News
Thrilling finishes highlight last day at Nationals
Sunday, 9 March 2014Cory Taylor finally confirmed years of promise, breaking through and winning his first open ironman title at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane today.
The 20-year-old Midway star put together the perfect race amid a quality field, consigning previous champions Chris Moors (Red Beach) and Max Beattie (Omanu) into second and third respectively.
It ended an eventful New Zealand summer for the Gold Coast-based Gisborne product, after starting the season with victory over Beattie in the long-distance Mount Monster in December. More top results, however, have eluded him until today.
"I've been close in the past and got second two years ago but it was good to finally get over the line and get the win," Taylor said. "I've been racing OK and felt good in the water but the execution has let me down this season. To have it all come together at nationals is a sweet feeling."
The first person over the line congratulating him was his Gisborne namesake Cory Hutchings, an 11-time winner of the open ironman title, while Midway clubmate Matt Sutton provided some vital motivation as he came out of the swim leg two-thirds of the way into the race.
"Sutts asked me how much I wanted it when I jumped on my ski for the final leg and it definitely got me going. To train so much and to get to the end leg in the front pack - you've just got to use what you've trained for and put it all in the bag. I couldn't have asked for it to go any better."
For only the third time in history, the ironman and ironwoman titles went to the same club, with Midway's Devon Halligan out-sprinting Mount Maunganui's Flora Manciet to win the female crown.
Taylor and Halligan emulated the deeds of Westshore pair Daniel Moodie and Nikki Cox in 2008 and Max Beattie and Alicia Bain (Omanu) last year, although Halligan needed to channel her dad Darryl's rugby league abilities on the wing to come from behind.
"Flora beat me at worlds last year and I've had a couple of really good battles with her," Halligan said. "She's a great swimmer and great ski paddler and I was just lucky to pull up next to her on that runner at the end. I'm also lucky with genetics that I've picked up a bit of Dad's speed and was able to get her on the beach."
It was Halligan's second ironwoman title after winning in 2012, while she also claimed the run-swim-run title and was second in the board race.
Taylor's heroics also included helping Midway win the open men's surf teams race and finishing second to Nick Malcolm in the board race and second in the board rescue.
But the male athlete of the championship went to New Zealand kayaking representative Marty McDowell, who collected an unprecedented treble in the ski events.
The 27-year-old Titahi Bay paddler became the first person to hold the open men's ski, men's double ski and mixed double ski titles at the same time. He paired with club veteran Todd Grace in the men's double, caught fellow kayaker Scott Bicknell (Ocean Beach Kiwi) in the single ski and combined with former Olympian Erin Taylor in the mixed double.
"I had to rope in Erin - she hasn't been paddling but I knew how good she was," McDowell, the New Zealand K1 1000m champion, said. "She had to do a rushed 10-day training so she wasn't the fittest out there but she definitely gave it the most.
"The single ski title was the icing on the cake though - it's probably harder to win a ski title than a kayak title at nationals because anything can happen in the surf. I'm paddling the best I've paddled but I also needed a lot of luck. You just can't give up in surf."
The team of the championship went to the Waimairi open men's canoe crew of Mark Cresswell, Daniel Firth, Carl Righton and Greg Shea, who claimed the short-course and long-course double for the second year in a row. It gave Righton and Cresswell 12 canoe gold medals in the last 11 years.
Piha's open men's boat crew were a shock casualty in the short-course semifinals but stormed back in the long-course to beat Muriwai and New Brighton.
Although they didn't complete their fourth "double" in a row, the Mark Bourneville-swept crew of Paul Gerritsen, Scott Lissington, Ben Richards and Ben Scott still became the first crew in the history of the championships to win four consecutive long-course titles.
There was further history in the short-course final, however, as that title went to the South Island for the first time, with New Brighton's Ryan Bombay, James Gaskell, Luke Hoddinott, Adam Nash and Mathew Zainey heading home Orewa and Titahi Bay.
It was a similar story in the open women's short course final, with another Christchurch club North Beach claiming the win. Red Beach came back later in the day to win the long course.
Mairangi Bay claimed the open men's taplin title, although no-one could prevent a rampant Mount Maunganui from winning their fifth Alan Gardner Trophy in eight years for the overall points score.
Boosted by female athlete of the championship Olivia Eaton - the 16-year-old winner of the open and under-16 women's beach sprint - Mount finished on 176 points after the three days, well clear of Bay of Plenty rivals Papamoa (99), with Red Beach (81), Piha (60) and a brave Fitzroy (51) filling out the top-five.
