Kiwis stand out at The Aussies

Around 30 clubbies put on an impressive performance at this year's Australian Surf Life Saving Championships coming back with a total of 14 medals.

Over 5,000 competitors took part in the competition, more familiarly known as "The Aussies" from March 31- April 6 at Scarborough Beach in Western Australia.

A total of 21 lifesavers made up the Kiwi contingent representing their clubs Mount Maunganui, Omanu, Papamoa, Paekakariki and Riversdale.

Another 10 of SLSNZ's High Performance athletes also put in outstanding efforts competing for their Australian clubs.

Some of the highlights included Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service's Hamish Miller taking gold in the Under 15 Men's 2km Beach Run on Friday. Hamish was second rounding the last turn for the home straight and came home to win by a comfortable margin, jogging the last 100 metres.

Papamoa's Madi Kidd took away a bronze medal on Saturday in the Under 17 Women's Beach Flags and many other athletes got incredibly close to the medal table by making their way to 14 grand final events  between them.

Of the High Performance athletes, Chanel Hickman took an individual gold medal her Open Women's Beach Flags on Saturday, beating nine times Australian Champion Melissa Howard.

Devon Halligan took away four team medals including two golds in the Open Women's Single Surf Ski Relay and Double Ski. She also won silver in her Open Women's Belt Race and bronze in her Open Women's  Tube Rescue with her Manly team mates.

Danielle McKenzie won a silver in the Open Women's Tube Rescue and bronze in the Open Women's Surf Board Relay with her Northcliffe team mates while Kevin Morrison took silver in the Open Men's Tube Rescue  with team mate Max Beattie, both also representing Northcliffe. Max also took out two bronze medals in the Open Men's Surf Board Relay and Open Men's Belt Race.

Ben Cochrane took bronze in his Under 19 Taplin final while Cory Taylor also took bronze in his Open Men's Surf Board Relay, both with their Northcliffe team mates.

Overall, the 2014 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships were won by Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club, followed by Noosa Heads in second and Queenscliff in third.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Sport Manager Mike Lord says all the Kiwi athletes did an amazing job at the Aussies, coming out with some fantastic results. "There's some seriously tough competition over at the Aussie  nationals and it's a huge achievement to make a final, let alone walk away with a medal. All our athletes should be very proud of themselves for their results," he says.

For full results visit the Surf Life Saving Australia website at www.sls.com.au/aussies or check out the SLSNZ and SLSNZ High Performance Facebook pages for photos and updates from throughout the competition.

Grand Final placings:

Libby Bradley, Mount Maunganui
- Under 15 Ironwoman, 16th
- Under 15 Female Tube Rescue, 8th

Daniel Barron, Mount Maunganui
- Under 15 Male Ironman, 12th
- Under 15 Male Surf Board Rescue, 5th

Hamish Miller, Mount Maunganui
- Under 15 Male 2km Beach Run, 1st
- Under 15 Male Surf Board Rescue, 5th

Amy Barron, Mount Maunganui
- Under 17 Female Single Ski, 12th (TBC)

Brooke Shergold, Mount Maunganui
- Open Female Taplin Relay, 11th
- Open Female Single Ski Relay, 6th

Emmanuelle Bescheron, Mount Maunganui
- Open Female Taplin Relay, 11th
- Open Female Single Ski Relay, 6th

Flora Manciet, Mount Maunganui
- Open Female Ironwoman, 16th
- Open Female Taplin Relay, 11th
- Open Female Single Ski Relay, 6th

Olivia Eaton, Mount Maunganui
- Under 17 Female Beach Sprint, 5th

Ian Glover, Omanu
- 60-64 Male Ironman, 4th
- 60-64 Male Surf Board, 6th

Simon Wills, Omanu
- 30-34 Male Surf Race, 4th

Seth Forbes, Paekakariki
- Under 19 Male Beach Flags, 7th

Natalie Peat, Papamoa
- Under 19 Female Ironwoman, 8th
- Under 19 Female Surf Race, 7th

Madison Kidd, Papamoa
- Under 17 Female Beach Flags, 3rd

Ben Cochrane (Omanu), Northcliffe
- Under 19 Male Surf Race, 25th
- Under 19 Male Taplin Relay, 3rd
- Under 19 Male Tube Rescue, 7th
- Under 19 Mixed Single Ski Relay, 5th

Chanel Hickman (Mairangi Bay), Currumbin
- Open Female Beach Flags, 1st
- Open Female Beach Relay, 4th

Chris Moors (Red Beach), Kurrawa
- Open Male Taplin Relay, 9th
- Open Male Surf Team, 4th

Cory Taylor (Midway), Northcliffe
- Open Male Ironman, 9th
- Open Male Taplin Relay, 14th
- Open Male Surf Board Relay, 3rd

Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) Northcliffe
- Open Female Surf Board, 12th

Devon Halligan (Midway), Manly
- Open Female Surf Belt, 2nd
- Open Female Double Ski, 1st
- Open Female Tube Rescue, 3rd
- Open Female Single Ski, 1st

Max Beattie (Omanu), Northcliffe
- Open Male Taplin Relay, 6th
- Open Male Surf Board Rescue, 4th
- Open Male Tube Rescue, 2nd
- Open Male Surf Team, 6th
- Open Male Surf Board Relay, 3rd

Kevin Morrison (Mairangi Bay), Northcliffe
- Open Male Single Ski, 13th
- Open Male Tube Rescue, 2nd

Nick Malcolm (Mairangi Bay), Surfers Paradise
- Open Male Surf Board, 12th

Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy), Kurrawa
- Open Male Beach Flags, 6th

Ashley Cochrane (Omanu), Northcliffe
- Under 19 Female Surf Board Relay, 12th
- Under 19 Female 2km Beach Run, 9th

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