High performance squad announced
4th June 2010
20 Red Beach club members selected for SLSNR squad
Pics: Selected for the High Performance squad, from left: AJ Maney, Jared Pouwhare, Dylan French, Scott Williams. The quartet won the U19 surf teams race at the NZ Championships in March. Below: Also named in the squad, from left: Caitlin Ryan, Lauren Bailey, Kasey Cairns.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region has named 58 young surf athletes in its High Performance squad for 2010-11. A total of 20 Red Beach lifeguards have been included in the group to participate in training and testing opportunities in the lead up to the new season. Representative opportunities will include the Trans Tasman Tri Series tour to Australia’s Central Coast in January, along with the Lion Foundation Surf League teams.
Red Beach members in the squad: Lauren Bailey, Tyler Baldwin, Kasey Cairns, Sam Cosgrove, Elise Cuff, Joshua Davison, Dylan French, Brock Hart, Kayla Herbert, Ethan Hutchinson, Georgia Lloyd, AJ Maney, Briar McLeely, Joshua Pickering-Ross, Jared Pouwhare, Madeline Readman, Mitchell Ryan, Caitlin Ryan, Matthew Thetford, Scott Williams.
Countdown to the Excellence Awards
4th June 2010
Red Beach one of 5 finalists for Club of the Year
The countdown has begun for the SLSNR Awards of Excellence Night on Saturday 12th June. More than 400 guests will be attending the function at the Ellerslie Racecourse Convention Centre. The night will honour members in all areas of the organisation from administration to sporting excellence. Red Beach members feature amongst the finalists that have been announced. The club has also learnt that it is one of the five finalists for the Club of the Year award. Tickets to the function are $60 each, inclusive of a 3-course meal. Details on ticket purchasing have been emailed to club members. Get set for a great night!
AJ Maney picked for development squad
16th May 2010
Red Beach’s AJ Maney has been selected for the NZ Development Squad for 2010/11. The NZ selectors named their squads following the Nationals held at Ohope Beach in March. AJ delivered a string of Ironman successes throughout the summer and capped it off by winning the U19 Ironman title at the NZ Championships. To check out the NZ squad selections, click here.
Surf boat trophies
16th May 2010
Three new trophies for presentation annually
Three brand new trophies for the club’s surf boat rowers were presented at the recent prize giving night. The Terry Marsh Trophy for the top surf boat crew went to the Cab Savs crew of Chris McCullough, Gordon Williams, Duncan Reid, John Mark, Nick Laurie and Craig Dillon (sweep). Terry Marsh was a foundation member of the Red Beach club and is a current Life member. The Craig Dillon Cup for the most improved male rower went to Jonathan East, and the Mike Smith Cup for the most improved female rower was awarded to Jenny Randell. To see all the award winners for 2009/10, click here.
Beach flags action
16th May 2010
During the past summer we captured on camera a wealth of action as competitors played it out in the beach flags event. We bring you a selection of the pics taken.
Going back in time
3rd May 2010
The club capped off a highly successful season with an equally successful prize giving function at the clubrooms recently. The theme of Back in Time gave rise to a ton of originality in the outfits worn. Dressing up has never been more in fashion! Here’s our photo essay on the evening.
Prize Giving Night
19th April 2010
‘Back In Time’ theme for Red Beach club function
Back In Time is the theme for the club's end-of-season Prize Giving Night on Saturday 1st May. Club members have the chance to let their imaginations run riot in deciding on their kit for the occasion. Details on ticket purchases have been advised by email.
Surf patrols closed
6th April 2010
Easter weekend traditionally marks the end of summer when surf lifeguards conclude their volunteer beach patrols. At Red Beach, patrols were maintained through the Easter weekend and the last volunteer patrol of the season was carried out on Monday 5th April. Patrols for next summer will resume on 23rd October, the start of Labour Day weekend.
Swimming with Moko
3rd April 2010
Around 25 Red Beach lifeguards found time during the recent NZ Championships at Ohope Beach to visit Moko the dolphin. They found the friendly mammal, currently a big hit with tourists, at the Whakatane river mouth and took the opportunity to swim with him. Photos supplied by Robin Moors and Dean Pouwhare.
The reel thing …
3rd April 2010
At the recent SeniorSurf club championships, club members took part in a surf belt race which was slotted into the programme as a retro event. Five complete surf reels were pulled out of storage, dusted off and lined up on the beach.
For most competitors it was their first-ever experience with a reel, line and belt. The equipment disappeared from the competitive scene when the 4-Place event made its departure at the NZ championships in 2005. We bring you our photo essay on the event.
Surf patrols to end on Easter Monday
3rd April 2010
Easter weekend traditionally marks the end of summer as surf lifeguards prepare to conclude the volunteer beach patrols.
At Red Beach, patrols through the Easter weekend will run from 11.00 am – 4.00 pm with the last volunteer patrol on Monday 5th April. Patrols for next summer will resume on 23rd October.
Impressive results for club at Ohope
29th March 2010
Red Beach collects six titles at NZ Championships
Red Beach competitors have returned from the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane with 6 gold, 9 silver and 8 bronze medals. In the tussle for the Allan Gardner Trophy for surf lifesaving supremacy, the club finished in fourth place on overall points. A total of 42 clubs from throughout New Zealand took part in the three-day event.
Overall Points: Mt Maunganui (108) 1, Papamoa (75) 2, Mairangi Bay (62) 3, Red Beach (55) 4, South Brighton (49) 5, Midway (47) 6, Orewa (45) 7=, NPOB (45) 7=, Waikanae (39) 9, Piha (37) 10, Westshore (36) 11, Lyall Bay (26) 12=, Ocean Beach Kiwi (26) 12=, Titahi Bay (18) 14, Taylors Mistake (17) 15, Wainui (14) 16, Paekakariki (13) 17, St Clair (12) 18, Fitzroy (11) 19, Omanu (9) 20.
National champions!
29th March 2010
We bring you our Golden Gallery of Red Beach competitors who won a total of six national titles at the New Zealand Championships held at Ohope Beach in mid-March. We extend our congratulations to all winners on their particularly fine achievements.
Rookie Challenge win to Red Beach
29th March 2010
Red Beach has won the Rookie Challenge for the fourth consecutive year.
The club’s 5-person Red team, with a winning margin of nine points, was one of 13 club teams competing in the event at Omaha Beach. All Rookie lifeguards were judged on a scenario and theory test which involved first aid treatment of a dislocated shoulder and the rescue of a patient from the water. Teams also participated in a surf teams race, tube rescue relay, board rescue relay and a beach relay.
Results: Red Beach Red (195) 1, Piha Red (186) 2, Muriwai (177) 3, United Nth Piha (172) 4, Mairangi Barracudas (161) 5, Piha Green (156) 6, Red Beach White (155) 7, Mairangi Wahoos (153) 8, Mairangi Marlins (152) 9, Orewa Blue (142) 10, Kariaotahi/Red Beach (131) 11, Orewa White (130) 12, Blue Fins (128) 13
Pic: Red Beach’s winning team, from left: Xavier Rice, Matt Thetford, Briar McLeely, Maddie Readman, Reid Blackall. Photo supplied by Sue McLeely.
SeniorSurf Club Champs : Saturday 20th
16th March 2010
The annual Club Championships for members of the SeniorSurf division take place this Saturday 20th March at Red Beach.
Up for grabs will be the six Champion Lifesaver titles for men and women in the Open, U19 and U16 divisions. Club members will get to compete in beach sprints, tube rescues, board and ski races, surf races and beach flags.
New to the Club Champs programme will be a fun retro event in which lifeguards compete within their patrol groups. Full details are being sent out to club members.
Registrations: 1.30 pm First Event: 2.00 pm. Club BBQ at the conclusion of all events.
Red Beach wins on final points count
9th March 2010
Auckland Championships title to Red Beach on the final points count
Red Beach has had its Auckland Championships win confirmed now that all surf boat points have been added to the points attained at the Trillian Trust event at Ruakaka last month. Club competitors were in sizzling form over the two days of competition to regain the trophy which was last won in 2007. Leading the charge for Red Beach was AJ Maney who came away from Ruakaka with 11 gold, three silver and two bronze medals. He also clinched a rare double in winning both the U19 and open Ironman events.
Overall points: Red Beach (553.5) 1, Orewa (539.5) 2, Mairangi Bay (431) 3, Piha (331) 4, Muriwai (141) 5, Bethells Beach (39) 6, United North Piha (35) 7, Kariaotahi (23) 8, Raglan (14) 9, Whangarei Heads (4) 10, Ruakaka (2) 11
Tsunami warning ends Ocean Athletes
9th March 2010
Final day of events cancelled, read more
Events on the fourth and final day of the Ocean Athletes event were abandoned because of the tsunami alerts. After a morning of drama along the New Zealand coastline, surf officials pulled the plug at 11.00 am Sunday for reasons of safety. Police on the beach at Mount Maunganui allowed only six people onto the beach at a time to clear away equipment. Whilst many onlookers watched events unfold from the slopes of Mt Maunganui, the cafes on the beachfront were busy. The Chilean quake registered 8.8 on the Richter scale. Footnote: JuniorSurf training at Red Beach on Sunday morning was cancelled.
Winners at Ruakaka
9th March 2010
Our photo essay on the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka gives recognition to the many Red Beach athletes who won titles during the weekend. We weren't able to capture every winner on camera, such were the demands of the event with three arenas in operation. Nevertheless, congratulations to all who gave their best and delivered some highly impressive results.
Magic from Masters!
9th March 2010
Red Beach Masters win at Auckland Championships
Red Beach’s Masters competitors have won the Masters Points Trophy for the second consecutive year. Competing at the Auckland Championships held at Ruakaka, they headed off Mairangi Bay by three points for the overall points trophy.
Overall points: Red Beach (57) 1, Mairangi Bay (54) 2, Orewa (27) 3, United (17) 4, Omaha (15) 5, Muriwai (13) 6
Gold medalists at Ocean Athletes!
9th March 2010
For the Day 3 results & overall points, click here.
Gold Medal to Red Beach in the U12 Men's Board Relay Winners of the U12 Board Relay event, from left: Lewis Gjaltema, Izaak Scheib & Jack Cranston. The trio won the same event at the Auckland JuniorSurf Championships at Orewa 3 weeks ago.
Gold medal to Lewis Gjaltema in the U12 Beach Flags event Lewis Gjaltema, above, collected his second Gold medal at Ocean Athletes when he won the U12 Beach Flags event. In the U13 Beach Flags event, Jake Hurley picked up the Silver and Mitchell Grant took out the Bronze.
Gold medal to Red Beach in the U12 Tube Rescue event Izaac Scheib, left, and Levon Hutchinson were first across the line in the U12 Tube Rescue at the Ocean Athletes event. On the opening day, Levon won the Silver medal in the U11 Run-Swim-Run event and Sam Haggerty picked up the Bronze.
Gold & Bronze to Red Beach in the U12 Mixed Beach Relay Gold medalists at Ocean Athletes in the U12 Mixed Beach Relay, from left: Ella Martin, Izaak Scheib, Sinead Payne, Lewis Gjaltema. In the same event, the bronze medal went to the relay team of Grayson Barnes, Jacinta Borer, Joshua Smith and Jade Tuilaepa.
To read about the opening day of the Ocean Athletes Championships at Mount Maunganui, click here.
Ohope all set for the NZ Championships
9th March 2010
Ohope ready to host surf lifesaving’s pinnacle event
Ohope Beach, Whakatane is at the ready to play host to the NZCT Surf Life Saving Championships which will see more than 1,500 competitors, including Masters, compete on the sand and in the surf over four days.