Midway's Cory Taylor claims his first New Zealand ironman title at the national surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane. Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services
Midway's Devon Halligan outsprints Flora Manciet (Mount Maunganui) to win the ironwoman title at the 2014 New Zealand surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane. Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services
Results
Tube rescue
Open Men: Mt Maunganui A (George Haynes/Julien Lalanne) 1, St Clair White (Adam Simpson/Andrew McMillan) 2, Mt Maunganui B (Adrien Lambolez /Cameron Witney) 3.
Open Women: Mt Maunganui A (Emmanuelle Bescheron/Johanna O'Connor) 1, St Clair White (Carina Doyle/Jessie Schneiders) 2, Westshore (Chantelle Cowlrick/Larissa Cowlrick) 3.
U19 Men: Papamoa A (Mason Bryant/Ben Johnston) 1, Papamoa B (Daniel Hart/Mason Pickering) 2, St Clair White (Andrew Trembath/Jamie Mowat) 3.
U19 Women: Mt Maunganui (Grace Eglinton/Jessica Miller) 1, Papamoa A (Maia Bryant/Natalie Peat) 2, Papamoa B (Ariana Moffatt) 3.
U16 Men: St Clair White (Bailey Brandham/Lachlan Brandham) 1, NPOB Yellow (Isaac Hardie Boys/Brodie Lilley) 2, Papamoa A (Jake Cowdrey/Justin Pickering) 3.
U16 Women: Papamoa A (Michelle Dykes/Malia Josephson) 1, Midway (Danielle Scott/Jessica Blakeman) 2, Fitzroy Stingrays (Keely O'Keefe/Natalie Walsh) 3.
Ski relay
Open Men: Mairangi Bay (Michael Lee/Travis Mitchell/Danny Morrison) 1, South Brighton (Steven Drabble/Ryan Quickenden/Zachary Quickenden) 2, Ocean Beach Kiwi (Hamish Beattie/Scott Bicknell/William Wilkins) 3.
Open Women: Piha Black (Brita Camplin/Teneale Hatton/Kirsty Wannan) 1, Red Beach (Briar McLeely/Rachel Clarke/Caitlin Ryan) 2, Mairangi Bay (Rachael Dodwell/Danielle McKenzie/Kayla McKenzie) 3.
U19 Men: Mt Maunganui A (Sam Roy/Ethan Shergold/Brad Wiley) 1, Red Beach (Daniel Cairns/Ethan Hutchinson/Matthew Thetford) 2, Orewa Green (Adam Parker/Ben Parker/James Scott) 3.
U19 Women: Fitzroy Stingrays (Rebecca Cole/Cassie Wilson/Sarah Wilson) 1, Mt Maunganui (Katie Wilson/Jessica Miller/Melissa Ryan) 2, Red Beach (Rebecca Pearce/Louise Aitken/Briar McLeely) 3.
Board race:
Open Men: Nick Malcolm (Mairangi Bay) 1, Cory Taylor (Midway) 2, Andrew Newton (Mt Maunganui) 3.
Open Women: Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) 1, Devon Halligan (Midway) 2, Brita Camplin (Piha) 3.
U19 Men: Matthew Thetford (Red Beach) 1, Michael Bryant (Papamoa) 2, Ben Johnston (Papamoa) 3.
U19 Women: Jasmine Smith (Wainui) 1, Ashley Cochrane (Omanu Beach) 2, Emily Campbell (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U16 Men: James Scott (Orewa) 1, Jake Morgan-Kemp (Red Beach) 2, Matthew Kriel (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U16 Women: Libby Bradley (Mt Maunganui) 1, Maia Bryant (Papamoa) 2, Ngahuia Muru (Whakatane) 3.
U16 Diamond lady
Libby Bradley (Mt Maunganui) 1, Hannah Williams (Red Beach) 2, Jenna Barrett (NPOB) 3.
Ironman
Open Men: Cory Taylor (Midway) 1, Chris Moors (Red Beach) 2, Max Beattie (Omanu Beach) 3.
Open Women: Devon Halligan (Midway) 1, Flora Manciet (Mt Maunganui)2, Kirsty Wannan (Piha) 3.
U19 Men: Ben Cochrane (Omanu Beach) 1, Cooper Halligan (Mt Maunganui) 2, Hamish Treanor (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U19 Women: Katie Wilson (Mt Maunganui) 1, Natalie Peat (Papamoa) 2, Jessica Miller (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U16 Men: Samuel Pasley (Omanu Beach) 1, Kane Sefton (Mt Maunganui) 2, Nico van der Wilt (Lyall Bay) 3.
2km run
Open Men: Nick Berry (Piha) 1, Benjamin Phillips (Taylors Mistake) 2, Owen Miller (Papamoa) 3.
