Black Fins take out test two of International Surf Rescue Challenge

The Black Fins created modern history in Maroochydore today when they won their first stand-alone test against Australia during the second test of the international Surf Rescue Challenge. 

A number of top performances across the day helped the Black Fins to finish one point ahead of the Australians who were in the lead after the first test on Friday.

On the points table for Test Two, New Zealand finished with 78 points ahead of Australia on 77 points. The USA is in third with 40 points followed by Japan on 35.

Some of the day's highlights included Max Beattie (Omanu) and Cory Taylor (Midway) taking out first and second respectively in the Men's Ironman.

Teneale Hatton (Piha) cleaned up the Women's Ski Race, finishing in first place with a huge lead ahead of Australia's Amy Nurthen. She also teamed up with Titahi Bay's Marty McDowell to take first in the Mixed Ski Relay and McDowell also claimed an individual gold in the Men's Ski Race.

Some of the team's other wins came from Danielle McKenzie (Mairangi Bay) in the Women's Board Race, Devon Halligan (Midway) in the Women's Surf Race, Chanel Hickman (Mairangi Bay) in the Women's Beach Flags and Olivia Eaton (Mount Maunganui) in the Women's Beach Sprints. Beattie also had a great run up the beach to comfortably take out the Men's Board Race.

In some of the team events, Eaton, Hatton, Hickman and McKenzie took out the Open Female Beach Relay title while Captain Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy), Chris Dawson (Midway) Taylor and Beattie took the men's title. Beattie and McKenzie added another gold to the tally in the Open Mixed Board Relay.

New Zealand team coach Jason Pocock says it was a fantastic day of competition today with the team making some great decisions. "They took on some key learnings from Friday and all raced with massive heart. We're looking forward to stepping up again tomorrow as we hunt for an historic win, having never won the International Surf Rescue challenge," he says.

Unfortunately, Papamoa's Natalie Peat suffered a suspected broken foot in the surf race and the team management is now working through a replacement ahead of the third and final test tomorrow.

The Youth team also put in a solid effort today with Kane Sefton coming in fourth place in the Men's Iron against the open athletes, putting him in first place in the Under 19s. He also teamed up with Mount Maunganui's Hamish Miller to take out the U19 Male Board Rescue title.

Papamoa's Maia Bryant won the U19 Female Single Ski title and Kelsi Boocock (Red Beach), Baydon Botha (Mairangi Bay), Olivia Corrin (Midway) and Matt Scott (Midway) teamed up to take gold in the U19 Mixed Surf Team.

Mairangi Bay's Jake Hurley claimed two individual golds; in the U19 Male Beach Flags and the U19 Male Beach Sprint while Zoe Hobbs (Fitzroy) claimed the women's Beach Sprint title.

The Test Two points for the Youth division sees Australia on 59 points with New Zealand on 53 and the USA with 26.

Youth team coach Jonelle Quane says they team is happy that they improved on their performance from the first test and put some more wins on the board.

"The team is growing in knowledge and confidence on an international stage. They're looking forward to putting in another solid effort tomorrow," she says.

To keep up-to-date with the teams' journey visit the High Performance Facebook page at www.facebook.com/slsnzhp or on Twitter @slsnzhp.

For full results from Test Two of the International Surf Rescue Challenge, click here.

Test Two Results:

Open Female Beach Flags
Chanel Hickman, 1st
Olivia Eaton, 3rd

Open Female Beach Relay
Olivia Eaton, Teneale Hatton, Chanel Hickman, Danielle McKenzie, 1st

Open Female Beach Sprint
Olivia Eaton, 1st
Chanel Hickman, 2nd

Open Female Board Race
Danielle McKenzie, 1st
Devon Halligan, 3rd

Open Female Board Rescue
Devon Halligan & Danielle McKenzie, 2nd

Open Female Ironwoman
Danielle McKenzie, 2nd
Devon Halligan, 4th

Open Female Rescue Tube Rescue
Devon Halligan, Teneale Hatton, Danielle McKenzie, Natalie Peat, 2nd

Open Female Single Ski
Teneale Hatton, 1st
Danielle McKenzie, 3rd

Open Female Surf Race
Devon Halligan, 1st
Natalie Peat, 3rd

Open Female Taplin Relay (6 team)
Olivia Eaton, Teneale Hatton, Danielle McKenzie, Natalie Peat, 2nd

Open Male Beach Flags
Paul Cracroft-Wilson, 2nd
Max Beattie, 5th

Open Male Beach Relay
Max Beattie, Paul Cracroft-Wilson, Chris Taylor, Cory Taylor, 1st

