Huge day for surf lifesaving juniors

Beach relay brilliance amid gathering gloom helped Omanu take the lead after three days of the Oceans 14 New Zealand under-14 surf lifesaving championships.

Twelve hours after beginning on a drizzly, swell-drenched Mount Maunganui Main Beach, competitors finished with an absorbing mixed beach relay as streetlights shone and darkness fell.

Omanu took out two of the four relays, placed second in the under-11 division and came within a dropped baton of another medal in the under-14 ranks.

Their under-13 and under-12 success was built around diminutive flyer Colby Brennan, who picked up two golds for his troubles. It allowed Omanu to move to 32 points after three days, six clear of

Papamoa, who collected the other two beach relay golds in style, winning the under-14s and under-11s.

Mount Maunganui are third on 22 points, while Red Beach - courtesy of twin wins in the under-14 boys and girls board relay - are in fourth on 19 points.

Results:

Mixed Beach Relay
U14. Papamoa A (Sophia Boudanovas/Mitch Cowdrey/Mackenzee/Aidan Smith) 1, Whangamata Black (Matthew Bond/Mayah Coleman/Madelaine Gordon/Max Wilson) 2, Red Beach A (Conor Donovan/Hamish Gledhill/Emma Clarke/Jade Tuilaepa) 3.
U13. Omanu Beach A (Denali Amerson/Colby Brennan/Ella Pollock/Ben Blackwell) 1, Orewa White (Xander Cuff/Brandon Pearson/Lucy Makaea/Holly Skinner) 2, East End A (Hannah Baker/Charlotte Godwin/Fletcher Moles/Robson Old) 3.
U12. Omanu Beach A (Colby Brennan/Mitchell Irwin/Joy Mitchell/Zoe Mihailof-Townsend) 1, Piha Black (Molly Brittenden/Sophia Clark/Benjamin Gregory/Joseph Vujcich) 2, Ocean Beach Kiwi A (Wesley Akeripa/Max de Groot/Zoe Grupp/Laura Johnson) 3.
U11. Papamoa A (Eden Kelly/Chanelle West/Cooper Gibson/Kian Grey) 1, Omanu Beach A (Dominic Piceno/Brooke Batters/Lucia Cook/Baxter Kirk) 2, Waikanae A (Nicolas Proffit/Holly Williams/Edan Wilson/Harry Allan) 3.

Board Relay
U14 Boys. Red Beach (Hamish Gledhill/Kees Kramer/Sam Readman) 1, Omanu Beach A (Mitchell Hooker/Flynn Kelly/Mack Petrie) 3.
U14 Girls. Red Beach (Anika Mittendorff/Emma Hildesley/Jade Tuilaepa) 1, Mairangi Bay Red (Ashleigh Phillips/Tahlia Grace Rawle/Tiana Williamson) 2, Omanu Beach A (Grace Elisara/Claudia Pasley/Ella Pollock) 3.
U12 Boys. Omanu Beach A (Thomas Friskney/Kiahi Horan/Thomas Scott) 1, Waikanae A (Charlie Dods/Travis Mitchell/Tom Van Kregten) 3.
U12 Girls. Whakatane Green (Emily Julian/Francesca Kay/Anna Manning) 1, Mt Maunganui A (Isabella Akroyd/Lily Alton/Charlotte Wyatt) 2, Mairangi Bay Blue (Nadine Lees/Astaria Te Aukura/Caprice Thomas) 2.

Club Points: Omanu Beach 32, Papamoa 26, Mt Maunganui 22, Red Beach 19, Orewa 14, Mairangi Bay 12, Whangamata 10, Whakatane 9, Westshore 8, Fitzroy 7, St Clair 7, Piha 5, Maranui 5, NPOB 5, Ocean Beach Kiwi 4, Waikanae 4, Paekakariki 3, Wainui 3, Taylors Mistake 3, Spencer Park 2, Lyall Bay 2, Waihi Beach 1, East End 1.

View the photos from day three here on Facebook.