Open Women: Emily Pearce (Piha) 1, Isabella Kirk (Omanu Beach) 2, Kate O'Malley (Westshore) 3.
U19 Men: Hamish Miller (Mt Maunganui) 1, Oliver Shivnan (Waikanae) 2, Michael Hodgson (Waimairi) 3.
U19 Women: Lauren Bailey (Red Beach) 1, Lydia Johnson (South Brighton) 2, Annielle Ryland-Higgins (Kariaotahi) 3.
U16 Men: Finn Mason (Whangamata) 1, Haydn Reardon (Mt Maunganui) 2, Jordan Balk (Spencer Park) 3.
U16 Women: Erin Conway (Mt Maunganui) 1, Sinead Payne (Red Beach) 2, Daisy McElwain (Paekakariki) 3.
Open mixed double ski
Titahi Bay (Martyn McDowell/Erin Taylor) 1, Mairangi Bay (Danielle McKenzie/Travis Mitchell) 2, Zachary Quickenden/Samantha Holland) 3.
Ski race
Open Men: Martyn McDowell (Titahi Bay) 1, Scott Bicknell (Ocean Beach Kiwi) 2, Michael Lee (Mairangi Bay) 3.
Open Women: Teneale Hatton (Piha) 1, Kayla Imrie (Paekakariki) 2, Flora Manciet (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U19 Men: Kurtis Imrie (Paekakariki) 1, Sam Roy (Mt Maunganui) 2, Adam Parker (Orewa) 3.
U19 Women: Briar McLeely (Red Beach) 1, Aimee Fisher (Ocean Beach Kiwi) 2, Sarah Wilson (Fitzroy) 3.
U16 Men: Quaid Thompson (Waikanae) 1, Alex Bristow (Waikanae) 2, Nico van der Walt (Lyall Bay) 3.
U16 Women: Cassie Wilson (Fitzroy) 1, Britney Ford (Midway) 2, Alicia McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) 3.
Surf race
Open Men: Max Beattie (Omanu Beach) 1, Chris Moors (Red Beach) 2, Adam Simpson (St Clair) 3.
Open Women: Natalie Peat (Papamoa) 1, Carina Doyle (St Clair) 2, Emmanuelle Bescheron (Mt Maunganui) 3.
U19 Men: Matthew Scott (Midway) 1, Perry Farrell (Mt Maunganui) 2, Ben Cochrane (Omanu Beach) 3.
U16 Men: Kane Sefton (Mt Maunganui) 1, Lewis Clareburt (Lyall Bay) 2, Isaac Hardie Boys (NPOB) 3.
U16 Women: Ella Drinnan (Orewa) 1, Jenna Barrett (NPOB) 2, Katie Trott (Paekakariki) 3.
Taplin relay
Open Men: Mairangi Bay (Michael Buck/Michael Lee/Nick Malcolm/Travis Mitchell/Danny Morrison/George Hunter) 1, Papamoa (Michael Bryant/Scott Cowdrey/Taris Harker/Daniel Hart/Ben Johnston/Matthew Strange) 2, Taylors Mistake (Tom Mouldey/Liam O'Loughlin/Benjamin Phillips/Frederick Teear/Luke Wisby/Andrew Roberts) 3.
Open Women: Mt Maunganui A (Emmanuelle Bescheron/Lisa Carrington/Flora Manciet) 1, Piha Black (Brita Camplin/Teneale Hatton/Kirsty Wannan) 2, Mairangi Bay A) Rachael Dodwell/Danielle McKenzie/Alicia McKenzie) 3.
U19 Men: U19 Men. Mt Maunganui A (Perry Farrell/Cooper Halligan/Sam Roy) 1, Papamoa A (Taris Harker/Daniel Hart/Ben Johnston) 2, Midway (Malachi Scammell/Matthew Scott/Callum Torrie) 3.
U19 Women: Papamoa A (Maia Bryant/Natalie Peat/Kathryn Stewart) 1, Mt Maunganui (Katie Wilson/Jessica Miller/Melissa Ryan) 2, Red Beach (Louise Aitken/Kelsi Boocock/Briar McLeely) 3.
U16 Men: Mt Maunganui A (Matthew Kriel/Kane Sefton/Nicholas Wilson) 1, Fitzroy Jellyfish (Thomas Cole/Eliot Lundon Moore/Gregor Park) 2, Mt Maunganui B (Hamish Miller/Todd Reardon/Dylan Williams) 3.