The action at the Bay of Plenty venue will start with the Masters events on Thursday 11th March, finishing on Sunday 14th March. The event itself is huge - 44 clubs from throughout New Zealand will attend - with 102 titles to be decided in the open, under-19 and under-16 divisions. Additionally there are 142 Masters titles up for grabs.
To read more about the 2010 Nationals, click here. For the final programmes for Thursday-Sunday, click here.
Millar Cup event at Omaha : Sun 7 March
1st March 2010
Red Beach has a proud history of the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup event with 23 wins
JuniorSurf competition continues this weekend at Omaha Beach with the annual clash of clubs for the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup on Sunday 7th March.
Clubs from the Northern Region are eligible to field teams of 18, with each team comprising of six competitors from each of the A,B & C age groups.
Red Beach, with two teams entered, will be looking to retain the points trophy it won last summer. The Millar Cup was first contested in 1975. Sunday's events commence at 9.00 a.m. with beach sprints and relays.
Ocean Athletes now under way at Mount
25th February 2010
National event for JuniorSurf athletes
A team of 48 JuniorSurf athletes from Red Beach, the biggest group from SLSNR, has descended on Mount Maunganui to compete in the annual Ocean Athletes event.
Competitors aged from 10-14 years are participating over four days of competition from 25-28 February. Close to 700 athletes from 39 clubs around New Zealand are participating in more than 1,000 races.
Ocean Athletes event attracts surf lifesaving stars from Australia ... click here.
California Lifeguard Exchange
24th February 2010
Nominations are now being called for two lifeguards to represent Surf Life Saving Northern Region on the annual California Lifeguard Exchange.
Since 1969, senior lifeguards have been selected from clubs in the Northern Region to visit lifeguard agencies in California. The exchange is a structured learning experience, and is an opportunity for outstanding guards who show the ability to enhance surf lifesaving in this country.
With the assistance of the host organisation – California Surf Life Saving Association – the exchange guards are given the opportunity to participate in patrolling activities, to witness and practise the use of different types of rescue equipment, and to observe alternative beach management programmes and administrative structures. Applications close Friday 5th March. For further details and an application form, click here.
Ironman threepeat to AJ at Surf League
16th February 2010
Red Beach’s Alistair 'AJ' Maney has achieved a remarkable hat-trick of back-to-back Ironman wins at the Lion Foundation Surf League. Competing in his third year as a member of Northern Region’s U19 team, he was a comfortable winner of the event on both days at the Mount Maunganui venue. It gave him his sixth consecutive Ironman win in the interprovincial surf competition. Maney also delivered back-to-back board race wins and he finished first with Dylan French in the surf teams race on the opening day of competition.
Red Beach clubmate Dylan French was also outstanding for the U19 team. He paired with Piha swimmer Kirsty Wannan for back-to-back wins in the mixed tube rescue event and placed second in the surf teams race on day 2. Caitlin Ryan, also a member of the U19 team, was well placed in the Ironwoman and board events. After two days of competition, the Northern Region U19 team finished in second place to Bay of Plenty with Hawkes Bay third.
U19 Results: Bay of Plenty (196) 1, Northern Region (184) 2, Hawkes Bay (165) 3, Wellington (147) 4, Gisborne (147) 5, Taranaki (142) 6, Canterbury (136) 7, Otago (119) 8
Open Results: Taranaki (195) 1, Northern Region (178) 2, Bay of Plenty (164) 3, Gisborne (157) 4, Hawkes Bay (145) 5, Canterbury (137) 6, Wellington (118) 7
Red Beach dominant at JuniorSurf champs
16th February 2010
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf competitors put in some sparkling performances to see the club retain the Auckland Championships points trophy by a handsome margin.
The event, held over two days at Orewa Beach, saw the club amass 759 points to finish 405 points clear of its nearest rival. More than 900 competitors aged from seven-13 years, representing 13 clubs, took part in the championships, a record number for the event. Red Beach showed its strength over all three age divisions to give the club its third consecutive win.
Results: Red Beach (759) 1, Orewa (353.5) 2, Mairangi Bay (308) 3, Piha (144.5) 4, Muriwai (77) 5, Waipu Cove (42) 6, Ruakaka (30) 7, Mangawhai Heads (28) 8, Bethells Beach (26) 9, Omaha (24) 10, United North Piha (17) 11, Onemana Beach (11) 12, Kariaotahi 13. For a full set of results from the Championships, click here.
JuniorSurf activities have a wider focus
16th February 2010
The club’s JuniorSurf division has been reflecting on its recent successes at the Auckland Championships.
"The pleasing aspect is that a lot more of our athletes won medals, not just the elite competitors,” said JuniorSurf chairman Chris Barnao.
“The division has a lot of depth and the talent is widespread. The successes achieved are the result of constantly fine-tuning our systems and working on our structures and processes to develop the fitness and skills of our young members," he added.
“Coaching and instruction not only goes into developing good athletes, it also focuses on surf lifesaving as an activity. This is borne out by the fact that we had two of our members win the boys' and girls' division of the recent Champion Rookie competition.”
Website milestone!
16th February 2010
100,000 hits to date!
We’ve reached a major milestone for this website which has just notched up 100,000 hits in a tad over three years.
Following the launch of the site in December 2006 it took 12 months to achieve the first 10,000 hits and two years to achieve 50,000 hits. We’re seeing amazing growth and what makes it remarkable is the fact that we are a surf lifesaving club and not a shopping cart site. We’d like to thank you for the interest you are showing.
Ocean Athletes set for Mount Maunganui
16th February 2010
National event for JuniorSurf athletes
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf members will soon head for Mount Maunganui to compete in the annual Ocean Athletes event.
Club competitors aged from 10-14 years will participate over four days of competition starting on Thursday 25th February.
The Ocean Athletes concept was developed 10 years and has grown in size to become one of Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s most successful surf sport events. Close to 700 young athletes attend this national event every year, making it one of the largest children's events in the country.
To read the very latest on Ocean Athletes, click here.
Auckland Champs at Ruakaka
16th February 2010
Fifth consecutive year at popular Northland location
Ruakaka is again the venue for the Auckland Championships over the weekend of 20/21 February.
Saturday’s programme gets under way at 8.00 am with IRB events. Commencing at 11.00 am are run-swim-run events, board & ski relays, tube rescues, beach flags and Taplin relays.
The boat arena will only see surf canoe crews in competition. The Auckland Champs surf boat titles have already been decided and most boat crews will be competing at Piha. Sunday’s programme starts at 9.00 am with beach sprint & relays, followed by all remaining events.
To view the final programme for each day, click here.
Surf boat crews to take on Piha surf
16th February 2010
Surf boat crews will take on Auckland’s west coast surf this coming Saturday in the Piha Big Wave Surf Boat Classic.
The event doubles as Round 4 of the New Zealand Surf Boat Series and race organisers expect 30-40 crews to take part.
Preceding it on Friday, and also at Piha, will be the Trans-Tasman surf boat challenge with Australian crews flying in for the event.
NRC’s at the Mount
11th February 2010
Torrential rain on the second day of the Northern Regional Championships at Mount Maunganui resulted in the abandonment of the carnival. The event was called off at 1.00 pm Sunday with numerous events still to be run including the surf teams finals and the Taplin relays. Local club Papamoa won on overall points, its first victory in the 40 year history of the NRC's. Red Beach’s three titles came when Dylan French ran out the winner of the U19 surf race. He also featured in the club’s U19 board relay win with AJ Maney and Jared Pouwhare. Red Beach also retained the open board relay title with Chris Moors, Patrick Maney and AJ Maney sharing in the victory. This year’s NRC’s attracted a record 980 entries.
Open Water Swim
7th February 2010
Club lifeguards Dylan French and Georgia Lloyd won the respective Deyal Cosgrove trophies for finishing first in the male and female divisions at the recent Open Water Swim.
The two trophies were up for grabs for the winners of the 3km distance without a wetsuit being worn. It was the 21st year of the event, held at Red Beach, with the surf club again running it in conjunction with Roskill Masters Swim Club.
A total of 108 swimmers registered for the event and they had the choice of either a 1.5km or 3km swim, with the course starting and finishing off Red Beach. Sunny weather and a flat sea were the conditions on the day.
For the 1.5km swim results, click here. For the 3.0km results, click here.
Red Beach members in Surf League teams
7th February 2010
Five Red Beach club members have been named in the Northern Region teams to compete in the Lion Foundation Surf League at Mt Maunganui on 13/14 February.
Seven district teams from throughout New Zealand will compete in the Open division and eight teams will battle it out in the U19 division over the two days of Surf League competition.
The Red Beach lifeguards selected for the Northern Region teams are: Open: Chris Moors, Naomi Young U19: Dylan French, Alistair Maney, Caitlin Ryan.
Red Beach's Adam Jackson is the coach for the SLSNR Open team. To see who’s in the district teams, click here.
Record entries for NRC’s at the Mount
27th January 2010
A record 980 entries have been received for the two days of the Northern Regional Championships at Mt Maunganui this weekend.
It's the next biggest surf lifesaving event after the New Zealand Championships and is regarded by surf athletes as the springboard for the premier event at Ohope Beach in mid-March. Events get under way at 7.45 am on both Saturday and Sunday.
For the NRC's memo, click here. For the NRC's programme, click here.
Patrolling at Pakiri
21st January 2010
Red Beach lifeguards have racked up almost 600 patrolling hours at Pakiri Beach since first putting out the patrol flags on 5 December last year. The hours put in by the volunteers are calculated through to Sunday 17 January.
A great spell of sunny weather has drawn large numbers of holidaymakers to the popular beach, many of whom have chatted with the lifeguards and thanked them for the service they are providing. A number of the beach-goers are believed to have re-booked into the nearby holiday park for next summer because of the Pakiri surf patrols.
The lifeguards have effected seven rescues, with five of the rescues occurring during the weekend of 16/17 January. There have also been 30 first aid cases ranging from cuts, jellyfish stings, sprains, torn ankle tendons and bleeding noses. Additionally, there have been three successful searches and more then 90 preventative actions carried out.
“The Red Beach lifeguards we roster for the Pakiri patrols are all volunteers; none of them are paid,” said club lifesaving manager Chris Gurr.
“There’s been no financial support and the Red Beach club is using its own resources and equipment to maintain the Pakiri patrols,” he added.
“Nevertheless, the beach and its conditions are a challenge for our lifeguards and we’re enjoying it.”
(Pics) Pakiri Beach on New Year's Day. By mid-afternoon, lifeguards gave the head-count at around 500 people. On the following day, around 1,000 people were estimated to be in the water and on the beach at one time.
Red Beach lifeguards Liam Cunningham, left, and Jeff Pope on patrol at Pakiri Beach on New Year's Day.
Pakiri Beach, looking north, taken from a vantage point 2km south of the patrolled area. Pakiri is a one hour drive from Red Beach.
Red Beach retains Owen Chapman Cup
21st January 2010
Red Beach Surf Club had to call on all its resources to stave off a fierce challenge from neighbouring club Orewa at the recent Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival. It was the 54th challenge for the trophy, held at Red Beach, with the host club retaining it with a 10 point winning margin. A record 408 competitors fronted for the event, held in perfect weather but with surf athletes denied any assistance from surf.
