Mount Maunganui to defend Eastern Region Pool Champs title

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service will fight to retain their Eastern Region Pool Championship title in Hamilton this weekend.

With 46 athletes entered, they are the largest squad taking part in this year's event at Waterworld in Te Rapa, Hamilton which will see a total of around 200 competitors from 13 clubs taking part.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service took out the 2015 Eastern Region Pool Championships title with a 76 point lead ahead of Papamoa Surf Life Saving Club with Mairangi Bay in third.

This year, both Red Beach and Papamoa Surf Life Saving Clubs have good sized squads with 35 and 32 athletes entered respectively.

Surf Life Saving Eastern Region Sport Manager Mark Inglis says Papamoa and Red Beach will aim to give Mount Maunganui a run for their money and not let them have it all their own way.

"This is the first regional event for the 2016/17 season and it's always a great way to kick-off so I'm looking forward to seeing how hard the athletes have been training throughout the off season," he says.

The champs will feature events ranging from manikin carries and obstacles to line throw and rescue medleys. All the events are based around rescue capability and are specific to saving people's lives- what surf lifesaving is all about.

Racing begins at 9am on Saturday and concludes with prize giving at 4.30pm on Sunday.

Live results will be posted at http://liveresults.co.nz/sls or on the SLSNZ App. Also keep an eye out on the Eastern Region Facebook page for updates through the event.

Clubs entered:

East End SLSC- 1
Whakatane SLSC- 1
Whiritoa Lifeguard Service- 1
Piha SLSC- 2
Pauanui SLSC- 3
Whangamata SLSC- 4
Mairangi Bay SLSC- 14
Orewa SLSC- 16
Waihi Beach Lifeguard Service- 16
Omanu SLSC- 17
Papamoa SLSC- 32
Red Beach SLSC- 35
Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service- 46

For more information, please contact:

Lisa Smith, Media & Communications Manager, SLSNZ
Phone 09 303 9335 or 0276 488 823
Email lisa.smith@surflifesaving.org.nz