U16 Women: Red Beach (Rebecca Pearce/Hannah Williams/Brie Downey) 1, Lyall Bay (Kate Nota/Saskia van der Wilt/Tori Watt) 2, Orewa Blue (Ella Drinnan/Jessica Kiff/Sarah Olsen) 3.
Boat - Short Course
Open Men: New Brighton Killa Beez (Ryan Bombay/James Gaskell/Luke Hoddinott/Adam Nash/Mathew Lainey) 1, Orewa Thunder (Jake Griffiths/Christopher McCarthny/John McCarthny/William Seedhouse) 2, Titahi Bay (Jono Boyd/Nick Boyd/Dean Ellis/Jordan Te Paa/Wil McDowell) 3.
Open Women: North Beach Big Dogs (Lucy Brown/Chloe Harris/Sara Morris/Ella Farrell/David Pipe) 1, Muriwai Thunderbirds (June Hardacre/Bridget Law/Olivia Marlow/Rowen Waterworth/Rosemarie Hardacre/Kendall Dooley) 2, Titahi Bay (Kathryn Kinvig/Rebecca Tong/Laura Travers-Jones/Lizzie Campbell/Byron Malcolmson) 3.
U23 Men: Rarangi Rhinos (Michael Boon/Joseph Leper/Keagan Saul/Abe Rood/Neil Watts) 1, Red Beach Pirates (Max Anstis/Rhye Jacka/Shamus O'Halloran/Luke Tomlinson/Shane O'Halloran) 2, Waihi Beach (Mark Edwards/Jack Kingsford/Luke Kingsford/Tate Duyvenbooden/Coban Duyvenbooden/Colin Laurie) 3.
U23 Women: Muriwai Muzis (Sara Eivers/Andrea Gerrard/Billie-Lee Haresnape/Ashley Timeko/Chris Deacon) 1, New Brighton Honey Beez (Becky Hix/Ilia Lindsay/Carla Linton/Janelle Trask/Fiona Virtue/Mathew Zainey) 2, Orewa Maccas Middies (Rebecca Ash/Alysha Nesbit/Hannah Everitt/Danielle Shrubsall/Mark McCarthny) 3.
U19 Men: Waihi Beach (Tommy Gwilym/Matthew Hart/Luke Kingsford/Josh Marston/Tate Van Duyvenbooden/Jack Kingsford) 1, Piha Pineapples (Tom Jacob/Fraser Loughlin/Nicholas McDonald/Tom Rasmussen/Tyler Waters/Nicholas Mackenzie) 2, Whangamata Beached as Bros (Brandon Dromgool/Josh Kerridge/Andrew Jujnovich/Sam Stockley/Lyndon Vickers) 3.
U19 Women: Piha Peaches (Olivia Adams/Kelsea Broekhuizen/Bernadine Flaxman-Hendriks/Sophie McIntyre/Seagh Von Keisenberg/Cedric Bourneville) 1, Titahi Bay Tigers (Sinead Clark/Suzy Ellis/Tracey Mills/Jessica Cleland/Brett Hamer) 2, Muriwai Minis (Brittany Baltus/Ashley Clarke/Grace Joseph/Lucy Kelly/Chris Deacon) 3.
Boat - Long Course
Open Men: Piha A (Paul Gerritsen/Scott Lissington/Benjamin Richards/Ben Scott/Mark Bourneville) 1, Muriwai Mongols (Thomas Belgrave/Kendall Dooley/Liam McMaster/Jacob Pemberton/Chris Deacon) 2, New Brighton Killa Beez (Ryan Bombay/James Gaskell/Luke Hoddinott/Adam Nash/Mathew Zainey) 3.
Open Women: Red Beach Sirens (Kelly Andrew/Katrina Gouldstone/Ashley Jenkins/Madison Smith/Zita Talaic/Shane O'Halloran) 1, North Beach Big Dogs (Lucy Brown/Chloe Harris/Sara Morris/Ella Farrell/David Pipe) 2, Muriwai Thunderbirds (June Hardacre/Bridget Law/Olivia Marlow/Rowen Waterforth/Rosemarie Hardacre/Kendall Dooley) 3.
U23 Men: Piha Pistols (Ben Kiely/Ryan Lester/Cameron Sweetman/Jean Paul Smit/Cedric Bourneville/Ludovik Bourneville/Mark Bourneville) 1, Red Beach Pirates (Max Anstis/Rhye Jacka/Shamus O'Halloran/Luke Tomlinson/Shane O'Halloran) 2, Lyall Bay (Troy Greenem/Samuel Janssen/Jordan Merritt/Sam Richardson/Benjamin Janssen/Ray Stoddart) 3.