Competitors came from 16 clubs across the North Island. Eight of the clubs were from the northern region and five were from the Bay of Plenty. There was also representation from Ocean Beach Kiwi (Hawkes Bay), New Plymouth Old Boys and Wellington’s Titahi Bay to add spice to the carnival which saw many outstanding performances.
The Owen Chapman carnival has grown in stature to become New Zealand’s third biggest surf carnival after the NZ Championships and the Northern Regional Championships. It has come to be regarded by lifeguards as a tournament that regularly attracts top athletes and provides top competition. The event is the longest running club day for surf lifeguards in New Zealand and quite possibly Australasia.
Overall Points: Red Beach (151) 1, Orewa (141) 2, Mairangi Bay (91) 3, Piha (52) 4, Muriwai (29) 5. Scroll down for a full set of results from the carnival.
Open Water Swim at Red Beach : 24th Jan
21st January 2010
Around 100 swimmers of all ages are expected to hit the water during next Sunday’s annual open water swim.
Organised by the Red Beach Surf Club in conjunction with Roskill Masters Swim Club, it will be the 21st year of the event.
Contestants will have the opportunity to swim either a 1.5km or 3km distance, with the course starting and finishing off Red Beach. The minimum age for swimmers is 14 years. The start time for the swim is 2.00 pm.
To print out an entry form, click here.
Red Beach members named in rep teams
21st January 2010
Six Red Beach club members have been named by Surf Life Saving Northern Region for the Under-16 and Under-14 rep teams.
Both of the 10-strong SLSNR teams will compete in the Inter-District championships at Omaha this weekend, 23/24 January. Those selected are:
Under-16 team: Joshua Pickering-Ross, Mitchell Ryan (right)
Under-14 team: Madeleine Readman, Briar McLeely, Matt Thetford, Jake Hurley.
The club congratulates you all on your selection and wishes you every success in this weekend’s competition.
Successful Rookies
21st January 2010
Red Beach Rookies Matt Thetford and Madeleine Readman made a clean sweep of the recent Champion Rookie competition when they respectively won the male and female awards. The annual event, which took place at Waipu Cove during the weekend of a JuniorSurf carnival, saw 80 participants from surf clubs throughout the northern region. The majority were 13 years of age and in their last season in the JuniorSurf division of their clubs. Contestants were judged on lifesaving theory, a run-wade-run and a run-swim-run with fins and a rescue tube.
Photo caption: Rookie co-ordinator Debra Cairns, centre, with Rookie champions Matt Thetford and Madeleine Readman at Waipu Cove.
54th Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival
24th December 2009
The Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival, the country's longest running club day for surf lifeguards, takes place at Red Beach on Saturday 9th January 2010.
For the Owen Chapman programme, click here. For the Owen Chapman entry form, click here. Note: Entries close on Tuesday 5th January. Postal details can be found on the entry form.
Red Beach crews off to Whangamata
24th December 2009
Bay of Plenty venue to host annual event
Two Red Beach surf boat crews will head for Whangamata to compete in the Surf Boat Spectacular on 2nd January.
The event doubles as Round Two of the NZ Surf Boat Series and race organisers are confident of 40-50 crews taking part. The growth in numbers is the result of a widespread interest in surf boat rowing in New Zealand.
The annual event at the popular Bay of Plenty venue features two unique types of surf boat racing, namely the 2km Dash for Cash around the island off Whangamata Beach, and the short course sprint series.
Red Beach lifeguards patrolling at Pakiri
24th December 2009
Picturesque beach, popular with boardriders, now has weekend surf patrols
Red Beach lifeguards have extended their volunteer services by providing surf patrols at the northern beach of Pakiri. The picturesque beach, stretching for 8km on the eastern coastline, is a one hour drive north from Red Beach. Club members began patrolling on Saturday 5th December and will continue with regular weekend patrols through to Sunday 15th February.
The lifeguards are equipped with an IRB, a quad bike, a shelter tent with Red Beach SLSC signage, first aid equipment and they have radio contact with SurfCom based in Auckland.
The Red Beach club has seen a recent surge in its lifeguard membership, making it possible to provide volunteer surf patrols at two beaches.
“We’re receiving positive feedback from day-trippers, local residents and holidaymakers who have approached our lifeguards to express their delight at seeing the patrols at Pakiri,” said Red Beach lifesaving manager Chris Gurr.
To read the NZ Herald story of 29.12.09 on Red Beach lifeguards patrolling at Pakiri, click here.
To read the NZ Herald article regarding a drowning at Pakiri in January 2009, click here.
Coming soon … the story on how the Red Beach Surf Club took the initiative to provide lifeguard patrols at Pakiri.
Keep 'em cold!
24th December 2009
Just the ticket for the summer months …
These nifty can & stubby holders will keep your cold drinks cold! They’re made from 5mm Neoprene and are printed with the surf club logo. Just $8.00 each or 3 for $20.00. Now on sale across the bar at the Red Beach clubrooms. For postal sales, click here to email an order.
Checking out Pakiri
24th December 2009
Twenty Red Beach lifeguards travelled north to Pakiri Beach in mid-November to check out the conditions and to become familiar with the beach and its surroundings.
The visit was the precursor to the start of weekend patrols at the east coast location and for some of the lifeguards it was their first-ever visit to Pakiri.
They checked out the Pakiri River which flows out to sea just north of the patrolling area and used two IRB’s to journey down the coastline. We caught the occasion on camera.
Surf carnival now at Omaha
18th December 2009
Carnival moving to Omaha Beach with the emphasis on individual racing
The Interclub surf carnival scheduled for Sunday 20th December at Bethells Beach will now take place at Omaha.
The switch has been forced by a predicted 2m-3m swell on Auckland's west coast this weekend, as well as onshore winds. Just four weeks ago, Omaha became the venue for the first Interclub event of the summer because of rugged conditions at the planned venue of North Piha.
Sunday's surf carnival is again of key importance for surf athletes wanting to be selected for the Auckland Lion Foundation Surf League teams. Back-to-back individual racing features on the programme which will see the following events: 3 x Swim, 3 x Board, 3 x Ski, 3 x Sprint, Beach Flags.
Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place.
The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am with the first event at 9.00 am.
JuniorSurf carnival
11th December 2009
Red Beach the venue for a full day of competition
Red Beach Surf Club will host the first JuniorSurf Inter-Club competition of the summer on Sunday 13th December. The event is for competitors aged 7-13 years who will compete in surf races, board races, board relays, beach flags, beach relays and the Diamond Person event. Five competition arenas will be in operation.
Between 600 and 700 competitors are expected to take part. Sunday's carnival is the third of five competition events to be held at Red Beach this summer.
The team managers' meeting is at 8.15 am with the first event at 9.00 am.
Carnival at Muriwai
5th December 2009
Emphasis on team events at west coast venue
Muriwai is the venue for the second Inter-Club carnival on the surf sports programme for 2009-10. The event on Sunday 6th December is again of key importance for surf athletes wanting to be selected for the Auckland Lion Foundation Surf League team.
Team events are the feature of the programme which will see the following: Board Rescue, Tube Rescue, Board Relay, Ski Relay, Double Ski, Surf Teams, Beach Relay and the Taplin Relay. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place at Muriwai.
The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am with the first event at 9.00 am.
JuniorSurf Twilight
1st December 2009
JuniorSurf twilight event # 2 coming up on Thursday
Mairangi Bay is the venue for the second JuniorSurf twilight competition of the season on Thursday 3rd December.
The Up&Go event is for C group athletes - the 12 & 13 year olds - who will compete in a run swim run, board races, beach sprints, beach relays and a board relay.
Athletes wishing to be considered for selection for the U-14 inter-districts team to compete at Omaha on 23/24 January are urged to attend this carnival.
The team managers' meeting is at 5.15 pm with the first event at 5.30 pm.
Collectors needed!
30th November 2009
Club needs more collectors for National Jandal Day
The club is making an appeal for more collectors for National Jandal Day, surf lifesaving’s annual appeal, on Friday 4th December.
The Red Beach Surf Club receives funding based on the number of collectors it fronts with. Please contact club administration officer Debra Cairns at 09 426 5283 or send an email to offer your services.
Patrols personalised
25th November 2009
Red Beach Surf Club's volunteer patrol groups have been personalised.
The names of the club’s most successful competitors of the past few decades have been given to the club’s seven patrols for the summer.
The Reece patrol has been named after Hayden Reece who won nine New Zealand titles in his three years with the club. Reece is the only Red Beach competitor to have won the NZ Iron Man title which he collected in 1992.
The Harker patrol gets its name from Reg Harker who was labelled many times as the Iron Man of surf lifesaving in New Zealand because of his competitor prowess during the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s.
The Pritchard patrol is named after Scott Pritchard (right) who heads the club leaderboard of NZ titles with a tally of 24 gold medals.
The Piper patrol recognises Red Beach’s most successful female competitor Kelly Piper who was prominent in beach sprints, relays and beach flags during the 1990’s.
There is also the Jackson patrol, named after the quartet of Jared, Adam, Jacinta and Anna, who collectively have 28 gold medals from the nationals. The Richards patrol is named after the quintet of Steve, Lance, Ed, Simon & Vicki Richards, all of whom won NZ titles.
And swimmer Tim Fitzsimmons, who won 10 NZ titles while competing for Red Beach, lends his name to the Fitzsimmons patrol.
JuniorSurf Twilight event
25th November 2009
JuniorSurf competition gets under way for summer
Red Beach Surf Club will host the first JuniorSurf twilight competition of the season on Friday 27th November.
The Up&Go event is for C group athletes - the 12 & 13 year olds - who will compete in surf races, board races, beach flags, beach relays and the surf teams event.
Athletes wishing to be considered for selection for the U-14 inter-districts team to compete at Omaha on 23/24 January are urged to attend this carnival. Friday's carnival is the second of five competition events to be held at Red Beach this summer.
The team managers' meeting is at 5.15 pm with the first event at 5.30 pm.
Carnival now at Omaha
21st November 2009
Weather and surf conditions force a switch in venue
The Surf Sports carnival scheduled for this Sunday 22nd at North Piha has been switched to Omaha Beach.
Because of a change in the weekend’s weather forecast and the expectations of a growing swell on the west coast, the first Inter-Club event of the summer will now be held at the Northland venue. Officials felt that the conditions at North Piha would not be conducive to a successfully run event.
The unchanged programme will feature the following events: Surf Race, Board, Ski, Flags, Sprints & Ironman. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place. Surf boat events will contribute points to the district surf boat championships. The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am. The first event starts at 9.00 am.
Carnival at North Piha
16th November 2009
First Inter-Club surf carnival of summer this Sunday
North Piha is the venue for the first Inter-Club surf carnival of the summer. The event on Sunday 22nd November is seen as a participation carnival to give athletes the chance to race multiple times in a short space of time in individual events.
The programme, which may vary according to surf conditions, will feature the following events: Surf Race, Board, Ski, Flags, Sprints & Ironman. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place at the west coast location. The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am and the first event is scheduled for 9.00 am.
Note: An alternative venue will be named should surf conditions force a switch. A final decision will be made on the Thursday afternoon prior to the carnival.
JuniorSurf activities
13th November 2009
Sunday morning training and activities are now in full swing for Red Beach’s JuniorSurf division.
The Opening Day on Sunday 1st November saw a highly organised start to the season with ideal weather conditions.
Throughout November, JuniorSurf training will take place every Sunday at Red Beach. Roll-call is at 9.45 am with activities for the five -13 year olds commencing at 10.00 am.
Parents are still able to enrol their children. To print out a registration form, click here.
