Moors makes waves at flat surf carnival

Chris Moors made a strong statement in front of New Zealand selectors at the Eastern Regional surf lifesaving championships in Mount Maunganui today.

The Red Beach 26-year-old overcame a slow start in his ski race to win the surf race and board race, amid lake-like conditions on the east coast beach.

He then teamed up with clubmate AJ Maney to win the board rescue, and to top things off, comfortably won his ironman heat late in the day.

"Training's starting to come together, although it was a bit up and down there for a while in Australia," Moors, who is based on the Gold Coast with the Kurrawa club, said.  "I had a few flat patches but the last two or three weeks leading up to this have felt really good.  I'm feeling fit and that helps in flat conditions.  Once you get out front, it's hard to be caught."

Moors is the reigning national ironman champion and he will also try and defend his ERC ironman crown tomorrow.

But the satisfying part of his day was the calibre of athletes he beat - heading home national champion Andrew Newton (Mount Maunganui) in the board race and easing past New Zealand stalwart Glenn Anderson in the surf race.

National selectors will pick a team later in the season to compete in the world championships in Adelaide in November, with Moors hoping his consistency is starting to get him noticed.

Kayaker Steve Ferguson (Piha) grabbed the ski race title, holding off Scott Bicknell (Ocean Beach Kiwi) and Mairangi Bay's Kevin Morrison, while veteran Morgan Foster took down arch-rival Paul Cracroft-Wilson in the beach flags.

There were five different winners in open women's events, with Nikki Cox (Westshore) winning the board race and Mount Maunganui's French champion Emmanuelle Bescheron winning the surf race.

Mairangi Bay's Rachel Dodwell won the ski race, ahead of Cox and Teneale Hatton (Orewa), while Danielle McKenzie and Madison Boon won the board rescue.

McKenzie also finished second in the board, continuing her fine form in the Sonic surf race series this summer.

National champion Chanel Hickman (Mairangi Bay) comfortably took out the flags, ahead of Kendall Elliott (Mt Maunganui) and Katie Watts (Fitzroy).

Short course finals were held in the surf boat arena, with Mairangi Bay easing home in the women's division and Piha triumphing in the men.

Piha's boat dominance helped them to second on the overall club points tally with 27, level with Papamoa and just one behind hosts Mount Maunganui and Papamoa on 27.  Mairangi Bay are on 25, with Red Beach on 21.

Red Beach surf lifesaver Chris Moors heads to victory in the surf race at the Eastern Regional championships in Mount Maunganui today. /Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Journalism

Results from the first day of the Eastern Regional surf lifesaving championships in Mount Maunganui today:

Open men: 

Board:  Chris Moors (Red Beach) 1, Andrew Newton (Mt Maunganui) 2, Alistair Maney (Red Beach) 3.  Board Rescue:  Alistair Maney/Chris Moors (Red Beach) 1, Dylan French/Jared Pouwhare (Red Beach) 2, Adrien Lambolez/Andrew Newton (Mt Maunganui) 3.  Surf race: Chris Moors (Red Beach) 1, Glenn Anderson (NPOB) 2, Michael Janes (Midway) 3. Ski:  Steven Ferguson (Piha) 1, Scott Bicknell (Ocean Beach Kiwi) 2, Kevin Morrison (Mairangi Bay) 3.  Beach Flags:  Morgan Foster (South Brighton) 1, Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy) 2, Jamison Gibson-Park (Wainui) 3. Surf Boat - Short Course:  Piha Equipe 1, Orewa 2, Piha Boomers 3.

Open women:   

Board:  Nikki Cox (Westshore) 1, Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) 2, Aimee Berridge (Mt Maunganui) 3. Board Rescue:  Danielle McKenzie/Madison Boon (Mairangi Bay) 1, Larissa Cowlrick/Nikki Cox (Westshore) 2, Aimee Berridge/Katrina Madill (Mt Maunganui) 3. Surf Race: Emmanuelle Bescheron (Mt Maunganui) 1, Madison Boon (Mairangi Bay) 2, Natalie Peat (Papamoa) 3. 

