Fast start from Fitzroy

The swimming skills of former New Zealand ironwoman champion Jamie-Lee Reynolds and IRB driving ability of Katie Watts helped Fitzroy make the ideal start at the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships at Warrington Beach near Dunedin today.

Reynolds and Watts combined to take out the women's tube rescue title, where the crewperson has to swim out to a patient after negotiating the waves, heading home the St Clair pair of Briar Taylor and Maysha Ahrens, who recently dominated the South Island championships. Emily Jones and Katie Rossiter (Taylors Mistake) were third.

The open men's title was taken out by Gisborne's Matthew Kemp and Alan Thorpe ((Waikanae), ahead of Papamoa's Liam Smith and Tomee Berthelsen, with Paekakariki's Dwight Garton and Tyler Mills third.

Papamoa also picked up valuable points in the senior division, where Mitch Brady and Yannis Kokkosis headed off St Kilda's Nick Harwood and Michael Kinraid, with Leif Neilson and Miles Regal (united North Piha) third.

Westshore's Taylor Dick and Ryan Ennor continued their dominance of the under-21 division, with yet another Papamoa crew - brothers Ross and Jake Cowdrey - second and New Plymouth Old Boys pair Talor Owen and Lachlan Stevens third.

Results:

Tube rescue:
Premier
Waikanae (Matthew Kemp/Alan Thorpe/Ashleigh Hurring) 1, Papamoa (Liam Smith/Thomas Berthelsen/Jamie Vuglar) Paekakariki Gold (Dwight Garton/Tyler Mills/Riley Crosbie) 3.
Women
Fitzroy (Jamie-Lee Reynolds/Katie Watts/Megan Wheeler) 1, St Clair Black (Briar Taylor/Maysha Ahrens/Bailey Brandham) 2, Taylors Mistake Green (Emily Jones/Katie Rossiter/Ben Graham) 3.
Senior
Papamoa (Mitchel Brady/Yannis Kokkosis/Kahleia Josephson) 1, St Kilda (Nicholas Harwood/Michael Kinraid/Zac Mason) 2, United North Piha Gold (Leif Neilson/Miles Regal/Tamsin Reilly) 3.
Under-21
Westshore (Taylor Dick/Ryan Ennor/Jessica Ennor) 1, Papamoa (Jake Cowdrey/Ross Cowdrey/Sam Johnston) 2, NPOB (Talor Owen/Lachlan Stevens/Zac Beaton) 3.

Fitzroy's Jamie-Lee Reynolds (left) and Katie Watts tasted success on the first day of the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships. Story/photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services.