Changerooms at club close to completion
13th November 2009
Completion of the changerooms at the club is drawing nearer. The major refurbish of the downstairs ablution block was linked to the construction of the new deck which is proving to be a big hit with club members.
The changerooms, already in use, are having the finishing touches applied. The alterations have been made possible through the generosity of a number of companies and individuals who have donated time and materials to aid the project.
The Red Beach club acknowledges the generosity of two companies in particular – B H Heron Plumbing and Allproof Industries – who got right in behind the project with their donations of materials, fittings and/or labour.
The club also thanks the following for their support by way of time and materials: Golder Residential (Steve Golder), CD Contractors (Craig Dillon), D & H Steel (Dean Pouwhare), Triton Bricklaying (Phil George), Hutchinson Consultants, Steve Leopard, Phil Little, Bob McConnell, Philip Taylor.
Surf club patron Bryan Heron and his company of B H Heron Plumbing donated a significant amount of time and labour for the reconstruction of the downstairs changerooms.
The Jackson family business of Allproof Industries was also to the fore with the donation of fittings for the changerooms project. From left: Adam, Jacinta, Ian, Maureen, Jared. The Jackson name was prominent in surf lifesaving competition during the 1980's and 1990's. Both Jared and Adam achieved New Zealand surf lifesaving rep status.
Wine fundraiser
13th November 2009
The Red Beach Surf Club is offering quality wine as part of its fundraising programme for the building improvements project.
The labels are distinctive. The Chardonnay 2009 label shows Red Beach as it was in the 1950’s. The Sauvignon Blanc 2008 label features the famous Pohutukawa tree landmark. The Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2009 label shows the Red Beach surf club's first building when it was opened in 1959.
All 3 wine varieties are priced at $14.90 per bottle. You can check out the quality with your own taste test ! They are currently sold over the bar at the Red Beach clubrooms.
To order these quality wines, print out the order form which provides all the purchase details.
Pub to Club results
13th November 2009
Puhoi to Red Beach event for surf boats & surf skis
Surf Boats
Open Men – Piha Boomers (1:29.12) 1, Red Beach Cab Savs (1:30.53) 2, Mairangi Vice A (1:32.48) 3, Muriwai (1:34.37) 4, Mairangi Vice B (1:38.25) 5
U23 Men – Piha Pirates (1:38.44) 1
U19 Men – Piha Pistols (1:32.17) 1, Piha Doggies (1:40.27) 2, Bethells Buttheads (1:40.48) 3, Orewa (1:47.14) 4, Red Beach (1:59.27) 5
Open Women – Orewa White (1:37.30) 1, Red Beach (1:41.03) 2, Bethells Babes (1:44.33) 3, Bethells Beavers (1:53.18) 4
Surf Skis
Men – J Pocock (1:30.20) 1, C Moors (1:31.28) 2, N Bryant (1:43.00) 3, C Hart (1:45.50) 4, J Curd (1:53.47) 5, J Pouwhare (1:56.50) 6, J Readman (1:56.55) 7
Women – K Pocock (1:33.12) 1, C Ryan (1:37.24) 2, L Bailey (1:56.55) 3
Masters – B Maney (1:47.00) 1, M Taylor (1:56.30) 2, S Moors (2:03.00) 3
Double Ski – T & R Jacka, Piha (1:29.01) 1
King of Rangitoto
13th November 2009
The King of Rangitoto event, last held in 2003, made a return to the competition programme when it took place on 31st October.
The course for surf boat crews and ski paddlers was over a 5km distance from Takapuna Beach to McKenzie Bay on Rangitoto Island where all craft were beached. Competitors then ran to the Rangitoto summit and back to their craft, a distance of 7km. Then it was a 5km paddle or row back to Takapuna to complete the course.
We bring you our photo essay on the well-attended event.
National Jandal Day
13th November 2009
National Jandal Day, Surf Life Saving’s annual appeal day, will take place on Friday 4th December.
It’s the day on which New Zealanders will be urged to wear their Jandals to help raise funds for the country’s lifeguards. And it provides the Red Beach Surf Club with the opportunity to raise vital funds for the training of lifeguards, the purchase of equipment and the everyday running costs of the lifesaving operation. Surf lifesaving street collectors will be out in force at all major transport hubs, central city locations, supermarkets and shopping malls.
Because every dollar raised on the day goes straight back to the clubs, we are seeking the help of club members and supporters to collect. If you can assist, please contact the club’s administration officer Debra Cairns, click here. To learn more about National Jandal Day, click here.
Twilight carnival at Mairangi
11th November 2009
Mairangi Bay is the venue for the first Twilight carnival on the surf sports programme.
The carnival kicks off on Thursday 12th November with the first event at 5.30 pm. Surf races and the Run-Swim-Run event head the programme, followed by board race and board rescue events. Beach sprints and beach flags wrap up the evening’s competition.
Pub to Club event for surf boats & skis
4th November 2009
Surf boat crews will be joined by surf ski paddlers when they head down the Puhoi River for the annual Pub to Club event on Saturday 7th November.
Between 15 and 20 boat crews - male & female - will race for cash prizes on offer from B H Heron Plumbing.
In previous years, ski paddlers have had their own mid-winter Pub to Club race. The two events have now been combined.
The course is along the Puhoi River, past Wenderholm to the sea then across the ocean to Red Beach, a distance of around 16km.
The briefing at the Puhoi Pub is at 10.00 am and the first boat will get away at 10.45 am with 3-minute intervals between boats. Ski paddlers will also start at 10.45 am.
For surf boat information, contact Chris McCullough after hours at 021 612 304, or email chris.mccullough@xtra.co.nz For surf ski information, contact Vaughan Skiffington at 021 401 444.
IRB event at Omaha
4th November 2009
First IRB carnival of season, Sunday 8th November
IRB crews will get the chance to hone their skills for next month’s North Island IRB Champs when they compete at Omaha this Sunday.
The Omaha Surf Club is hosting the first IRB carnival of the summer which will see the events of Tube Rescue, Mass Rescue, Assembly Rescue and Single Rescue. An Open Teams Rescue Race is also on the programme which caters for Senior, U21 and Women’s crews. Red Beach will be represented by two U21 crews.
The North Island IRB Champs will be held at Whangamata on 12/13 December.
Registrations at Omaha take place at 9.15 am. The first event, the Tube Rescue gets under way at 10.00 am.
NZ Surf Boat Series
30th October 2009
Entries have opened for the NZ Surf Boat Series for 2009/10.
The rapidly growing interest in surf boat rowing points to a bumper season when the series kicks off at Wellington's Titahi Bay at the end of November. The events that make up the series are:
28 November Titahi Bay : Wellington Super Surf Boat Series
2 January Whangamata : Surf Boat Spectacular
6 February Waihi : North Island Surf Boat Championships
20 February Piha : Big Wave Classic
For full information on the NZ Surf Boat Series, click here.
King of Rangitoto
30th October 2009
After an absence of several years, the King of Rangitoto event makes a return this Saturday 31st October. The event is open to surf ski paddlers as well as surf boat and surf canoe crews.
The course involves a 5km paddle or row from Takapuna Beach to McKenzie Bay on Rangitoto Island where all craft are beached. Then it’s a run to the Rangitoto summit and back to the craft, a distance of 7km over rugged terrain. Boat and canoe crews need to have a minimum of two carry out the run to the summit.
Competitors then complete the 5km paddle or row back to Takapuna Beach where the event ends.
Registrations for the event take place from 7.30 am at Takapuna Beach. The event gets under way at 9.00 am.
SLSNZ Awards to four club members
30th October 2009
SLSNZ Life Membership to Graeme Danks
Four Red Beach club members have been recognised by Surf Life Saving New Zealand for their services to the movement.
Graeme Danks has been made a Life Member of SLSNZ. He joined Red Beach in 1971 and has filled numerous administrative roles including four years as club president. In the early-90’s he was chairman of the Auckland SLSA for three years. He was the association’s delegate to the NRC’s for seven years, a beach inspector for six years and for the past 34 years he has been a member of the Board of Judges and an NRC’s official. He has been a Nationals official for 27 years. For five years he has served as president and/or chairman of the Waihi surf club.
George Cowper was presented with a Distinguished Service Award. He joined Red Beach in 1971 and filled numerous administration roles in the club through the 1980’s and 1990’s. He was the gear steward for five years, a committee member for 13 years and club president and chairman for four years. George has been a member of the Auckland Board of Judges and a competition official for the past 21 years. He has served as a Nationals official for 19 years.
Cherie Dillon and Scott Pritchard were the recipients of SLSNZ Service Awards which were presented at the awards function in Wellington in September.
Surf patrol season under way again
30th October 2009
Volunteer lifeguard patrols commenced at Red Beach on Saturday 24th October, the first day of the country’s Labour Day weekend. The official patrol hours for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are:
11:00 am - 4:00 pm Months of October, November, March, April (to Easter Monday)
11:00 am - 5:00 pm Months of December, January and February.
A surge in membership has resulted in an extension of patrolling hours at Red Beach. On each patrolling day there are now two patrol shifts with the first shift commencing at 9.00 am. The second shift ends at 5.00 pm.
Hypnotist to return
30th October 2009
World renowned hypnotist Dave Upfold returns for two nights in November to assist the Red Beach Surf Club with its fundraising efforts.
His show The Hilarious Hypnotist was well received when it ran for 3 nights in September. It will be back on Thursday 5th & Friday 6th November at the Whangaparaoa College auditorium. Tickets are $20 per head. The show is rated ‘comedy at its best’ and offers two hours of side-splitting fun and laughter.
To purchase tickets, contact the Red Beach Surf Club at 09 426 5283, or click here to email your request.
Lifeguard Refresher Day
12th October 2009
The SLSNR Lifeguard Refresher Day is coming up on Saturday 17th October at Orewa Beach. Registrations get under way at 9.30 am and lifeguards will be able to start their refresher as soon as they have registered.
It’s the day on which all lifeguards are given the opportunity to become refreshed for surf patrol work. Lifeguards must complete the refresher course to be eligible to compete at surf carnivals.
The refresher components are: i) Theory (written paper) ii) CPR iii) Run-Swim-Run iv) Tube Rescue.
Candidates are required to present themselves on the day in their yellow DHL lifeguard shirts and red DHL lifeguard shorts.
Registration days for JuniorSurf members
4th October 2009
The Red Beach Surf Club is taking registrations for its JuniorSurf division at the surf clubrooms, Ngapara Street, Red Beach on the following days:
Dates: Sunday 11th October & Sunday 18th October
Times: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Parents are invited to bring their children along to either of these registration days to enrol them. Boys and girls aged from 5 - 13 years are eligible to join as JuniorSurf members.
Administrators will be on hand to provide information on age groups, activities, training days and surf carnival competition. Club clothing will be on sale on both days.
Activities for the JuniorSurf division will commence at Red Beach on Sunday 1st November.
You are able to print out the JuniorSurf registration form to complete and take with you to either of the registration days. For the form, click here.
Hilarious Hypnotist a fundraiser for surf club
1st September 2009
World renowned hypnotist Dave Upfold will be assisting the Red Beach Surf Club in a major fund raising drive in late-September.
His show The Hilarious Hypnotist will run for three nights on 28,29,30 September at the Whangaparaoa College auditorium. Tickets are $20 per head. The show is rated ‘comedy at its best’ and offers two hours of side-splitting fun and laughter. The fund raising drive is sponsored by 89.9 Times FM Radio. To read more about the show and where tickets can be purchased, click here.
