2014 New Zealand Pool Championships overview

Surf Life Saving New Zealand kicked-off its first national Surf Sports event for the season with the 2014 New Zealand Pool Championships.

The three-day competition showcased the skills of around 500 lifeguards at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in West Auckland from August 29-31 .

The 2014 New Zealand Pool Championships were opened in style on Day One with a total of 22 New Zealand Pool Championship records broken.

Black Fin and Titahi Bay SLSC member Steven Kent led the way setting two new records in the Open Men's 100m Manikin Carry with Fins (47.57) and 200m Super Lifesaver (2:09.97) events.

Fellow Black Fin and Wainui SLSC member Laura Quilter set a record in the Open Women's 100m Manikin Carry with Fins (55.53).

The girls led the charge in the 50m Swim with Fins with four records being broken in quick succession in the Under 14, Under 16, Under 19 and Open age groups.

It was another massive day at the West Wave Aquatic Centre for Day Two of the 2014 New Zealand Pool Championship with competitors breaking even more pool championship records.

Black Fin and Titahi Bay SLSC member Steven Kent followed up Day One's winning performance (where he broke two records) to set another two. He won the 200m Open Men's Swim with Obstacles in a time of 1.55.16 as well as the 100m Open Men's Rescue Medley in a time of 1.01.06.

Fellow Black Fin Samantha Lee (Lyall Bay) also broke two records; one in the Open Women's 200m Swim with Obstacles in a time of 2.06.95 and another in the Open Women's 100m Rescue Medley in a time of 1.10.67.

Black Fins team captain Andrew McMillan edged out Steven Kent in the 50m Men's Manikin Carry Without Fins to set a new New Zealand record with a time of 29.34.

But the records didn't end there. New Zealand Youth Team member Jacob Hales (Papamoa) set a new record in the Under 19 Men's Rescue Medley with a time of 1.10.40.

His fellow Youth Team members Ben Johnston (Papamoa) and Brittany Tucker (Sumner) produced new New Zealand records in the 50m Manikin Carry, each shaving three seconds off the previous records.

Waikanae's Michael Pickett, who on Day One set a record in the Under 13 Men's 50m Swim with Fins, set another two records; one in the Under 13 Men's 100m Obstacles in a time of 1.07.37 and another in the Under 13 Men's 50m Rescue Medley in a time of 1.07.37.

In the New Zealand Women's Line Throw, team mates Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) and Laura Quilter (Wainui) were an incredibly close .38 of a second off the World Record in a time of 10.78 seconds.

Andrew McMillan was formally named as the Black Fins team captain at a presentation with the New Zealand and New Zealland Youth teams in the afternoon.

One Day Three of the competition, Papamoa held on to their lead to take out the Paul Kent Memorial Trophy for the second year in a row. The club finished on a high note, setting a new record in the final race of the event, winning the 6x50m Mega Relay in a time of 2.22.29.

The Bay of Plenty Club finished on 979 points; 129 points clear of Mount Maunganui's 850 points. Mairangi Bay came in third place on 562 points.

Some of the day's top performances included Midway's Chris Dawson edging out Titahi Bay's Seven Kent and St Clair's Andrew McMillan in the 100m Manikin Tow with Fins in a time of 56.37.

Papamoa's Madison Kidd broke the U19 Women's Manikin Tow with Fins record in a time of 1.06.44. Meanwhile fellow clubbie Natalie Peat edged out Wainui's Laura Quilter to set a new pool record in the 100m Manikin Tow with Fins in a time of 1.04.43.

New Zealand Youth Team member Jacob Hales (Papamoa) continued the club's winning streak setting a new record in the 100m Manikin Tow with Fins in a time of 59.27.

During a special presentation, Surf Life Saving New Zealand presented three national sports awards as the winners are unable to attend this year's awards evening in Wellington on September 20 as they will be in France for the Lifesaving World Championships.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Sport Manager Mike Lord says the NZ Pool Championships is always an exciting event on the annual calendar and this year did not disappoint.

Click here for a breakdown of results by session. 

