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Sumner crowned champions in tight finish at first Parakiore Pool Rescue Interclub in Canterbury

Tuesday, 23 June 2026

The 2026 Canterbury Pool Rescue Interclub delivered a nail-biting finish at its first outing at the new Parakiore Recreation and Sport Centre, with Sumner SLSC crowned overall championship after a fiercely contested two-day battle on 20-21 June. Bringing together 243 athletes from 21 clubs across New Zealand, the weekend produced racing of the highest standard and an unofficial national record.  

Sumner finished on 474 points, just 15 clear of North Beach SLSC (459) and 26 ahead of South Brighton SLSC (448), with the top three pulling ahead of the rest. Fittingly, each of the podium clubs topped a division along the way: South Brighton led the Junior standings, Sumner the Senior, and North Beach the Masters.  

This year’s event attracted 21 clubs, including 12 from the North Island and 9 from the South Island, with competitors travelling from as far north as Piha SLSC and as far south as St Clair SLSC. Over the weekend, athletes contested 137 events across age groups from U11 through to Masters, with the youngest aged 10 and the oldest 58.  

As the first pool rescue event held at Parakiore, the weekend was a fantastic opportunity for Canterbury clubs and the wider Surf Life Saving membership to experience the new facility. Opened to the public in December 2025, Parakiore is the largest indoor sports and aquatics venue of its kind in New Zealand. 

The event also carried extra significance for Open and Youth Performance Squad athletes, as it was their final opportunity to showcase their skills ahead of selection for the 2026 Lifesaving World Championships.  

Overall Club Standings  

  1. Sumner SLSC - 474 Points 

  1. North Beach SLSC - 459 Points  

  1. South Brighton SLSC - 448 Points 

  1. Waiuku Beach SLSC – 196 points 

  1. Waimairi SLSC – 190 points 

  1. Mairangi Bay SLSC – 150 points 

  1. New Brighton SLSC – 138 points 

  1. St Clair SLSC – 86 points 

  1. Red Beach SLSC – 86 points 

  1. Waimarama SLSC – 64 points 

  1. East End SLSC – 62 points 

  1. Omanu SLSC – 60 points 

  1. Piha SLSC – 50 points 

  1. Spencer Park SLSC – 42 points 

  1. Midway SLSC – 38 points 

  1. Papamoa SLSC – 35 points 

  1. Whangamata SLSC – 28 points 

  1. Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service – 19 points 

  1. Taylors Mistake SLSC – 19 points 

  1. Fitzroy SLSC – 18 points 

  1. Maranui SLSC – 16 points 

  1. Composite Teams – 16 points 

Division winners: South Brighton SSLC (Junior, 266 pts), Sumner SLSC (Senior, 247 points), and North Beach SLSC (Masters, 139 points).  

Age-Group Champions 

Congratulations to our individual point champions across each category:  

  • U11 Female | Lucy Knusden | Waimairi SLSC | 28 Points  

  • U11 Male | Fionn O’Mara | Waikuku Beach SLSC | 21 Points  

  • U12 Female | Indie Start | South Brighton SLSC | 29 Points  

  • U12 Male | Benson Todd | North Beach SLSC | 23 Points 

  • U13 Female | Lexie Palmer | Spencer Park SLSC | 25 Points 

  • U13 Male | Luke Thwaites | North Beach SLSC | 29 Points  

  • U14 Female | Lola Seipp | Sumner SLSC | 30 Points 

  • U14 Male | Tyrinne Northcott | South Brighton SLSC | 24 Points  

  • U15 Female | Jenna Borea | Waimairi SLSC | 30 Points 

  • U15 Male | Callum Harris | North Beach SLSC | 35 Points 

  • U17 Female | Victoria Aburn | St Clair SLSC | 29 Points  

  • U17 Male | Grayson Jethro Swanepoel | Red Beach SLSC | 29 Points  

  • U19 Female | Olivia Verryt | Omanu SLSC | 19 Points 

  • U19 Male | Max Cave | East End SLSC | 18 Points 

  • Open Female | Anna McLearn / Rae Kwan (tied) | 23 Points  

  • Open Male | Isaac Gear | Piha SLSC | 27 Points  

  • Masters Female | Kellie-Lee James | North Beach SLSC | 29 Points  

  • Masters Male | Dean Le Warne | North Beach SLSC | 25 Points  

The individual highlight of the weekend belonged to Mairangi Bay’s Fergus Eadie, who unofficially broke the New Zealand record in the Open Male 100m Manikin Tow with Fins, finishing in 48.52 seconds. Eadie finished second in the Open Male category, standing behind Piha’s Isaac Gear (27), and Mairangi Bay clubmates Louis Clark and Sam Brown, third and fourth.   

“It was great to be in Christchurch for the Canterbury Interclub at the new Parakiore Recreation and Sports Centre,” said High-Performance Sport Manager Holly Fletcher. “While it was an important selection opportunity for many, it was equally epic to see such strong participation numbers from Juniors to Masters having a hit-out in some early-season pool rescue racing”.   

We were thrilled to see so many Canterbury members supporting a local event, alongside strong attendance from clubs around the country. The growth in participation reflects the increasing interest in pool rescue, and we are excited to welcome athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and supporters to Parakiore for what promises to be a great weekend of racing. 

Full results: View the complete summary on Swimify  

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