Close tussle at IRB champs

East End's premier crew Andy Cronin and James Morwood continued their national IRB (inflatable rescue boat) reign today, although it was a close-run thing.

The perennial champions won the tube rescue final at the BP Surf Rescue New Zealand championships in half-metre swells at Waipu Cove, though they had to recover from a poor start and hunt down Waimarama's Mike Harman and Ben Cross in the dash home.

The result was sealed when Harman twisted his knee jumping out of his boat, allowing Cronin to sprint through for the gold.  Harman limped across the line, holding off Muriwai's David Butt and Brent Matuschka.

If the premier men's final came down to inches, the women's final was all about miles.  World champions Steph and Carla Laughton (St Clair) won at a canter, with Taylors Mistake's Molly Bell and Meg Fisher second, ahead of St Kilda's Natalie Reid and Anja Waugh.

Sunset Beach took out the under-21 final through Samuel Dwen and Shane Edwards, with Mairangi Bay and Papamoa filling the minor placings, while East End's senior crew of Daniel Charteris and Jared Gray won their final.

The championships continue tomorrow and Sunday, with further finals in assembly rescue, single rescue, mass rescue and the open teams race.
 
Day 1 results:

Tube Rescue.

Premier. East End Black (Andrew Cronin/James Morwood/Rebecca Busing) 1, Waimarama (Ben Cross/Michael Harman/Timothy Cox) 2, Muriwai (David Butt/Brent Matuschka/Hannah Gibson) 3, St Kilda (Nicholas Harwood/Justin Reid/Madeline Marshall-McNabb) 4, Paekakariki (Ben Flynn/Brent Harvey/Baxter Cannell) 5, Westshore (Ryan Ennor/Bradley Hall/Jessica Ennor) 6.
 
Senior. East End Red (Daniel Charteris/Jared Gray/Sharnee Corbett-Wyatt) 1, Muriwai (Jason Harvey/Blake Ingram) 2, Sumner (Luke Keats/Derek Shanks/Aimee Jones) 3, North Beach White (Bradley Freeman/Peter Taylor/Sarah Russell) 4, Mairangi Bay (Brady Campbell/Matthew Holt/Ashton Reiser) 5, Fitzroy (Adam Fraser/Brad McCormack/Gregor Park) 6.
 
U21. Sunset Beach (Samual Dwen/Shane Edwards/Grace Poole) 1, Mairangi Bay (Jake Smith/Luke Smith) 2, Papamoa (Chad Wheeler/Kirby Wheeler) 3, St Clair Grey (James Rolfe/Ossian Woods/James Coombes) 4, Opunake (Thomas Bell/Jordan Hooper) 5.
 
Women. St Clair Black (Carla Laughton/Stephanie Laughton/James Coombes) 1, Taylors Mistake (Molly Bell/Meg Fisher/Zoe Merrick) 2, St Kilda (Natalie Reid/Anja Waugh/Jack Nicoll) 3,St Clair White (Emma Johns/Emily Jones/Nelson Mears) 4.
 
Points: St Clair 15, East End 14, Muriwai 11, St Kilda and Mairangi Bay 9, Sunset Beach 7, Waimarama and Taylors Mistake 6, Sumner and Papamoa 5, North Beach 4, Paekakariki and Opunake 3, Fitzroy and Westshore 2.

East End's Andy Cronin (right) and James Morwood, along with patient Rebecca Busing, on their way to the premier tube rescue title.  Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Journalism.