St Kilda Kills it at bp Surf Rescue South Island Championships

Press Release

March 29, 2021

[Image: Surf Lifeguards compete in the 2021 bp South Island IRB Championships; photo credit Oscar Hetherington]

Dunedin’s St Kilda Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) trounced the competition at this year’s bp Surf Rescue South Island Championships at Waikouaiti Beach over the weekend. The club dominated proceedings, with consistent results across most age groups.

Natalie Ashton and Sarah Thomas, both of St Kilda SLSC, nearly made a clean sweep, coming first in the Assembly, Single, and Tube categories, and a close second in Mass Rescue.

In the open men’s division, it Sumner SLSC’s Nick Hornblow and Samuel Hand took out the competition, winning three out of the four men’s events.

Sumner SLSC finished second overall, with 121 points behind the dominant St Kilda (165 points). St Clair SLSC rounding out the top three with 101 points.

Event organiser and Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) Sport Development Officer, Mike Lord, says this event was a perfect precursor for the bp Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships next month.

“It was a fantastic day on the beach with superb conditions for racing ahead of next month’s national event,” he says.

“This event wasn’t held last year due to Covid-19 lockdown. It was great to see the crews back racing hard and the support on the beach from friends and family. Thank you to all of our volunteers who officiated and provided water safety during the competition.”

Inflatable rescue boats (IRBs) are used in countless rescues on New Zealand beaches and events like the bp Surf Rescue South Island Championships are designed to emulate real-life lifesaving scenarios, with the ultimate aim of improving lifeguards’ skills and technique.

The bp Surf Rescue New Zealand Championships are the next championships being held at Ruakaka Beach in Northland on April 10 & 11.

Assembly Rescue

Open Male. Sumner (Nick Hornblow/Samuel Hand/Harriet Lord) 1, St Clair (Niam Chronican/Scott Fraser/Rosie Falcous) 2, Nelson (Cullen Paurini/Jayd Cosmatos/Brittany Spencer) 3.

Open Female. St Kilda (Natalie Ashton/Sarah Thomas/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, Sumner (Kate Suter/Melissa Patterson/Lily Tonascia) 2, Sumner (Jade Jeffery/Ellen McLean/Neva Pedersen) 3.

U23 Male. St Kilda (Duncan New/Abe MacCormick/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, Warrington (Taryn Doyle/Kayle Harris/Eli Familton) 2, St Clair (Jackson Aluesi/Flynn Steel/Leyton Aluesi) 3.

U23 Female. Sumner (Jessica Larson/Lucy Van Berlo/Caitlin Baker) 1, Brighton (Phoebe Aburn/Ali Adams/Rhiannon McFarlane) 2, Pauanui (Stella Reid/Gabriella De Latour/Mathieu Reid) 3.

U19 Male. Warrington (Angus Brett/Connor Aldrich/Sophie Boyle) 1, St Kilda (Riley Allibone/Cameron Jefferies/Zoe Allibone) 2.

U19 Female. St Kilda (Emily Peacock/Madi Loudon/Jessica Wilson) 1.

Tube Rescue

Open Male. St Clair (Isaac Davies/Nathan Wolf/Shannya MacRae) 1, St Clair (Niam Chronican/Samuel Todd/Rosie Falcous) 2, Sumner (Nick Hornblow/Samuel Hand/Harriet Lord) 3.

Open Female. St Kilda (Natalie Ashton/Sarah Thomas/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, Sumner (Kate Suter/Melissa Patterson/Lily Tonascia) 2, St Clair (Anja Waugh/Eilis Doyle/Lara Tyndall) 3.

U23 Male. Warrington (Taryn Doyle/Kayle Harris/Eli Familton) 1, St Kilda (Duncan New/Abe MacCormick/Natalie Jane Reid) 2, St Clair (Jackson Aluesi/Flynn Steel/Leyton Aluesi) 3.

U23 Female. Brighton (Phoebe Aburn/Ali Adams/David Clarke) 1, Sumner (Jessica Larson/Lucy Van Berlo/Caitlin Baker) 2, Pauanui (Stella Reid/Gabriella De Latour/Mathieu Reid) 3.

U19 Male. St Kilda (Riley Allibone/Cameron Jefferies/Zoe Allibone) 1.

U19 Female. St Kilda (Emily Peacock/Madi Loudon/Amelia Loudon) 1, Sumner (Jade Couch/Harriet Lord/Lily Tonascia) 2.