Final Top Club points:

1. Papamoa SLSC (979) 2. Mt Maunganui LS (850) 3. Mairangi Bay SLSC (562) 4. Piha SC (457) 5. Waikanae SLSC (428) 6. Lyall Bay SLSC (301) 7. Sumner SLSC (245) 8. Red Beach SLSC (205) 9. Orewa SLSC (182) 10. Whangamata SLSC (170) 11. Midway SLSC (134) 12. Fitzroy SLSC (134) 13. East End SLSC (128) 14. Omanu Beach SLSC (74) 15. Kariaotahi LS (62) 16. St Clair SLSC (54) 17. Titahi Bay SLSC (54) 18. NPOB SLSC (48) 19. Otaki SLSC (47) 20. Wainui SLSC (43) 21. Westshore SLSC ( 20) 22. Rarangi SLSC (17) 23. Whakatane SLSC (7) 24. Paekakariki SL (6)

Final Top Masters Club points:

1. Orewa SLSC (99) 2. Waikanae SLSC (62) 3. Fitzroy SLSC (48) 4. East End SLSC (35) 5. Papamoa SR (35) 6. Mt Maunganui LS (15) 7. Levin-Waitarere SLSC (15) 8. Nelson SLSC (11) 9. Kariaotahi LS (6) 10. Rarangi SLSC (4)

NZ Individual Event Records Broken:

• U13 Men's Swim with Fins - Michael Pickett, Waikanae, 24.96
• U14 Women's Swim with Fins - Bernadette Doyle, Mairangi Bay 24.40
• U16 Women's Swim with Fins - Libby Bradley, Mt Maunganui, 23.00
• U19 Women's Swim with Fins - Maddison Kidd, Papamoa, 22.81.
• Open Women's Swim with Fins - Marina Macartney, Mairangi Bay, 22.35
• Open Men's 100m Manikin Carry with Fins - Steven Kent, Titahi Bay, 47.57
• Open Men's 200m Super Lifesaver - Steven Kent Titahi Bay, 2.09.97
• U19 Women's 100m Manikin Carry with Fins - Ariana Moffatt, Papamoa, 1.04.39
• Open Women's 100m Manikin Carry with fins - Laura Quilter, Wainui, 55.53
• U16 Women's 100m Manikin Carry with fins - Hannah Newnham-McGrath, Piha, 106.83
• U19 Men's 100m Manikin Carry with fins - Kane Sefton, Mt Maunganui, 55.32
• U16 men's 100m manikin carry with fins - Seb Johnson, Sumner, 101.06

200m Super Lifesaver
• U19 Women 02.45.39 Piha (2014) Hannah Williams
• U19 Men 02.23.47 Papamoa (2014) Ben Johnston

100m Swim with Obstacles
• U14 Women 01.06.83 Orewa (2014) Lucy Makaea
• U13 Men 01.07.37 Waikanae (2014) Michael Pickett

200m Swim With Obstacles
• U16 Women 02.22.50 Mt Maunganui (2014) Libby Bradley
• Open Women 02.06.95 Lyall Bay (2014) Samantha Lee
• Open Men 01.55.16 Titahi Bay (2014) Steven Kent

100m Swim With Obstacles
• Masters Women 01.15.36 Papamoa (2014) Naomi Davoren

50m Rescue Medley
• U13 Women 00.29.11 Mt. Maunganui (2014) Isabella Akroyd
• U13 Men 00.30.88 Waikanae (2014) Michael Pickett
• U14 Women 00.27.60 Lyall Bay (2014) Alaynah Bettany
• U14 Men 00.28.57 Papamoa (2014) Liam Moffat

100m Rescue Medley
• U19 Men 01.10.40 Papamoa (2014) Jacob Hales
• Open Women 01.10.67 Lyall Bay (2014) Samantha Lee
• Open Men 01.01.06 Titahi Bay (2014) Steven Kent

Line Throw
• U16 Men 15.53 Mt Maunganui (2014) Barron, Miller

50m Brick Carry without Fins
• U14 Men 34.93 Lyall Bay (2014) Alaynah Bettany

50m Manikin Carry without Fins
• U16 Men 36.81 Mt Maunganui Daniel Barron
• U19 Women 38.65 Sumner Brittany Tucker
• U19 Men 22.69 Papamoa Ben Johnston
• Open Women 35.70 Wainui Laura Quilter
• Open Men 29.34 St Clair Andrew McMillan

100m Manikin tow with fins:
U16 Women's - 1.08.31, Piha, Hannah Newham-McGrath
U19 Women's- 1.06.44, Papamoa, Madison Kidd
Open Women's- 1.04.43, Papamoa, Natalie Peat
U19 Men's- 59.27, Papamoa, Jacob Hales
Open Men's- 56.37, Midway, Chris Dawson

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