Open Male Beach Sprint
Paul Cracroft-Wilson, 3rd
Max Beattie, 5th

Open Male Board Race
Max Beattie, 1st
Cory Taylor, 4th

Open Male Board Rescue
Adam Simpson & Cory Taylor, 3rd

Open Male Ironman
Max Beattie, 1st
Cory Taylor, 2nd

Open Male Rescue Tube Rescue
Chris Dawson, Marty McDowell, Adam Simpson, Cory Taylor, 2nd

Open Male Single Ski
Marty McDowell, 1st
Cory Taylor, 3rd

Open Male Surf Race
Chris Dawson, 3rd

Open Male Taplin Relay (6 team)
Max Beattie, Paul Cracroft-Wilson, Chris Dawson, Marty McDowell, 2nd

Open Mixed Board Relay
Max Beattie & Danielle McKenzie, 1st

Open Mixed Single Ski Relay
Teneale Hatton & Marty McDowell, 1st

Open Mixed Surf Team
Chris Dawson, Devon Halligan, Natalie Peat, Adam Simpson, 3rd

U19 Female Beach Flags
Maia Bryant, 2nd
Grace Kaihau, 6th

U19 Female Beach Sprint
Zoe Hobbs, 1st
Olivia Corrin, 5th

U19 Female Board Race
Olivia Corrin, 2nd
Grace Kaihau, 6th

U19 Female Board Rescue
Olivia Corrin & Hannah Williams, 2nd

U19 Female Ironwoman
Hannah Williams, 3rd
Maia Bryant, 4th

U19 Female Rescue Tube Rescue
Kelsi Boocock, Maia Bryant, Olivia Corrin, Zoe Hobbs, 2nd

U19 Female Single Ski
Maia Bryant, 1st
Hannah Williams, 4th

U19 Female Surf Race
Grace Kaihau, 2nd
Kelsi Boocock, 4th

U19 Female Taplin Relay (6 team)
Kelsi Boocock, Olivia Corrin, Zoe Hobbs, Hannah Williams, 2nd

U19 Male Beach Flags
Jake Hurley, 1st
Hamish Miller, 5th

U19 Male Beach Relay
Jake Hurley, Hamish Miller, Kane Sefton, Dylan Williams, 2nd

U19 Male Beach Sprint
Jake Hurley, 1st
Dylan Williams, 4th

U19 Male Board Race
Kane Sefton, 2nd
Baydon Botha, 4th

U19 Male Board Rescue
Hamish Miller & Kane Sefton, 1st

U19 Male Ironman
Kane Sefton, 1st
Matt Scott, 2nd

U19 Male Rescue Tube Rescue
Jake Hurley, Hamish Miller, Matt Scott, Dylan Williams, 2nd

U19 Male Single Ski
Kane Sefton, 3rd
Dylan Williams, 4th

U19 Male Surf Race
Baydon Botha, 4th
Matt Scott, 5th

U19 Male Taplin Relay (6 team)
Jake Hurley, Matt Scott, Kane Sefton, Dylan Williams, 2nd

U19 Mixed Board Relay
Olivia Corrin & Hamish Miller, 2nd

U19 Mixed Single Ski Relay
Hannah Williams & Dylan Williams, 2nd

U19 Mixed Surf Team
Kelso Boocock, Baydon Botha, Olivia Corrin, Matt Scott, 1st

New Zealand Black Fins

Paul Cracroft-Wilson, Fitzroy (captain)
Chris Dawson, Midway
Max Beattie, Omanu
Cory Taylor, Midway
Marty McDowell, Titahi Bay
Adam Simpson, Mt Maunganui
Danielle McKenzie, Mairangi Bay
Natalie Peat, Papamoa
Devon Halligan, Midway
Teneale Hatton, Piha
Olivia Eaton, Mt Maunganui
Chanel Hickman, Mairangi Bay

New Zealand Youth

Kelsi Boocock, Red Beach (co-captain)
Matthew Scott, Midway (co-captain)
Zoe Hobbs, Fitzroy
Hannah Williams, Piha
Maia Bryant, Papamoa
Olivia Corrin, Midway
Grace Kaihau, Orewa
Jake Hurley, Mairangi Bay
Kane Sefton, Mt Maunganui
Baydon Botha, Mairangi Bay
Hamish Miller, Mt Maunganui
Dylan Williams, Mt Maunganui

The NZ Black Fins and NZ Youth Team huddle at the conclusion of Test Two at the International Surf Rescue Challenge. 

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