Mass Rescue

Open Male. Sumner (Nick Hornblow/Samuel Hand/Harriet Lord/Jade Jeffery) 1, Nelson (Cullen Paurini/Jayd Cosmatos/Brittany Spencer/Greta Clark) 2, St Kilda (Ben Pickles/Nic Brice/Jessica Wilson/Natalie Jane Reid) 3.

Open Female. St Clair (Mikayla Garforth/Jamie Vuglar/Emma Christophers/Rosie Falcous) 1, St Kilda (Natalie Ashton/Sarah Thomas/Natalie Jane Reid/Molly McDowall) 2, Sumner (Jade Jeffery/Ellen McLean/Neva Pedersen/Samuel Hand) 3.

U23 Male. St Kilda (Danyon Noakes/Matt Lloyd/Molly McDowall/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, St Kilda (Duncan New/Abe MacCormick/Jessica Wilson/Jody Mowat) 2, Warrington (Taryn Doyle/Kayle Harris/Eli Familton/Jordyne Harris) 3.

U23 Female. Sumner (Jessica Larson/Lucy Van Berlo/Caitlin Baker/Lewis Elliott) 1, Pauanui (Stella Reid/Gabriella De Latour/Mathieu Reid/George Reid) 2, St Clair (Anaia Wiparata/Olivia Pearce/Shannya MacRae/Lara Tyndall) 3.

U19 Male. South Brighton (Callum Jeffery/Isaac Cotter/Alanah Fern/Harry Roberts) 1, Warrington (Angus Brett/Connor Aldrich/Sophie Boyle/Jordyne Harris) 2, St Kilda (Riley Allibone/Cameron Jefferies/Zoe Allibone/Molly McDowall) 3.

U19 Female. St Kilda (Emily Peacock/Madi Loudon/Jessica Wilson/Zoe Allibone) 1, Sumner (Jade Couch/Harriet Lord/Lily Tonascia/Kate Suter) 2.

Single Rescue

Open Male. Sumner (Nick Hornblow/Samuel Hand/Harriet Lord) 1, Nelson (Cullen Paurini/Jayd Cosmatos/Brittany Spencer) 2, St Kilda (Ben Pickles/Nic Brice/Jessica Wilson) 3.

Open Female. St Kilda (Natalie Ashton/Sarah Thomas/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, Sumner (Kate Suter/Melissa Patterson/Lily Tonascia) 2, St Clair (Mikayla Garforth/Jamie Vuglar/Emma Christophers) 3.

U23 Male. St Kilda (Danyon Noakes/Matt Lloyd/Molly McDowall) 1, St Kilda (Duncan New/Abe MacCormick/Natalie Jane Reid) 2, Warrington (Taryn Doyle/Kayle Harris/Eli Familton) 3.

U23 Female. Brighton (Phoebe Aburn/Ali Adams/Rhiannon McFarlane) 1, Sumner (Jessica Larson/Lucy Van Berlo/Caitlin Baker) 2, Pauanui (Stella Reid/Gabriella De Latour/Mathieu Reid) 3.

U19 Male. Warrington (Angus Brett/Connor Aldrich/Sophie Boyle) 1, St Kilda (Riley Allibone/Cameron Jefferies/Zoe Allibone) 2, South Brighton (Callum Jeffery/Isaac Cotter/Alanah Fern) 3.

U19 Female. St Kilda (Emily Peacock/Madi Loudon/Jessica Wilson) 1, Sumner (Jade Couch/Harriet Lord/Lily Tonascia) 2.

Teams Race

Open Male. Warrington (Angus Brett/Connor Aldrich/Eli Familton/Taryn Doyle/Kayle Harris) 1, St Kilda (Ben Pickles/Nic Brice/Danyon Noakes/Matt Lloyd/Molly McDowall) 2, Sumner (Nick Hornblow/Samuel Hand/Lewis Elliott/Blake Hickford/Holly Smith) 3.

Open Female. St Kilda (Natalie Ashton/Sarah Thomas/Emily Peacock/Madi Loudon/Natalie Jane Reid) 1, St Clair (Mikayla Garforth/Jamie Vuglar/Anja Waugh/Eilis Doyle/Emma Christophers) 2, Sumner (Kate Suter/Melissa Patterson/Jessica Larson/Lucy Van Berlo/Caitlin Baker) 3.

Club Points

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For more information please contact:

Mackenzie Koppel

Media and Communications Manager

Surf Life Saving NZ

021 757 433

mackenzie.koppel@surflifesaving.org.nz