First training camp a big success

The New Zealand Open Squad had an action-packed weekend in Auckland at their first training camp ahead of September's World Championships.

The 23 athletes in the squad took part in the camp from Friday to Sunday at the Millennium Institute of Sport and Health in Mairangi Bay.

Team Manager Mark Weatherall says "we had a really good weekend in Auckland with the squad. There was plenty of team building and planning sessions along with the very important Individual Performance  Planning sessions," he says.

The team management also enlisted the help of some junior members from the local Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club for some Simulated Emergency Response Competition (SERC) activities in the pool. "The kids  really loved it, as did the athletes," says Mr Weatherall.

The weekend's camp set the scene for selection into the 12 strong (six males and six females) New Zealand Open Team who will travel to France in September to defend New Zealand's world title that was won at  Rescue 2012 in Adelaide.

Selectors will then name the team in July.

The World Championships is the largest international lifesaving sport competition in the world. Rescue 2014 is being held in France from September 13-26 with the beach events being held at La Grande Motte and the  pool events being held in Montpellier.

New Zealand will be sending two teams to compete- the open NZ Open Team and the Youth Team that was named last month.

Visit /calendar/2014/september/rescue-2014/ for more information about Rescue 2014 and to view photos from the squad camp, visit the SLSNZ High Performance Facebook page.

 Members of the NZ Open Squad with Mairangi Bay SLSC juniors

New Zealand Open Squad:
1. Max Beattie - Omanu
2. Rachel Clarke - Red Beach
3. Paul Cracroft-Wilson - Fitzroy
4. Chris Dawson - Midway
5. Carina Doyle - St Clair
6. Olivia Eaton - Mt Maunganui
7. Steven Ferguson - Piha
8. Murdoch Finch - Riversdale Beach
9. Devon Halligan - Midway
10. Kodi Harman - Papamoa
11. Teneale Hatton - Piha
12. Chanel Hickman - Mairangi Bay
13. Steven Kent - Titahi Bay
14. Samantha Lee - Lyall Bay
15. Nick Malcolm - Mairangi Bay
16. Danielle McKenzie - Mairangi Bay
17. Andy McMillan* - St Clair
18. Chris Moors - Red Beach
19. Kevin Morrison - Mairangi Bay
20. Andrew Newton - Mt Maunganui
21. Natalie Peat - Papamoa
22. Laura Quilter - Wainui
23. Cory Taylor - Midway
*Subject to testing

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Honeybone, Media & Communications Specialist, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.honeybone@surflifesaving.org.nz