U23 Women: Muriwai Cats (Anamarie Clarke/Alison Craggier/Ellie David/Sophie Rowland/Ricky Butt) 1, New Brighton Honey Beez (Becky Hix/Ilia Lindsay/Carla Linton/Janelle Trask/Fiona Trask/Mathew Zainey) 2, Paekakariki Oracle (Jordan Crosbie/Sarah Gane/Amy Spiekerman/Awhina Karawana/Shane Radovanovich) 3.
U19 Men: Waihi Beach (Tommy Gwilym/Matthew Hart/Luke Kingsford/Josh Marston/Tate Van Duyvenbooden/Jack Kingsford) 1, Whangamata Beached as Bros (Brandon Dromgool/Josh Kerridge/Andrew Jujnovich/Sam Stockley/Lyndon Vickers) 2, Piha Pineapples (Tom Jacob/Fraser Loughlin/Nicholas McDonald/Tom Rasmussen/Tyler Waters/Nicholas Mackenzie) 3.
U19 Women: Paekakariki Tease (Bridget Churchman/Andrea de Atouguia/Isabelle Paul/Katie Burgess/Steven Dickson) 1, Red Beach Blakeys Angels (Jaime Busby/Jessica Cornish/Georgia Cox/Tyler McDowall/Craig Dillon) 2, Titahi Bay Tigers (Sinead Clark/Suzy Ellis/Tracey Mills/Jessica Cleland/Brett Hamer) 3.
Canoe - Short Course
Open Men: Waimairi (Mark Cresswell/Daniel Firth/Carl Righton/Greg Shea) 1, Lyall Bay (John Elsmore/James Flannery/Matt Flannery/Craig Jones) 2, South Brighton (Mark Drabble/Ben Keys/Michael Martlew/Scott Martlew/Ryan Quickenden) 3.
Open Women: Taylors Mistake (Sarah Cook/Megan Lockie/Bianca Teague/Brie Thomas) 1, Waimairi (Madeline Dawe/Michelle Hendrie/Jade Jeffery/Caitlin McBain-Ruddle) 2, St Clair White (Monique Francois/Carla Laughton/Stephanie Laughton/Eilis Doyle/Heather Thompson/Sophie Robb) 3.
U19 Men: Whakatane Yellow (Paraone Muru/Campbell Reid/Joshua Walters/Ashley Roozendaal) 1, Mt Maunganui (Wilson Longhurst/Sam Roy/Ethan Shergold/Timothy Waller/Brad Wiley) 2, Waikanae (Michael Bloxham/Alex Bristow/Jarrod Fitzgerald/Quaid Thompson) 3.
U19 Women: Waikanae A (Ella Andrew/Ashleigh Hurring/Tayla Lum/Lucy Mossman) 1, Waimairi A (Louise Herring/Bridget McGarr/Darnay Read/Amelia Reese) 2, United North Piha Gold (Kayla Fuemana/Leilani Fuemana/Ellie Jeurissen/Mary Duff) 3.
Canoe - Long course
Open Men: Waimairi (Mark Cresswell/Daniel Firth/Carl Righton/Greg Shea) 1, South Brighton (Mark Drabble/Ben Keys/Michael Martlew/Scott Martlew/Ryan Quickenden) 2, Mt Maunganui (Ryan Hayes/Damian Munro/Samuel Newlands/Andrew Roy/Michael Waide) 3.
Open Women: Taylors Mistake (Sarah Cook/Megan Lockie/Bianca Teague/Brie Thomas) 1, St Clair White (Monique Francois/Carla Laughton/Stephanie Laughton/Eilis Doyle/Heather Thompson/Sophie Robb) 2, Ocean Beach Kiwi (Anne Cairns/Tessa Dever/Jamie Welch/Aimee Fisher) 3.
U19 Men: Mt Maunganui (Wilson Longhurst/Sam Roy/Ethan Shergold/Tim Waller/Brad Wiley) 1, Waimairi (Matthew Baker/Samuel Hand/Ryan O'Rourke/Jackson Smith) 2, Whakatane Yellow (Paraone Muru/Campbell Reid/Joshua Walters/Ashley Roozendaal) 3.
U19 Women: Waimairi (Louise Herring/Bridget McGarr/Darnay Read/Amelia Reese) 1, Waihi Beach (Sarah Fraser/Ellena Regan/Rikayla Richardson/Gina Swanney) 2, Red Beach Mizzfits (Ella Blunden/Billie Coogan/Freya Currie/Erin Lee/Kayla Rickaby) 3.
The Piha men's boat crew cross for their historic fourth long-course title at the 2014 New Zealand surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane. Photo by Mark Weatherall/Dscribe Media Services