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A weekend of fast-paced action at Waihi Beach for the 2022 bp Surf Rescue North Island Championships

Monday, 28 March 2022

The 2022 bp Surf Rescue North Island Championships went ahead at Waihi Beach, with 60 IRB crews from 20 North Island clubs putting it on the line for a weekend of exciting competition. 

Mark Inglis, Surf Life Saving NZ Sport Event Manager says, “It was a weekend of frenetic fast-paced racing. Running repechage rounds, where the winner of the B final filled the vacant 7th Lane in the A Final, ensured that clubs gained the maximum amount of racing over the weekend. This will see them well prepared heading into the 2022 bp Surf Rescue New Zealand National Championships, on the 9th and 10th of April at Waikanae Beach, Gisborne.” 

Special mention goes to the Bethells Beach U19 Females (Maraea Whiu, Chelsey Whiu, Hohaia Pouri Hone Whiu) and the Sunset Beach Open Females (Taylor Shrimpton, Abigail Chapman, Bella Perham). Both crews put in outstanding performances to take home first place in all four events in their age category.  

Sunset Beach LS also deserves recognition for their stellar achievement, dominating the racing and taking first place in the club rankings by a long shot, followed by Bethells Beach SLSP in second place and Waikanae SLSC coming in third.  

Congratulations are also due to the Paekakariki Open Male crew for wins in the Assembly Rescue, Mass Rescue and Single Rescue, along with the NBOP Under 19 Males for firsts in the Assembly Rescue, Tube Rescue and Single Rescue races. 

With the final fixture on the Surf Sport calendar, the bp Surf Rescue New Zealand National Championships, around the corner Mark Inglis says, “There will be 32 Crews from the South Island attending with Sumner and St Kilda crews both bringing substantial numbers. The current National Champions, East End, will also be attending with much stronger numbers than this weekend’s event and will look to retain their title. The competition’s going to be hot and Sunset will have to step their performance up another level if they want to take out Top Club honours at the bp Surf Rescue New Zealand National Championships.” 

2022 bp Surf Rescue North Island Championship Results: 

Club Points 

Club 

Points 

Sunset Beach LS 

171 

Bethells Beach SLSP 

89 

Waikanae SLSC 

80 

Kariaotahi SLSC 

60 

Opunake SLSC 

59 

Waimarama SLSC 

37 

Waihi Beach LS 

36 

New Plymouth Old Boys SLSC 

34 

Paekakariki Surf Lifeguards 

26 

East End SLSC 

23 

Pauanui SLSC 

23 

Ruakaka SLSP 

22 

Red Beach SLSC 

19 

United North Piha Lifeguard Service 

11 

Orewa SLSC 

4 

Omanu SLSC 

2 

Ocean Beach Kiwi SLSC 

2 

Maranui SLSC 

2 

Top Crews 

Open Male 

Paekakariki (Tyler Mills/Dwight Garton/Amy Spiekerman) 

Open Female 

Sunset Beach (Taylor Shrimpton/Abigail Chapman/Bella Perham) 

U23 Male 

Waikanae (Harry Allan/Travis Mitchell/Hamish Swann) 

U23 Female 

Bethells Beach (Paige Atkins/Millie Malin/Luci Marra) 

U19 Male 

NPOB (Jacob Whittle/Jack Feaver/Ellie Dinnison) 

U19 Female 

Bethells Beach (Maraea Whiu/Chelsey Whiu/Hohaia Pouri Hone Whiu) 

For details of the full results go to https://liveresults.co.nz/competition/429 

Photo credit - Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services