Midway Beach, in hosting the Eastern Region Championships for the first time in its 57-year history, turned on an aquatic spectacle with scorching temperatures and 2-metre swells for the majority of the Tairawhitu Gisborne-sponsored carnival.

Held over three days during Anniversary weekend, the event turned out to be a massive test for most of the 530 competitors. Red Beach had close to 50 athletes taking part and came away from the ERCs after finishing in fourth place on overall points. It was the top Northern Region club at the event, collecting 4 Gold, 4 Silver and 11 Bronze medals.

“Across the three age divisions, our competitors did well in the challenging conditions,” said club captain Mark Readman.
“Nevertheless, the surf conditions handed out some lessons with regard to decision making. You have to finish an event before you can claim a placing,” he added.

“We saw success in the Open division with some of our U19 athletes stepping up. Four of them were in the Open Taplin which saw Red Beach claiming the Bronze.”

“The results pulled at these ERCs are a guide to what can be achieved at the Nationals at Mt Maunganui in late-March. Club coach Jack Gavin excelled in the Midway surf and we saw him on the podium on several occasions.”

The next major event for club athletes will be the Northern Region Championships at Omaha on 23 & 24 February.

Red Beach Placings at ERCs

GOLD  (4)
U16 Womens Beach Sprint             
Marissa Porteous
U19 Mens Board Rescue                    Patrick Makgill, Blake Readman
U19 Mens Surf Race                              Patrick Makgill
Open Mens Board Relay                    Jack Gavin, Daniel Cairns, Hamish Gledhill

SILVER  (4)
U16 Mens Ski Relay                                 
Jamie Ward, Kalani Gilbertson, Angus Henare
U19 Womens Double Ski                   Jade Hughes, Ella Moratti
U19 Womens Surf Canoe (L/C)       Red Beach Red Hot Chillis
U19 Womens Surf Canoe (S/C)       Red Beach Red Hot Chillis

BRONZE  (11)
U16 Mens Beach Relay                          
Angus Henare, Kalani Gilbertson, Jamie Ward, Ethan Anderson
U16 Womens Beach Sprint               Marissa Porteous
U16 Womens Ski Relay                         Kate Fortes, Kate Rogers, Hannah Turner
U19 Mens Double Ski                             Kade Scheib, Sam Readman
U19 Mens 2km Beach Run                Te Maia Pihema
Open Mens Surf Teams                       Jack Gavin, Daniel Cairns, Patrick Makgill, Kees Kramer
Open Mens Taplin Relay                     Jack Gavin, Patrick Makgill, Daniel Cairns, Hamish Gledhill, Kade Scheib, Sam Readman
Open Womens Ski Race                      Louise Aitken
Open Womens Board Race               Louise Aitken
Open Mens Surf Race                            Jack Gavin
Open Mens Ironman                              
Daniel Cairns

Overall Club Points at ERCs
Mt Maunganui (165) 1, Waikanae (123) 2, Midway (64) 3, Red Beach (39) 4, Omanu (38) 5, Mairangi Bay (37) 6, East End (34) 7, Orewa (32) 8, Lyall Bay (29) 9, Ocean Beach (26) 10, Piha (22) 11, Papamoa (19) 12, Wainui (15) 13, Otaki (11) 14, Waimarama (10) 15, Whakatane (8) 16, Opotiki (7) 17, Fitzroy (4) 18, Maranui (3) 19, Westshore (3) 20.

Photos by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services ...

Club members at Midway Beach, Gisborne

 

Patrick Makgill, left, and Blake Readman, winners of the U19 men's Board Rescue event.

 

The Gisborne surf threw up plenty of challenges.

 

Te Maia Pihema won Bronze in the U19 men's 2km Beach Run.

 

The ERCs under way at Midway Beach in Gisborne.

 

Finalists in the Open Men's Board Race final receive a briefing.

 

The Red Hot Chillis crew took out two Silver medals for the U19 women's Short Course & Long Course Canoe events.

 

Brodie Campbell & Ethan Anderson in the Open Men's Board Rescue event.