Black Fins stars shine as day two heats up at Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships

Day two of the 2026 Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships showed strength and skill from senior athletes in surf boats, canoes, the run-swim-run race, surf and board races, and beach sprints. 

The club leaderboard is still being led by Omanu SLSC on 313 points; East End SLSC has moved into second place with 199 points; and Mairangi Bay SLSC is in third with 182 points at the half-way stage of this four-day championships. Full results, including all individual events, are on LiveHeats. 

Two of New Zealand's top surf lifesaving athletes competed with their home clubs today; Black Fins Cory Taylor from Midway SLSC and Claudia Kelly from East End SLSC. With calm conditions at Ōhope Beach and warm sun, racing was fast-paced and competition was strong.

Black Fins captain Cory Taylor (32), who is now based on the Gold Coast (at BMD Northcliffe Surf Club) has always loved the chance to compete alongside the Midway team. Taylor has been competing in the national championships since he was in his teens, and this is his fourth time at Ōhope - though he says, compared to his first time, conditions this year are completely different.

“I love racing here; it is awesome to be back and this year it's really turned it on. My first experience at Ōhope as an under-16 had the beach had such huge surf we ended up being sent down to the estuary to race! I didn't enjoy that; at Midway we like the waves”, said Taylor. 

“Today though, with flatter surf we had very short racing – we got through the programme fast which was efficient, but for me that was the challenge because you're going from race to race almost back-to-back and that is physically tough. With bigger waves my experience comes into play more and that's an advantage against the more excitable 20-year-olds - I can be more technical, look for the shortest route inside the cans, and judge the water. 

“I felt good about today though, and there was a lot of sprint finishes where I was mostly chasing Joe and Kalani who was easily the fastest today – he deserved the win.” 

Black Fin Claudia Kelly (24) also competes with BMD Northcliffe in Australia, and she been part of the surf lifesaving community since she was a nipper. Kelly started started forming her lifesaving sport goals after a breakout year at age 15. 

She says; “My original goal was to get one national medal. But when I won the top overall under-16 competitor I decided to focus on surf training and make the national team. My dreams were to make the Black Fins team, and the Iron Series, and it was pretty special to tick off both.” 

“Today, I really wanted the ski race wins, but I'm happy to have taken silver against my teammate Julia (Padrutt). We kind of led the whole race together and I ran it a little bit ahead, but it got down to a sprint finish, and beating Julia in a sprint is a hard ask. I'm so happy we got first and second yesterday after winning the double ski together. Maybe it'll be my turn for ski next year!” 

“I've got the iron tomorrow, but it's going to be a very hot field with Pipi and Olivia – I'm mainly trying to get as many wins as possible with my East End crew“, said Kelly. 

Both athletes have two more days of racing ahead, and they're looking for podium finishes for their individual events as well as pushing up the points for their clubs alongside many of their other Black Fins teammates. 

Beyond this week, they're each looking ahead to qualifying for the Lifesaving World Champs in South Africa later this year. 

Kelly says; “It means so much being here with an East End team of 43 athletes. Especially all these younger kids who never fail to kind of amaze me - they've been absolutely killing it out there. It's also so great to be able to compete in the open women races with all these the faces I've been competing with for the last 10 years.“ 

Taylor says; “I'm looking forward to the iron tomorrow, and I'll be aiming for a podium. I'm lucky the swim is last so I'll have warmer legs – a lot of us are based in Aussie and we are feeling the cold! But that's what New Zealand is about, that's what the Kiwis can do and it should be a great day.“ 

Saturday's racing kicks off at 8.00am on Ōhope Beach, with surf boats and canoes in the large craft arena, and further up the beach the team surf races, ski relays, iron and diamond races. 

Follow all the live results and check out the leaderboard > LiveHeats  

About the 2026 Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships: