Team effort key for Junior Black Fins

The Junior Black Fins have finished their International Surf Rescue Challenge campaign with another solid performance on the beach in Durban.

“There were so many great performances across all three tests,” coach Zac Franich says.

“I’m incredibly impressed, it was epic to be a part of.

“There are a lot of future Black Fins in this team. The best part of this is that they’re just getting started, for a lot of them this is their first real international competition so they’ll take a lot of experience from it.”

The third and final test of the series, on October 1, 2019, saw a lot calmer conditions at the beach in Durban.

But while the waves were smaller the intensity of the competition was very tough.

Atakura Julian, Fletcher Moles, Lachie Falloon and Louis Clark took gold in the men’s tube rescue.

Astaria Teaukura, Briana Irving, Christy Tate and Sasha Reid won the women’s beach relay.

Reid was back in action after being injured in the first test and subsequently ruled out of the second test and made her presence immediately known finishing third in the opening surf race.

Louis Clark maintained his impressive record finishing second in the men’s surf race.

After the Ocean M events were canceled in the second test there was plenty of excitement within the team to get into the action with Claudia Kelly picking up second spot in a hotly contested field.

Not to be outdone, Joe Collins continued his great run of form through the three tests finishing second in the men’s Ocean M.

Briana Irving, Moles, Georgie Pitkethley and Clark combined for third in the Ocean Lifesaver Relay.

Irving was second in the women’s beach sprint while Seven Mapu was third in the men’s event.

Claudia Kelly was third in the women’s board race and Collins was second in the men’s board.

Tate took out second spot in the women’s ski race with Kelly finishing third and Collins was third in the men’s ski.

Teaukura, Kelly, Pitkethley and Reid teamed up to finish second in the women’s tube rescue.

Julian and Collins were third in the men’s board rescue while Pitkethley and Reid took silver in the women’s race.

Pitkethley and Collins took second in the mixed board relay while Tate and Moles paired up for third in the mixed ski relay.

Moles, Collins, Falloon and Mapu were third in the men’s beach relay.

Kelly, Collins, Julian, Clark and Reid finished third in the mixed surf teams relay while Irving was third in the beach flags and Mapu was second.

“Every one of the athletes in this team has put in a superb effort,” Franich says.

“The team atmosphere has been sensational. They all have each other’s backs and they’re all willing to go the extra mile to deliver the goods.”