IRB driver awards lead to club record
1st September 2009
The nine IRB driver awards obtained in one day by Red Beach lifeguards have established a new record within the club.
The exam, which took place at Piha on Auckland's west coast in August, saw all nine Red Beach candidates qualify as drivers for the inflatable rescue craft. Those to pass were: Kevin Cornish, Shane Minifie, Brock Hart, Alistair Presland, Joshua Cholmondeley-Smith, Kurt Leopard, Stephen Payne, Jack Readman and Joshua Davison.
Meanwhile, Dean Pouwhare and Mark Readman have qualified as IRB instructors and Brian Maney is just two exams away from obtaining the IRB district examiner's award.
Four club IRB crews to take on challenge
1st September 2009
Four IRB crews from Red Beach are entered for the 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge on Saturday 5th September.
The event, hosted by Far North Rescue, is raced from Scott’s Point to Ahipara.
The race is run in stages to test each crew’s skills and stamina as well as the reliability of the equipment. To read more about the event, click here.
SLSNR Long Distance Carnival coming up
1st September 2009
The long-distance surf carnival at Mairangi Bay on Sunday 20th September will kick-start the 2009-10 surf sports season.
The event will include a 2km Beach Run, a 10km Ski paddle, a 5km Board paddle and a 1.5km swim. Surf boat rowers and canoe paddlers will also compete over the 10km course. Competitor registrations are at 9.00 am and the first event gets under way at 9.30 am.
Club to host five events this summer
1st September 2009
Red Beach is to host five competition events this summer. The dates and the events are:
* Sat 7th November Pub to Club Surf Boat Challenge (surf boats & skis)
* Fri 27th November JuniorSurf Twilight Carnival # 1 (C group)
* Sun 13th December JuniorSurf Carnival # 1 (full day)
* Sat 9th January Owen Chapman Cup Carnival
* Sun 24th January Open Water Swim, 2.00 pm
For the full SeniorSurf Sports Calendar for 2009-10, click here.
Red Beach hosted the full-day JuniorSurf carnival in December 2008.
IRB driver awards lead to club record
1st September 2009
The nine IRB driver awards obtained in one day by Red Beach lifeguards have established a new record within the club.
The exam, which took place at Piha on Auckland's west coast in August, saw all nine Red Beach candidates qualify as drivers for the inflatable rescue craft.
Those to pass were: Kevin Cornish, Shane Minifie, Brock Hart, Alistair Presland, Joshua Cholmondeley-Smith, Kurt Leopard, Stephen Payne, Jack Readman and Joshua Davison.
Meanwhile, Dean Pouwhare and Mark Readman have qualified as IRB instructors and Brian Maney is just two exams away from obtaining the IRB district examiner's award.
SLSNR Pool Champs
4th August 2009
The SLSNR Pool Championships take place at the West Wave Aquatic Centre in Henderson Sunday 6th September.
The one-day event will see pool events for JuniorSurf members during the morning session with warm-up beginning at 9.00 am. The afternoon session for SeniorSurf competitors starts at 1.00 pm.
At stake will be the Cosgrove Trophy which will be awarded to the club gaining the most overall points on the day. For further information on the pool champs, click here.
Fire guts surf club
4th August 2009
Lyall Bay's surfing community is vowing to rebuild the Maranui Surf Life Saving clubhouse and cafe, after a fire gutted the heritage building.
Club records and memorabilia dating back to 1911 were destroyed in the fire, which began about 1.30am on Saturday 1st August.
To read more on the story from Wellington’s Dominion Post newspaper, click here.
Awards made at club's AGM
4th August 2009
Nine Red Beach Surf Club members were given recognition for their services to the club when awards were handed out at the Annual General Meeting held on Sunday 26th July.
Red Beach stalwart Patricia Olsen was presented with a Distinguished Service Award for her services to surf lifesaving and to Red Beach SLSC since joining in 1971.
She started with Milford Girls SLSC in 1950 as both club captain and secretary. She has coached Red Beach R&R teams and has been on organising committees for the World Masters event at Red Beach in 1991, the Owen Chapman carnival and the club’s 50th Jubilee celebrations.
She has been a member of the Auckland Board of Judges for the past 22 years and a Nationals judge for 19 years.
Vaughan Skiffington was presented with a club Service Award. Having won two National titles as a 14 year old, he went on to become one of the club’s most successful competitors. Since 2001 he has been Red Beach’s Sports Coach and a member of the SeniorSurf committee.
At the 2006 NZ Championships he led the club to its winning the Allan Gardner Trophy for top club with a record medal haul. He then won the NZ Surf Coach of the Year award. For three years he has been a member of the Fundraising & Sponsorship Management committee and he has been to the fore in developing a new coaching structure.
Steve Cosgrove also received a Service Award. He was appointed to the club’s JuniorSurf committee in 1996 and remained a member of it for six years. During this time he was also involved in coaching the youngsters of the JuniorSurf division. In 2002 and for two years he was the chairman of the division as well as its head coach.
In 2004 he helped establish the Pool Championships in Auckland, later donating the Cosgrove Trophy for pool competition. He has also been a member of the SLSNR Board of Directors.
Doug Stephenson was also the recipient of a Service Award. In 1998 and for two years he was a member of the JuniorSurf committee and then became the chairman of the SeniorSurf committee for three years.
He has also served as Gear Steward, Powercraft Officer and Liaison Officer for the Red Beach/Collaroy lifeguard exchange scheme. He was also the organiser for the Pub to Club paddle event for three years. More recently he has been a member of the building sub-committee for the club’s new deck.
Recognition Awards were presented to Sue McLeely, the JuniorSurf division treasurer for the past five years, and to Debra Cairns, currently the club's administration officer.
Also receiving Red Beach Recognition Awards were, from left, Mark Readman, Blair Cranston and Dean Pouwhare.
Regional Lifeguards
4th August 2009
Applications for the Regional Lifeguard Service are now open. If you would like to apply to be a Regional Lifeguard for the 2009-10 season, click here.
Applications close on Friday 18th September.
Note: Before your application can be processed by the Red Beach club, you need to be a financial club member for the new season. You are also required by SLSNR to carry out your rostered club patrols at Red Beach.
Members pursue IRB driver qualifications
4th August 2009
Ten Red Beach club members took on a mean and ugly 2m surf at Piha on a recent weekend to put the finishing touches to their IRB driving skills.
Since May, all have been in training for the IRB driver’s award and will be back at the west coast venue this month for the examination.
All candidates have now completed the written component of the exam and with more than 10 hours of driving time behind each of them, the club is poised for a record number of qualified drivers within its ranks.
Dean Pouwhare will be going for the IRB Instructor’s award while Brian Maney will be pursuing the District Examiner’s award for IRB’s.
Erin Taylor to compete in kayak world champs
4th August 2009
Beijing Olympian and Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor is currently in Halifax, Canada and poised to compete at the kayak world championships starting August 12.
To read the Sunday Star Times article (2nd August) on Erin's kayaking ambitions, click here.
Surf expressions
29th June 2009
In sport, you can often tell what someone is thinking, not by their words but by their face. Different situations bring on different emotions and facial expressions.
Then there are competitor expressions, which is what we captured on camera at last summer’s surf carnivals. We bring them to you in this photo essay.
Top volunteer award to Dean Pouwhare
18th June 2009
Powercraft manager Dean Pouwhare collected the prestigious Volunteer of the Year award at the recent SLSNR Awards of Excellence function. Held at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna, it attracted around 400 people.
The award was given in recognition of Dean’s contribution to the Red Beach club. Along with maintaining the club’s three IRB’s through his mechanical know-how, he is involved with the training of IRB drivers. Through the summer he has regularly assisted club coach Vaughan Skiffington with the training of club lifeguards for competition. He also served as the U19 manager at surf carnivals and was the team manager at the NZ Championships in Gisborne.
Always to the fore at towing gear to and from carnivals, Dean has spent considerable time repairing damaged gear. He has also been a pivotal member in the construction of the club’s new deck and he has carried out more than his share of patrolling the beach.
At the club’s prize giving night in May, Dean was the recipient of the award for the Best Patrolling Member as well as the Best Clubman award.
SLSNR Service Award for Peter Olsen
18th June 2009
Red Beach surf club stalwart Peter Olsen was presented with a Service Award at the recent Awards of Excellence night.
Peter had his beginnings with Red Beach in 1969 as the clubhouse custodian, filling this role for several years. In the mid-seventies he assisted with coaching the cadets of Red Beach’s Nipper division.
In 1991, Peter joined the Auckland SLSA Board of Judges and has officiated at local carnivals, the NRC’s and the NZ Championships right up to the present time. For three years he was the Health & Safety Officer for SLSNR.
Peter is a familiar figure in the boat arena at surf carnivals; he also officiates at the NZ Surf Boat series held in Wellington, Whangamata, Piha and Waihi.
90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge Coming Up
10th June 2009
The 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge is coming up again on Saturday 5th September. The event, hosted by Far North Rescue, is raced from Scott’s Point to Ahipara.
The race is run in stages to test each crew’s skills and stamina as well as the reliability of the equipment. To read more about the event, click here.
(Pic) Vehicles and IRB’s at last year’s event, parked up at Te Paki Stream and waiting for the tide to drop before driving up the beach to Scott’s Point for the start of the IRB Classic.
Kayak silver to Erin Taylor in Hungary
10th June 2009
Beijing Olympian Erin Taylor has snared a silver medal in the women’s K1 1000m final at Szeged in Hungary.
Competing in the third round of the World Cup event, Taylor finished second in her heat and progressed to the final after becoming the fastest qualifier from the semifinals.
With a recorded time of 4:22.12 in the final, Taylor finished less than one-and-a-half seconds behind gold medallist Katrin Wagner-Augustin of Germany and more than a second ahead of bronze medallist Bridgitte Hartley of South Africa.
A week earlier she finished fourth in the K1 1000m final at Poznan in Poland.
Taylor, a Red Beach lifeguard, is now a sure bet for a spot in the New Zealand team at the 2009 World Canoe Championships in Halifax, Canada, from August 12-16.
JuniorSurf AGM on 7th June
28th May 2009
The Annual General Meeting for the JuniorSurf division of Red Beach SLSC will be held on Sunday 7th June, 4.00 pm at the Red Beach Surf Clubrooms, Ngapara Street, Red Beach.
The election of officers for the 2009-10 season will take place at this AGM. All parents and members are encouraged to attend.
For enquiries, email juniorsurf@redbeachslsc.com or contact JuniorSurf chairman Ed Richards, 021 928 503.
Beach flags action
18th May 2009
During the past summer we captured on camera a wealth of action as competitors played it out in the beach flags event. We bring you a selection of the pics taken.
Tickets for the SLSNR Awards Night
18th May 2009
Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s Awards of Excellence Night is coming up on Saturday 13th June.
This year’s event, to take place at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna, will be the opportunity to honour those members in all areas of the organisation from administration to sporting excellence.
Red Beach has submitted a number of nominations for the awards on offer. The finalists will be notified by 25th May.
Tickets to the event are $30 each and can be ordered through Claire Maney by email ... click here.
Project Groundswell
18th May 2009
Project Groundswell is a proposal for the restructuring of surf lifesaving in New Zealand to better support the delivery of services.
In short, the proposal requires the abolishment of all nine districts – to be replaced by four regions – with SLSNZ assuming responsibility for providing all support services directly to clubs.
To read the Project Groundswell document, click here.
Awards of Excellence Night
16th April 2009
Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s Awards of Excellence Night is coming up on Saturday 13th June.