Ski:  Rachael Dodwell (Mairangi Bay) 1, Nikki Cox (Westshore) 2, Teneale Hatton (Orewa) 3. Beach Flags:  Chanel Hickman (Mairangi Bay) 1, Kendall Elliott (Mt Maunganui) 2, Katie Watts (Fitzroy) 3. Surf Boat - Short Course:  Mairangi Bay Majic 1, Muriwai Chickas 2, Orewa B 3.

Under 23 Men:  

Boat Race - Short Course:  Piha Pistols 1, Piha Pirates 2, Sunset Beach 3.

Under 21 Women:  

Boat Race - Short Course:  Bethells Beach 1, Piha Coladas 2, Muriwai Black 3.

Under 19 Men:  

Board:  Dylan Pahina (Midway) 1, Sam Shergold (Mt Maunganui) 2, Ryan Cox (Lyall Bay) 3. Board Rescue:  Ben Nelson/Mitchell (NPOB) 1, Dylan Pahina/Cory Taylor (Midway) 2, Sam Shergold/Cameron Witney (Mt Maunganui) 3. 

Surf Race:  Chris Dawson (Midway) 1, Ryan Cox (Lyall Bay) 2, Jake Allen (Paekakariki) 3. Ski:  Zachary Quickenden (South Brighton) 1, Jack Wilson (Orewa) 2, Cory Taylor (Midway) 3. Beach Flags:  Kodi Harman (Papamoa) 1, Toby Harris (Wainui) 2, Seth Forbes (Paekakariki) 3. Surf Boat - Short Course:  Waihi 1, Piha Chargers 2, Red Beach Roosters 3.

Under 19 Women:  

Board:  Daniel McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) 1, Katie Moodie (Westshore) 2, Kathryn Stewart (Papamoa) 3. Board Rescue:  Natalie Peat/Kathryn Stewart (Papamoa) 1, Ashley Cochrane/Dannielle O'Connor (Omanu) 2, Emily Campbell/Cara Ryan (Mt Maunganui) 3. Surf Race:  Britta Carroll (Waikanae) 1, Natalie Peat (Papamoa) 2, Nicole Rosewarne (Orewa) 3. Ski:  Aimee Fisher (Ocean Beach Kiwi) 1, Danielle Currie (South Brighton) 2, Karina Radley (Mt Maunganui) 3. 

Beach Flags:  Casey Stevens (NPOB) 1, Alice Dimond (Sumner) 2, Briar Wilkie (Midway) 3.

Under 16 Men:  

Board:  Ben Johnston (Papamoa) 1, Daniel Hart (Papamoa) 2, Ben Cochrane (Omanu) 3.  Board Rescue:  Daniel Hart/Ben Johnston (Papamoa) 1, Mason Bryant/Scott Cowdrey (Papamoa) 2, Matthew Hyde/Brad Wiley (Mt Maunganui) 3.  Surf Race: Kurtis Imrie (Paekakariki) 1, Ciaran Ryan (Lyall Bay) 2, Perry Farrell (Mt Maunganui) 3.  Ski:  Ben Cochrane (Omanu) 1, Taris Harker (Papamoa) 2, Fraser Loughlin (Piha) 3.  Beach Flags:  Sam McNicol (Ocean Beach Kiwi) 1, Cameron Hayes (Mt Maunganui) 2, Adam Parker (Orewa) 3.

Under 16 Women:  

Board:  Jasmine Smith (Wainui) 1, Jessica Miller (Mt Maunganui) 2, Adriana Bird (Mt Maunganui) 3. Board Rescue: Jessica Miller/Katherine Wilson (Mt Maunganui) 1, Georgia Burke/Britney Ford (Midway) 2, Briar McLeely/Madeline Readman (Red Beach) 3. Surf Race: Jessica Miller (Mt Maunganui) 1, Kelsi Boocock (Red Beach) 2, Georgia Harris (Wainui) 3. Ski:  Rebecca Cole (Fitzroy) 1, Kim Thompson (Waikanae) 2, Briar McLeely (Red Beach) 3. Beach Flags:  Emily Hodges (Piha) 1, Jessica Geraghty (Paekakariki) 2, Madison Kidd (Whangamata) 3.