North Beach and Muriwai set the bar after Round One of NZ Surf Boat Series

Just a few shorts weeks after being selected to represent New Zealand in February's Trans-Tasman Surf Boat Challenge, the North Beach Beavers proved their strength taking out the Open Men's division of the Titahi Bay Classic.

The first round of the New Zealand Surf Boat Series took place over the weekend with 35 crews from around the country.

The Beavers crew of Frano Staub, Dan Smith, Nathan Keys and Jared Glue finished on 20 points ahead of the Titahi Bay Dragonz on 18 points and the Red Beach Boomers in third with 16 points.

In the Open Women's event the Muriwai Meerkats, crewed by Nicole Owen, Louise Ayling, Kathryn Wright, Jess Parkin and Ricky Butt, finished on top with 20 points followed by Red Beach Muzzies in second (18) and the Titahi Bay Timders in third (16).

In the Under 23 divisions, the Whangamata Barry's (Sam Stockley, Lyndon Vickers, Josh Kerridge, Brandon Dromgool) took out the Men's event while the Muriwai Munchkins (Grace Joseph, Dayna Lawton, Jaime Gunderson, Alex Murden, Danny Tenheuvel) took the win for the Women.

The Sunset Beach Young Guns (Carl Morgan, Jack Morgan, Ryan Brash, Jack Boulton, Sam Hughes, Ted Marsh) and the Titahi Bay InTIMidators (Sarah Talbot, Maya Stillwell, Rosie Darrah, Hannah Holford, Keely Saunders) took out the Under 19 Men and Women's divisions respectively with Westshore Red (Jamie Thompson, Jude Minor, Eric Forster, Daniel Murfitt, Aidan Charman) taking out the Master's Men's.

A Surf Boat Relay concluded the Long Course events on Saturday which called for crews to include one male and one female crew member from any age grade plus an under 19 crew member.

A composite team of Muriwai, Whangamata and Sunset beach took the win followed by Titahi Bay in second and another composite team of Orewa and Sunset in third. North Beach and Orewa finished in fourth and fifth.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Sport Manager Mike Lord says Titahi Bay turned on the weather and some great racing conditions for the first round of the series.

"All the crews were looking strong and it's a great sign that we'll see some competitive racing for the remainder of the season," he says.

Round Two of the series, the Whangamata Surf Boat Spectacular, will take place on January 2 followed by the North Island Surf Boat Championships at Waihi Beach on February 4-5 which will also host the biannual Trans-Tasman Challenge, New Zealand Representative Surf Boat Challenge and Champion of Champions surf boat events.

The fourth and final round will be the Piha Big Wave 'Day of Giants' on February 18.

For more information about the New Zealand Surf Boat Series click here.

Results:

Open Men:
Surf Boat Series. North Beach SLSC Beavers (Frano Staub, Dan Smith, Nathan Keys, Jared Glue) 1, Titahi Bay SLSC Dragonz (Kyle Lang, Jordan Tyrell, Tim Marsden, Jono Boyd, Will McDowell) 2, Red Beach SLSC Boomers (Jed Wright, Charles Graham, Shamus O'Halloran, Hayden Smith Shane O'Halloran) 3.

Open Women:
Surf Boat Series. Muriwai LS Meerkats (Nicole Owen, Louise Ayling, Kathryn Wright, Jess Parkin, Ricky Butt) 1, Red Beach SLSC Muzzies (Emma Wilson, Billie-Lee Haresnape, Ash Timoko, Andrea Gerrard, Shamus O'Halloran) 2, Titahi Bay SLSC Timders (Georgia McLaren, Tracey Mills, Katryn Kinvig, Tessa McPherson, Tim Marsden) 3.

Under 23 Men:
Surf Boat Series. Whangamata SLSC Barry's (Sam Stockley, Lyndon Vickers, Josh Kerridge, Brandon Dromgool) 1, Orewa SLSC Chargers (Callum Thomson, Ethan Hutchinson, Jasper Ballantyne, Ryan Carrington, Mark McCarthny) 2, Piha SLSC Pineapples (Jom Jacods, Chris Lines, Oliver Tattersall, Tyler Waters, Tom Jacka) 3.

U23 Women:
Surf Boat Series. Muriwai LS Munchkins (Grace Joseph, Dayna Lawton, Jaime Gunderson, Alex Murden, Danny Tenheuvel) 1, Orewa SLSC Aces United (Emma Nesbit, Sylvie Mitchell, Courtney McConnell, Kayla Fuemana, Jake Griffiths) 2, Piha SLSC Pingers (Kelsea Broekhoizen, Jordan Pope, Alisha Carden, Grace Jacob, Sophie McIntyre, Patrick Marsh) 3.

U19 Men:
Surf Boat Series. Sunset LS Young Guns (Carl Morgan, Jack Morgan, Ryan Brash, Jack Boulton, Sam Hughes, Ted Marsh) 1, North Beach SLSC Badges (Logan Bell, Josh Archer, Aaron Mackie, Bailey Pouaka, Hayden Riach) 2, Sunset LS Hipsters ( Sebastian Neilands, Flynn Avery, Sean Oliver, Harrison Fulton, Michael Waldegrave) 3.

U19 Women:
Surf Boat Series. Titahi Bay SLSC InTIMidators (Sarah Talbot, Maya Stillwell, Luisa Stillwell, Rosie Darrah, Hannah Holford, Keely Saunders, Tim Marsden) 1, North Beach SLSC Bullets (Portia Raharah, Mikeely Milligan, Zoe Price, Alex Machie, Kate McCabe, Dave Pipe) 2, Orewa SLSC Baby Blues (Sarah Hogg, Alice Friend, Vanja Franich, Maddie Fergus ) 3.

Masters Men:
Surf Boat Series. Westshore SLSC Red (Jamie Thompson, Jude Minor, Eric Forster, Daniel Murfitt, Aidan Charman) 1, East End SLSC Tui (Scott Baker, Kerry Clement, Sam Whiteman, Geoff Hitchcock, Alistair Simers, Heath Tarrant) 2, Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC (Matt Mannington, Adrian Barclay, Dave Goldy, Reece Kennedy, Scott Mogey) 3.

Surf Boat Relay:
Composite Team (Muriwai/Whangamata/Sunset) 1, Titahi Bay 2, Composite Team (Orewa/Sunset) 3, North Beach 4, Orewa 5.

For more information, please contact:

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