This year’s event, to take place at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna, will be the opportunity to honour those members in all areas of the organisation from administration to sporting excellence.
Red Beach will be submitting a number of nominations for the awards on offer.
The format will differ to that of previous years in that the night will not include dinner. Tickets to the event are $30 each and purchase information will follow soon.
Surf patrols to end on Easter Monday
12th April 2009
Easter weekend traditionally marks the end of summer as surf lifeguards prepare to conclude the volunteer beach patrols.
At Red Beach, patrols through the Easter weekend will run from 11.00 am – 4.00 pm with the last volunteer patrol on Monday 13th April.
Since Labour weekend, surf lifeguards throughout New Zealand have performed more than 1,470 rescues and put in over 185,000 volunteer hours.
Patrols for next summer will resume on 24th October.
Ohope Beach to host Nationals in 2010
30th March 2009
The NZ Surf Life Saving Championships are returning to Ohope Beach in the Bay of Plenty for 2010.
Surf Life Saving NZ announced the decision in January, one of the reasons for the return being the huge success of the event in March 2008. Nearly 1,500 athletes are expected to descend on the venue again for four days of competition. Masters events will be held on Thursday 11th March.
The Nationals will run from 11th-14th March 2010.
Club members win Beach Series swims
30th March 2009
For the second year in a row, Red Beach lifeguard Chris Moors has won the men’s 1km ocean swim section of the Takapuna Beach Series for 2008-09.
He notched up seven wins from 14 starts in the 16-race series, heading off former pool swimmer Ross Anderson and Mairangi Bay’s Brady Campbell on overall points.
Meanwhile, Anna Jackson has taken out the women’s section of the 1km swim, scoring 10 wins from 14 starts.
In 1998, as Anna Robson, she won the open women’s surf race/belt race double for Red Beach at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships in Gisborne.
The final results for the Beach Series were based on each competitor’s best 10 finishes in the series which started in November and finished on 17 March.
Overall Results:
Men's 1Km Swim: Chris Moors (998.31) 1, Ross Anderson (997.43) 2, Brady Campbell (981.43) 3, Luke Siddins (968.49) 4, Sam White (953.27) 5.
Women’s 1Km Swim: Anna Jackson (1000.00) 1, Brenda Cockcroft (996.59) 2, Johanna O’Connor (993.34) 3, Kirsty Wannan (976.10) 4, Bailey Elliott (959.93) 5
For the full set of results for the Beach Series, click here.
Red Beach earns its Nationals medals
23rd March 2009
Top Auckland club at NZ Championships
Red Beach competitors have returned from the recent national surf lifesaving championships at Midway Beach, Gisborne where they collected 4 gold, 6 silver and 8 bronze medals.
The club also achieved its sought-after top-five finish and emerged as the top club from the Northern region.
In the tussle for the Allan Gardner Trophy for surf lifesaving supremacy, Red Beach finished in fourth place behind Midway, Mt Maunganui and Westshore. A total of 42 clubs from throughout New Zealand took part in the three-day event.
Despite the buffeting they received from the Midway beach surf which reached three metres at times, and almost wintry conditions, club athletes delivered some notable performances.
Overall Points: Midway (138) 1, Mt Maunganui (78) 2, Westshore (64) 3, Red Beach (45) 4, Mairangi Bay (42) 5, Piha (33) 6, Papamoa (32) 7, Titahi Bay (32) 8, South Brighton (32) 9, Lyall Bay (31) 10, Orewa (30) 11, NPOB (27) 12, Fitzroy (26) 13, Wainui (24) 14, Paekakariki (21) 15, Waimairi (12) 16, East End (11) 17, Taylors Mistake (10) 18, St Clair (9) 19, Waikanae (8) 20.
Masters strike gold
23rd March 2009
Red Beach masters competitors were amongst the winners on the opening day of the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships in Gisborne.
Swimming in the 60-69 age division, Ian Gunthorp won both the surf race and the run-swim-run. The Cab Savs surf boat crew rowed powerfully to win the 200+ short course boat event and Red Beach also raced away with a win in the 160+ beach relay.
Four-in-a-row for Sam
23rd March 2009
Talented teen Sam Cosgrove can lay claim to having won four national board rescue titles at four consecutive NZ Championship events.
The key has been Sam’s outstanding swimming strengths and a competitive attitude that takes a lot of beating. Whatever the surf lifesaving event, Sam always gives it 110%.
At the 2006 nationals in New Plymouth, Sam paired with William Lloyd to win the U16 board rescue event.
In 2007 he linked up with Patrick Maney to win the U19 title at Gisborne’s Midway Beach.
In 2008, Sam’s board rescue partner was AJ Maney and they took out the title at Ohope Beach, Whakatane.
And now, in 2009, Sam and AJ have retained their U19 board rescue title in Gisborne. That's a great string of wins.
Millar Cup action
23rd March 2009
Red Beach’s two JuniorSurf teams contesting the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup took out first and second placings in the 2009 challenge for the trophy.
The event, held at Mairangi Bay on Sunday 8th March, saw seven clubs front with 11 teams collectively. We were there to capture the action.
Success for Red Beach in Rookie Challenge
10th March 2009
Red Beach has won the Rookie Challenge for the third consecutive year.
The club’s 5-person ‘Red’ team, with a winning margin of 10 points, was one of 22 club teams competing in the event at Omaha Beach.
All Rookie lifeguards were judged on a scenario and theory test which involved first aid treatment of a dislocated shoulder and the rescue of a patient from the water.
Teams then participated in a surf teams race, tube rescue relay, board rescue relay and a beach relay.
Results: Red Beach Red (197) 1, Orewa White (187) 2, Piha Red (180) 3, Orewa Blue (173) 4, Muriwai A (172) 5, Mairangi Marlins (171) 6, Red Beach Blue (167) 7, Waipu Warriors (154) 8, Mairangi Barracudas (150) 9, BMC (145) 10, Kariaotahi A (143) 11, Mairangi Blue Fins (143) 12
Red Beach excels at JuniorSurf Champs
10th March 2009
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf athletes were running red hot at the District Championships held recently at Orewa Beach, running up more points than the combined totals for the second and third placed clubs.
We were there on day two of the event to capture on camera the action and the successes.
Red Beach bags a Millar Cup quinella
10th March 2009
Red Beach's 'Red' team following their win in the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup competition. The team also collected the three age group trophies.
Red Beach’s two JuniorSurf teams contesting the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup delivered the club a rare quinella by finishing first and second in the 2009 challenge for the trophy.
The event, held at Mairangi Bay on Sunday 8th March, saw seven clubs front with 11 teams collectively. Each team comprised of 12 members, made up from two boys and two girls from each of the three age groups.
The events contested were board relays, board rescues, surf teams relays, Diamond relays, beach flags, beach sprints and a 12-person beach relay.
The success of Red Beach’s winning ‘Red’ team stemmed from its overall points wins in all three age groups. It was the seventh consecutive occasion that Red Beach has won the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup.
Overall Points: Red Beach Red (159.5) 1, Red Beach White (142.5) 2, Orewa A (127) 3, Piha A (123) 4, Orewa B (121) 5, Mairangi Bay (111) 6, Muriwai A (64) 7, Piha B (53) 8, Ruakaka (51) 9, Muriwai B (44) 10, Omaha (23) 11
For the full set of results from the Millar Cup, click here.
Red Beach's 'White' team which placed second in the Millar Cup competition, enabling the club to achieve a rare one-two finish in the event.
Destination Gisborne
10th March 2009
Midway Beach in Gisborne is poised and ready to host the NZCT Surf Life Saving Championships which will see more than 1,400 competitors, including Masters, compete on the sand and in the surf over four days.
Gisborne - where the sun first rises in the world - will see a ton of action starting this Thursday 12th March, through to the wind-up on Sunday 15th March.
A total of 42 clubs from throughout New Zealand will participate, vying for more than 100 titles to be decided in the open, under-19 and under-16 divisions.
The Nationals were last staged at Midway Beach in 2007. Gisborne also hosted the event in 2003 and 2001.
Red Beach will field a total of 70 competitors including five surf boat crews. Masters competitors will boost this number to around 85.
And with the addition of all the Red Beach supporters, the club will see its biggest-ever turnout at a Nationals event.
For the draft event programme, click here.
For the number of entries per event, click here.
For the weather in Gisborne, click here.
For the Midway Beach surf report & forecast, click here.
Patrol hours change
10th March 2009
With the arrival of March, patrol hours have changed.
From Saturday 7th March until the end of the patrolling season on Easter Monday 13th April, the minimum patrol hours are from 11.00am – 4.00 pm.
Surf lifesaving clubs are encouraged to extend patrol hours as required.
Impressive results from Ocean Athletes
10th March 2009
Red Beach JuniorSurf members have returned from the NZ Under-14 Ocean Athlete Championships with a haul of 14 medals.
The event, held at Mt Maunganui, saw the club finish in third equal place overall and as top club in the northern region.
It was the best-ever result for Red Beach, scooping up eight gold, three silver and three bronze medals.
The club’s stand-out performer was Izaak Scheib who garnered four gold medals in the U11 age group. He was first home in each of the surf race, board race and run-swim run. He also featured in the winning U11 Beach Relay team with Lewis Gjaltema, Ella Martin & Jacinta Borer. Scheib also collected two bronze medals … in the U11 Diamond event and in the U12 Tube Rescue in which he paired with Mitchell Grant.
In the Beach Flags events, Jordan Downey and Mitchell Grant finished one-two in the U12 age group; Lewis Gjaltema won the U11 age group and Amanda Barnao took out the U12 final.
The club’s beach sprinters were also to the fore. Jake Hurley and Jordan Downey finished one-two in the final of the U12 age group and Joshua Pickering-Ross collected a silver medal in the U14 division.
Meanwhile, Lewis Gjaltema added a bronze medal to his two golds when he placed third in the U11 Board race.
Overall Points, top 15 Clubs:
Papamoa (87) 1, Omanu (37) 2, Waikanae (35) & Red Beach (35) 3=, Lyall Bay (34) 5, Mt Maunganui (24) 6, Orewa (18) 7, NPOB (16) 8, Paekakariki (15) 9, Westshore (11) 10, Midway (11) 11, Wainui (9) 12, Mairangi Bay (8) 13, Whangamata (7) 14, East End (7) 15.
For the full set of results from Ocean Athletes, click here.
Outstanding win for JuniorSurf athletes
24th February 2009
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf athletes delivered some outstanding performances to easily retain the overall points trophy at the recent Auckland Championships.
The event, held over two days at Orewa Beach, saw the club amass 689 points to finish 334 points clear of its nearest rival. Just over 740 competitors aged from seven – 13 years, representing 14 clubs from Northern Region, took part in the championships.
"Winning the overall points trophy for the second consecutive year is the result of the coaching programmes we've been developing over the past few seasons," said JuniorSurf chairman Ed Richards.
"We've managed to build a strong base with the calibre of our coaches, we have a great bunch of youngsters and we have the support of the parents which have proven to be the right ingredients for this success," he added.
Results:
Red Beach (689) 1, Orewa (355) 2, Mairangi Bay (324) 3, Piha (175) 4, Muriwai (77) 5, Waipu Cove (75) 6, United Nth Piha (29) 7, Bethells Beach (28) 8, Mangawhai Heads (25) 9, Ruakaka (17) 10, Kariaotahi 11, Omaha 12 , Sunset Beach 13, Whangarei Heads 14.
