Black Fins ready for first team camp ahead of Lifesaving World Championships

The countdown is on for the New Zealand Black Fins team as they prepare to defend their title at the 2018 Lifesaving World Championships in South Australia late this year.

The 12-strong Black Fins team will stage their first training camp in Rotorua on 17-19 August for the championships that will be staged at Glenelg Beach, Adelaide. The 16-day competition, comprising some 5000 competitors from over 40 countries, will run from 16 November to 2 December.

Coach Jason Pocock, identifies a mix of experience and newcomers in his Black Fins team that will chase a remarkable fourth straight world at the biennial surf lifesaving championship.

“The camp is a key opportunity for everyone to build the relationships and connections within the team, work on our planning,” Pocock said.

“While there are a number of individual events at the world championships, most of them rely on teamwork, so our ability to support each other is a key to the Black Fins culture.

“The demanding environment of the Lifesaving World Championships both over the five days and the time pre-racing, requires a strong and supportive culture and has been a crucial part of our success. We will take some of those important first steps during this camp.”

Half of the 12-strong team return from the successful world championship winning team from 2016, with all six among the podium finishers when they won the title in the Netherlands. That includes the outstanding Gisborne pair of Chris Dawson and Cory Taylor, Danielle McKenzie from Mairangi Bay, along with triple gold medallist Max Beattie from Omanu SLSC in Mt Maunganui.

Former swimming Olympian Steven Kent, who won three medals in the Netherlands, will be strong alongside Netherlands medallists Natalie Peat and Olivia Eaton, both from Tauranga rounding out the returnees from 2016.

Newcomers include the Otago pair of Andrew Trembath and Carina Doyle, both national champions in the pool, who competed in lifesaving competition at the World Games last year.

Added to those is Papamoa’s Madison Kidd, who has emerged through the high performance squad, and emerging Gisborne star Olivia Corrin, who won the Ironwoman title at the recent Sanyo Cup in Japan.

The team to train in Rotorua this week is:
Andrew Trembath, St Clair (Dunedin)
Carina Doyle, St Clair (Dunedin)
Chris Dawson, Midway (Gisborne)
Cory Taylor, Midway (Gisborne)
Danielle McKenzie, Mairangi Bay (Auckland)
Kodi Harman, Papamoa (Tauranga)
Max Beattie, Omanu (Tauranga)
Murdoch Finch, Omanu (Tauranga)
Madison Kidd, Papamoa (Tauranga)
Natalie Peat, Papamoa (Tauranga)
Olivia Corrin, Midway (Gisborne)
Olivia Eaton, Mount Maunganui (Tauranga)
Steven Kent, Titahi Bay (Wellington)

To keep up-to-date with their journey, visit the SLSNZ High Performance Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram - @SLSNZHP.

For more information, please contact:

Alana McIsaac, Media & Communications Manager
Phone 027 515 7157
Email media@surflifesaving.org.nz