Cedric, Ludo, Audrey-lise FAVOURITE BAND: The Who or Pink Floyd OCCUPATION: Managing Director BFG (Bourneville Furniture Group) FAVOURITE MOVIE:

FAVOURITE SAYING:

this in a Marlon Brando impersonated voice just

my two twin sons, or my daughter, at Piha beach in

HSG:“Would you ever get into politics? Why or

reconfirming my earlier thoughts...] The Piha club has

a 3m swell and you catch a wave back to the beach

why not?”

so many important people that all put so much into

and you experience that together!! You tell me what

the club. Also have to mention Dan Harris from Waihi,

other sport in the world can do that? You can’t touch

the guy is 70-something, still sweeping and has been

it. [Bonanza was a pretty cool TV programme? Not

for decades and decades. [Little does he know Dan

even that?]

particular).

HSG: “What is your current training regime?”

HSG: “What will you be doing in 20 years’ time?”

H: Crikey. [?? who says that these days? This saying

H: Hopefully still sweeping like Dan Harris is! I want to

is only 48. Stay out of the sun kids!]

HSG: You get such a strong sense of pride from the horse. It’s humbling just to be around. “Who do you most admire outside of surf lifesaving?

Why?”

went out of fashion when Mr Ed did.] Where do I start, running multiple crews and also trying to do my own thing to stay in shape, training the crews is

H: I have an interest but the time it would take would interfere with my passion for sports (surf boats in

help surf boats in Europe (particularly) take off, they are moving already but need a hand.

HSG: “Do you have any regrets?”

H: Bluey McClennan, a good mate of mine. [Oh you

a multiple nights/mornings a week job, for myself,

are such a mane dropper.] The man is a league

cycling, boxing training, some gym work, evenings/

H: YES, should have started doing surf boats many,

coaching guru, I love talking to him, he is a coaching

mornings. [No wonder he looks like he could tie me in

many years ago! [I can’t help thinking if surf boats

god, the man inspires me and is always looking at

a knot and back leg kick me into next week.]

had a god, it would be the Horse.]

HSG: “Do you reckon you could beat up SBW?”

In summary, I am left feeling like the Horse is a bit

how to win. If only I could get him to sweep! Oh and I have to mention the Crusher! Don’t ask why! [Ok, I won’t then].

HSG: “You are pretty outspoken about certain issues... where has this outspokenness come from?”

H: YES, don’t think he is great on the boxing. Neither am I for that fact – I think what I do in the ring is an insult to boxers ! But I have a crack! Somehow manage to connect my fists to my passion and energy and then just let them go! Plus I am good

H: It’s just in my character. [Breeding don’t you

at pushing the angry button!! [You are like a faulty

mean.] I know there are times when I probably should

Tom Thumb (olden day firework) unpredictable and

keep it shut, but I am passionate and driven about

dangerous. Disrespect at your peril.]

all that I do, if something gets in my way I will move it out of the way.

HSG: “What is it about surf lifesaving that you

HSG:“Did you enjoy your involvement in Piha Surf Rescue? Why?”

really like and keeps you involved?”

H: It’s great for educating the public and trying to

H: The people, the history, the passion and the fact

don’t learn very quickly though). Plus it’s great for my

that we save people’s lives, the large majority of

sponsors involved in our boat program! [The perfect

people are all volunteers and they put so much in to

mix of altruism and capitalism. Just like Richard

what we do. And this sport called ‘Surf Boats’ - it

Branson flying to Ethiopia with bags of rice in his

is the single most greatest sport ever, in a boat with

private Apollo 14.]

like a shopping trolley. Pragmatic, dependable, strong, some rough edges and the hardest of work ethics. Occasionally he loses direction and focus but with the direction of a good woman and a well thought out ‘to do list’ he will go all day and help many many many people over the course of his life with humility and take-it-orleave-it honesty. He has a lot of life to go yet so I certainly don’t want to be responsible for putting the horse before the cart… just yet.

PHOTOS: JOEL FORD PHOTOGRAPHY

teach people about what not to do at Piha (some

SURF LIFE SAVING | SURF RESCUE | NOV 2011

50

THE FINAL WORD: Clubbies in action

FROZEN MOMENTS

MADDY DUBBER HAD ALREADY CAUGHT a couple of decent waves at Mount Maunganui’s Main Beach earlier in the day, with Mairangi Bay stalwart Duncan McKenzie giving her some helpful tips. But nothing could prepare her for this monster swell rearing up behind her during her board heat at the Oceans 11 under-14 national championships earlier this year.

“I sort of just panicked when I saw it coming – I stopped paddling and panicked,” the now-14-year-old recalls. “Then I went over, and the fin hit my leg and it really hurt. I went under a few waves and then got taken in by the IRB. It was the biggest wave I’ve ever nearly caught but I think I went over a bigger one on the way out!”

She wasn’t alone. Dozens of under-14 athletes had similar stories on the epic first day at Oceans, when training and courage shone through. Plenty had great stories to tell classmates the following Monday.

“My form teacher thought I was pretty crazy and Mum used some bad words at the time when she saw it,” Maddy laughs. “You don’t get many waves in Mairangi Bay - it didn’t put me off surf but it might’ve put me off big waves for a while!”

PHOTOS: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE JOURNALISM

Whether you’re a Lifeguard, Instructor, Coach, Official or Administrator the time you give is your investment in the safety and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.

It’s an investment in life whatever your level of involvement.

protecting our community in the water For further information about Surf Life Saving or for contact details of your nearest Surf Life Saving club visit the Surf Life Saving website

www.surflifesaving.org.nz