Winners at Ruakaka
24th February 2009
Our photo essay on the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka gives recognition to the many Red Beach athletes who won titles during the weekend.
We weren't able to capture every winner on camera, such were the demands of the two-day event with three arenas in operation. Nevertheless, congratulations to all who gave their best and delivered some highly impressive results.
For the full set of results from the Champs, click here.
Website milestone!
24th February 2009
50,000 hits to date!
We’ve arrived at another milestone for this website in the number of hits received, a total of 50,000 to date.
Following the launch in December 2006 it took 12 months to notch up the first 10,000 visits to the site. We regarded that as quite an achievement, given that we are a surf lifesaving club and not a shopping cart site.
We’ve reached the figure of 50,000 hits in a tad over two years since launch which points to the ever-increasing number of visits to this website. We’d like to thank you for the interest you are showing.
Ironman double for AJ at Surf League
24th February 2009
For the second time in as many years, Alistair 'AJ' Maney, left, notched up a significant Ironman double at the recent Lion Foundation Surf League.
Competing for Northern Region’s U19 team, he was a comfortable winner of the event on both days at the Mount Maunganui venue. It gave him his fourth consecutive Ironman win in the interprovincial surf competition.
Red Beach clubmate Sam Cosgrove, right, was also outstanding for the U19 team through his swimming strengths. Both he and Maney were members of the winning Dearlove Relay team on both days of the surf league. Cosgrove scored another win when he paired with Piha’s Kirsty Wannan in the mixed tube rescue event.
After two days of competition, the Northern Region U19 team won outright with 201 points, heading off Bay of Plenty (175) and Wellington (149).
Masters show mettle
24th February 2009
Red Beach’s Masters competitors wove a special magic to win the brand new Top Masters Club Trophy at Ruakaka recently.
Eight clubs fielded Masters, all over the age of 30, who competed in a range of water and beach events which were held in conjunction with the District Championships.
Red Beach snared five wins … Jared Jackson in the surf race, Ed Richards in the ski race, Dean Pouwhare in the beach sprint and the Red Beach canoe crew in both the long course and short course events.
Overall Points: Red Beach (50) 1, Mairangi Bay (46) 2, Muriwai (16) 3, Whangarei Heads (10) 4, United NP (8) 5, Waipu Cove (7) 6, Orewa (2) 7, Kariaotahi (1) 8.
Winners at Ruakaka
24th February 2009
Our photo essay on the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka gives recognition to the many Red Beach athletes who won titles during the weekend.
We weren't able to capture every winner on camera, such were the demands of the two-day event with three arenas in operation. Nevertheless, congratulations to all who gave their best and delivered some highly impressive results.
For the full set of results from the Champs, click here.
Club Champs results
24th February 2009
The Club Championships for the SeniorSurf division took place at Red Beach recently to determine the winners of the Champion Lifesaver awards.
Club members were required to compete within their age groups in a surf race, a tube rescue, surf ski and board races, a beach sprint and beach flags. The Champion Lifesaver trophies were won by the competitors in each of the six groups who gained the most overall points.
Results:
Open Men. Chris Moors (28) 1, Sam Young (21) 2, Josh Cholmondeley-Smith (8) 3
U19 Men. Dylan French (27) 1, Jared Pouwhare (22) 2, Kurt Leopard (13) 3
U16 Men. Mitchell Ryan (22) 1, Rory Donovan (21) 2, Cody Richards (12) 3
Open Women. Serena Ball (27) 1, Naomi Young (23) 2
U19 Women. Caitlin Ryan (30) 1
U16 Women. Elise Cuff (28) 1, Georgia Lloyd (21) 2, Melissa Gracie (10) 3
Ocean Athletes set for Mount Maunganui
24th February 2009
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf members head for Mount Maunganui this coming weekend to compete in the annual Ocean Athletes event.
A total of 47 club competitors aged from 10-14 years will participate over three days of competition starting on Friday 27th February.
The Ocean Athletes concept was developed nine years and has grown in size to become one of Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s most successful surf sport events. Close to 1,000 young athletes attend this national event every year, making it one of the largest children's events in the country.
To read the very latest on Ocean Athletes, click here.
Auckland Champs at Ruakaka
11th February 2009
Ruakaka is again the venue for the Auckland Championships this coming weekend, 14/15 February.
The Ruakaka surf club is hosting the two-day event for the fourth consecutive year at the popular Northland location.
Saturday’s programme gets under way at 9.00 am with IRB events. The programme for the afternoon starts at 12 noon and will include run-swim-run events, ski relays, tube rescues and board rescues, followed by the heats for sprints, relays and beach flags.
The boat arena will see short course racing for surf boats and surf canoes, from heats through to finals.
Sunday’s programme starts at 8.00 am with a March Past for all competing clubs, followed by sprint and relay finals. Other remaining events will then follow.
To view the programme for each day, click here.
Masters Trophy up for grabs at Champs
11th February 2009
The Top Masters Club Trophy will be up for grabs at the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka this weekend.
Masters races for men and women over 30 years of age will be contested in the events of board, ski, surf race, beach sprint, as well boats & canoes. The Masters age group is a single age group and not broken down by different years. Medals will be awarded and all points will count for the new trophy.
Club Champs loom
11th February 2009
The annual Club Championships for members of the SeniorSurf division will take place on Saturday 21st February at Red Beach.
Up for grabs will be the six Champion Lifesaver titles for men and women in the Open, U19 and U16 divisions.
Club members will get to compete in beach sprints, tube rescues, board and ski races, surf races and beach flags.
The Champion Lifesaver trophies will be awarded to the competitors in each of the six divisions who gain the most overall points.
Details of the Club Championships are being posted to club members. Registrations will be taken at the beach from 9.00 am with the first event getting under way at 9.30 am.
Scratch to Win!
5th February 2009
The Warehouse is again supporting Surf Life Saving with a Scratch to Win promotion.
On sale now are 180,000 ‘In it for Life’ Scratch to Win tickets at $2 each at all The Warehouse stores throughout New Zealand.
The prize pool includes: 1 x Holden Barina valued at $17,990, 1 x $5,000 Travel Voucher, 1 x Nokia 2505 Cellphone, 10 x Supertooth Bluetooth Car Kits, 1000 x $20 BP Fuel Vouchers, 2000 x Toy IRB’s plus thousands of instant prizes of Moro Bars & Chupa Chups.
Surf Life Saving NZ is aiming to raise $100,000 from the promotion to support volunteer lifeguards and public education programmes throughout the country.
Tickets are on sale until the end of February.
Five surf boat crews to race at Waihi
5th February 2009
Five Red Beach surf boat crews are heading for Waihi this weekend to compete in the Tradestaff North Island Surf Boat Championships.
The event is the fourth and final round of the NZ Surf Boat Series and race organisers are confident of 40 - 50 crews taking part.
Saturday's racing will be over the long course distance and Red Beach will have three men’s crews and two women’s crews on the water.
Sunday will see the Champion of Champions event with all crews racing over the short course distance.
A new event on the programme at Waihi will be surf boat racing for U19 women’s crews
The NI Championships get under way at 11.00 am on Saturday and at 8.30 am on Sunday.
Red Beach lifeguards are head prefects
5th February 2009
Two Red Beach lifeguards have been appointed head prefects at Orewa College.
Sam Swaffield (right) and Britany Lloyd, both Year 13 students at the college, are the Head Boy and Head Girl respectively.
Both joined the Red Beach Surf Club during the 2007-08 season and have since obtained their lifeguard qualifications.
Sam is a member of the club’s U19 surf canoe crew while Britany (right) is in the U19 women’s canoe crew.
Fellow crew member Calais Rata has been made a prefect at the college.
The club congratulates Sam, Britany and Calais on their appointments.
From Speedos to school uniforms: Red Beach lifeguards Britany Lloyd and Sam Swaffield are the new head prefects at Orewa College for 2009. Photo supplied by Orewa College.
Surf League event
5th February 2009
The 2009 Lion Foundation Surf League gets under way at Mt Maunganui this coming weekend.
Eight district teams will compete in each of the Open and U19 divisions on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th February.
Red Beach lifeguards selected for the Northern Region teams are:
Open: Chris Moors U19: Sam Cosgrove, Alistair Maney
Red Beach's Adam Jackson is the coach for the SLSNR Open team. To see who’s in the district teams, click here.
Open Water Swim at Red Beach : 1st Feb
30th January 2009
The 20th annual Open Water Swim takes place at Red Beach this coming Sunday 1st February at Red Beach.
Organised jointly by the Roskill Masters Swim Club and the Red Beach Surf Club, it is expected to attract around 100 swimmers. The event gets under way at 2.00 pm.
To read more about the event, click here.To print out an entry form, click here.
Surf boat crews to take on Piha surf
30th January 2009
Three Red Beach surf boat crews will take on Auckland’s west coast surf this coming Saturday, 31st January, in the FreshUp Piha Classic Big Wave surf boat series.
The event doubles as Round 3 of the Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series and race organisers expect 30-40 crews to take part.
Competing for Red Beach will be two men’s crews – the Red Necks and the Icebreakers – as well as the Mavericks women’s crew.
The Piha organisers are expecting a surf of 1.5m – 2m when racing gets under way at 10.30 am.
Red Beach members named in rep teams
30th January 2009
Three Red Beach club members have been named by Surf Life Saving Northern Region for the under-16 and under-14 rep teams.
Both of the 10-strong SLSNR teams will compete in the Inter-District championships at Mt Maunganui this weekend. Those selected are:
Under-16 team: Elise Cuff
Under-14 team: Joshua Pickering-Ross, Tyler Baldwin
NRC’s at the Mount
20th January 2009
Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty is again the venue for the two days of the Northern Regional Championships this coming weekend.
It's the next biggest surf lifesaving event after the New Zealand Championships and more than 800 competitors are expected to take part. For the NRC's programme, click here. For the NRC's beach plan, click here.
Surf camp a success
20th January 2009
The Super Surf Camp held at Red Beach on 12 & 13 January is set to return in 2010 following another successful outcome.
It was a follow-up to the camp held one year ago and was conducted on the same lines as the popular JuniorSurf training camps held in Australia. The camp focused on developing board and swimming skills as well as training ethic and personal development.
The 49 youngsters aged from 7-13 years who attended the two-day camp were JuniorSurf members from several clubs in the northern region.
It was run by Brett Dowker, the Australian National High Performance head coach with the assistance of Andrew Newton from the Mt Maunganui club.
To view the YouTube video taken by the kids at the camp, click here.
Cab Savs boat crew to row in Sydney
20th January 2009
The Red Beach Cab Savs masters boat crew will compete in two surf carnivals across the Tasman during the Australia Day weekend.
The crew of Chris McCullough, Duncan Reid, Mike Smith, Gordon Williams and Monty McGougan (sweep) will row in the Reserve grade for surf boats at Manly on 24 January and at Freshwater on 26 January.
Owen Chapman Cup win to Red Beach
14th January 2009
With strength in numbers, Red Beach won the 53rd Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival for the fifth consecutive year.
In ideal conditions and with a surf to pep things up, the club finished with a winning margin of 53 points to head off Orewa, Mairangi Bay and Piha who filled the minor placings.
A record 375 competitors fronted for the event, easily surpassing the total of 300 lifeguards who took part in the 50th year of competition for the cup back in 2006.
Surf athletes came from 16 clubs across the country along with the two Australian branch teams of Central Coast and New South Wales Country. The Australian visitors, here for the biennial Trans-Tasman surf series, added spice to the carnival with many outstanding performances.
The event has grown in stature to become New Zealand’s third biggest surf carnival after the NZ Championships and the Northern Regional Championships. It has come to be regarded by lifeguards as a tournament that regularly attracts top athletes and provides top competition.
The boat and canoe arena saw a record number of 22 surf boat crews in action, again highlighting the growing interest in surf boat competition.
In the open men’s division, Red Beach pulled off a trifecta by finishing one-two-three in the six-boat final. And the club’s Monty’s Mavericks crew won the final of the open women’s division.
Piha took out both the U23 and U19 men’s boat finals.
Overall Points for Owen Chapman Cup:
Red Beach (178) 1, Orewa (125) 2, Mairangi Bay (95) 3, Piha (62) 4, Muriwai (39) 5
For the full set of Owen Chapman Cup results, click here.
Top competition for Owen Chapman Cup event
6th January 2009
Red Beach will be awash with top-calibre surf athletes at the 53rd Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival this Saturday.
And joining in the mix will be the two visiting branch teams from Australia– Central Coast and New South Wales Country – who each have an 18-person team of competitors here to contest the biennial Trans-Tasman surf series.
Over the years the Owen Chapman carnival has become a mecca for the region’s lifeguard competitors and the event has established itself as one of the highlights of the surf carnival circuit.
Joining the Auckland lifeguards will be surf athletes from the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Wellington. The total number of competitors at this year's event could well exceed 300.
The carnival will also provide opportunities for lifeguards to assess their chances of success at the Northern Regional Championships at Mount Maunganui during Anniversary weekend.
Surf races head the programme which starts at 9.00 am. The surf boat and surf canoe series commence at 12 noon.
The after-carnival function on the Red Beach Reserve will see prizes awarded to all event winners, with spot prizes also being handed out. And club sponsor Bryan Heron is providing cash prizes to the successful surf boat crews.
For the Owen Chapman programme, click here. To read the History of the Owen Chapman Cup, click here.
Five surf boat crews off to Whangamata
29th December 2008
Five Red Beach surf boat crews are heading for Whangamata to compete in the Surf Boat Spectacular on 2nd January.
The event doubles as Round Two of the Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series and race organisers are confident of 40 - 50 crews taking part, an all-time high. The growth in numbers points to a widespread interest in surf boat rowing in New Zealand.
Red Beach will have three men’s crews and two women’s crews on the water at the popular Bay of Plenty venue.
The annual event features two unique types of surf boat racing, namely the 2km Dash for Cash around the island off Whangamata Beach, and the short course sprint series.
The Dash for Cash event for open men’s crews starts at 10.30 am. Masters, age grades and women’s crews start together in race 2 at 11.15 am. The short course sprint series gets under way at 12.30 pm.
Four selected for Trans-Tasman team
29th December 2008
Four Red Beach lifeguards have been named in the SLSNR team to contest the Trans-Tasman series.
They are Chris Moors (Open), Dylan French (U19), Caitlin Ryan (U19) and Elise Cuff (U16).
The 18-person SLSNR team will compete against the Central Coast and NSW Country branch teams, both from Australia, in a tri-series during the first week of January.
Dates and venues are: Sunday 4th January – Orewa; Tuesday 6th January – Waipu Cove; Thursday 8th January – Muriwai.
Both branch teams will also compete at the Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach on Saturday 10th January.
Santa arrives by IRB
22nd December 2008
Santa Claus was given an enthusiastic welcome by JuniorSurf members when he arrived at Red Beach in an IRB just a few days out from Christmas. IRB driver Brian Maney brought Santa ashore where he was quickly surrounded by the youngsters who had raced to the water’s edge to greet him.
Decked out in his familiar red outfit, he proceeded up the beach and delighted everyone with a lolly scramble before climbing back into the IRB and disappearing.
Super Surf Camp on again for holidays
11th December 2008
Red Beach is again the venue for the first of two Super Surf Camps to be held in New Zealand in January during the school holidays.
Aimed at youngsters aged from eight-14 years, the camps will focus on developing board and surf swimming skills along with training ethic and personal development. Having a 200m swim badge is desirable.
The two-day camp at Red Beach on 12th/13th January will be conducted on the same lines as the popular JuniorSurf training camps held in Australia.
Heading the camp is Brett Dowker, the Australian National High Performance Head Coach. Brett has the skills and knowledge to impart to those who attend, regardless of their ability. He will be assisted by a team of highly competent instructors.
The programme is endorsed by Surf Life Saving Australia and has been successfully presented to Juniors throughout Australia for the past 12 years. A second camp will be held at Mt Maunganui on 15th/16th January.
For further details contact Lianne Wilson at 09 424 3229 or click to email.
For the Super Surf Camp enrolment form, clickhere.
To find out more about the Super Surf Camps, click onto www.supersurfcamps.com
Regional lifeguards appointed
11th December 2008
Thirteen Red Beach club lifeguards have been selected as regional lifeguards for the Christmas and New Year holiday period.
Starting their holiday jobs on Monday 15th December, they will patrol beaches throughout the northern region, from Baylys Beach and Ruakaka in Northland down to Raglan in the south.
They will be responsible for patrolling on weekdays from Monday to Friday, for periods ranging from five to 10 weeks. Volunteer lifeguards will patrol their beaches during weekends.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region has appointed 81 qualified guards to work as regional lifeguards.
(Photo) Selected as Regional Lifeguards for the holiday period, back row from left: Chester Edwards, Kyle Golder, John Cosgrove, Harry Rowell, Sam Nancarrow, Patrick Maney. In front: Jamie Anderson, Sam Cosgrove, Brock Hart, Jared Pouwhare, Jack Gurr, Kurt Leopard. Absent, Jake George.
Carnival at North Piha
11th December 2008
North Piha is the venue for the next full-day carnival on the surf sports programme for 2008-09. The event on Sunday 14th December is again of key importance for surf athletes wanting to be selected for the Auckland Lion Foundation Surf League team.
The programme, which may vary according to surf conditions, will feature the following events: Surf Race, Board, Ski, Tube Rescue, Board Rescue, Double Ski, Ironman, Taplin, Beach Sprints, Relays and Beach Flags. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place at North Piha.
The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am with the first event scheduled for 9.00 am.
Note: Omaha is the alternative venue should surf conditions force a switch. A final decision will be made on the Thursday afternoon prior to the carnival.
Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series- Round 1
1st December 2008
Round One of the Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series took place in Wellington over the weekend of 29/30 November.
Saturday’s venue was Titahi Bay for long-course racing, with Oriental Bay the venue on Sunday for short-course racing. Red Beach fielded two men’s crews and one woman’s crew.
For the story and results from the weekend, click here.
Quad bike for surf club
1st December 2008
The club has replaced the quad bike it uses for towing lifesaving equipment on and off the beach.
By way of a grant from the Lion Foundation and through the generosity of Wellsford-based Poland Motors, the purchase of the second-hand bike was made possible.
The club expresses its gratitude to the Lion Foundation for the grant of $5,000 towards the purchase.
Red Beach the venue for two surf events
1st December 2008
The Red Beach club will host two competition events in the space of five days.
On Wednesday 3rd December the second Surf Sports Twilight carnival of the season will take place. The programme gets under way at 6.00 p.m. For the Twilight carnival events to be held, click here.
And on Sunday 7th December, Red Beach will be the venue for the Up&Go JuniorSurf carnival commencing at 9.00 am. For the programme of events, click here.
Lifeguard exchange
18th November 2008
Red Beach lifeguards Karl Bogue and Ashleigh Allport have been selected to travel to Australia next month as part of the lifeguard exchange arrangement which the Red Beach club has with Sydney's Collaroy Surf Club.
The exchange has been running since 1995 and the duo will spend two weeks with sister-club Collaroy during December.
The visit provides the opportunity for the Red Beach guards to train and socialise with their Australian counterparts, to patrol a popular north Sydney surf beach and to compete in one of NSW’s premier surf carnivals at Cronulla.
The Collaroy club will reciprocate by sending two of their lifeguard members to New Zealand in January.
Surf boat course
18th November 2008
Red Beach was the venue for a surf boat course held recently for sweeps and rowers.
Sponsored by Heron Plumbing and with assistance from Surf Life Saving NZ, the course provided boaties with an insight into the finer points of sweeping and rowing surf boats.
The keynote speaker was Kim Marsh, author of "The Surf Boat Book" who flew in from Australia to talk on the upskilling of crews to meet the challenges of testing surf conditions.
Also over from Australia was Jack Patison who has swept his Austinmer crews to numerous national titles along with wins in the Ocean Thunder series.
National Jandal Day
18th November 2008
National Jandal Day, Surf Life Saving’s annual appeal day, will take place on Friday 5th December.
It’s the day on which New Zealanders will be urged to wear their Jandals to help raise funds for the country’s lifeguards. And it provides the Red Beach Surf Club with the opportunity to raise vital funds for the training of lifeguards, the purchase of equipment and the everyday running costs.
Surf lifesaving street collectors will be out in force nationwide at all major transport hubs, central city locations, supermarkets and shopping malls.
Because every dollar raised on the day goes straight back to the clubs, we are seeking the help of club members and supporters to collect. If you can assist, please contact the club’s administration officer Debra Cairns at info@redbeachslsc.com
To learn more about National Jandal Day, click here.
Surf carnival at Muriwai
18th November 2008
Muriwai is the venue for the first full-day carnival on the surf sports programme for 2008-09. The event on Sunday 23rd November is again of key importance for surf athletes wanting to be selected for the Auckland Lion Foundation Surf League team.
The programme, which may vary according to surf conditions, will feature the following events: Surf Race, Board, Ski Relay, Double Ski, Taplin, Board Relay, Ski and Ironman. When the tide drops, Beach Sprints, Relays and Beach Flags will be held. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place at Muriwai.
The team managers’ briefing is at 8.30 am with the first event scheduled for 9.00 am.
Note: Omaha is the alternative venue should surf conditions force a switch. A final decision will be made on the Thursday afternoon prior to the carnival.
Orewa twilight carnival
9th November 2008
Orewa is the venue for the first Twilight carnival on the surf sports programme for 2008-09.
The event on Wednesday 12th November is of key importance for surf athletes keen to be selected for the Auckland Lion Foundation Surf League team.
Board, ski and surf races feature on the programme along with beach flags and sprints. Racing for surf boats and surf canoes will also take place.
To give competitors more race opportunities, the organisers are planning to run a second round of board, ski and surf races although this will depend on how long it takes to get through the first round. The carnival briefing is at 5.30 pm with the first event at 6.00pm.
Pub to Club event won by Red Beach Red Necks
4th November 2008
The Red Beach ‘Red Necks’ surf boat crew swept by Craig Dillon emerged as the winner of the annual Pub to Club surf boat challenge on Saturday 1st November.
Taken on times, the crew finished the event just nine seconds ahead of the Piha A crew swept by Mark ‘Horse’ Bourneville. The Red Beach ‘Cab Savs’ masters crew finished in third spot, three minutes behind the winners.
The event, sponsored by BH Heron Plumbing, saw crews row from the settlement at Puhoi, down the river to Wenderholm then across the ocean to Red Beach to finish in front of the surf clubrooms.
Ideal conditions prevailed for the seven men’s and three women’s crews who left at three-minute intervals to cover the 16km distance.
The Waihi women’s crew, swept by veteran Danny Harris, rowed home first in their division in an impressive time. The U-23 Piha Pirates crew won the age group division. For the Pub To Club photo gallery, click here.
Results:
Men - Red Beach Red Necks (1:23.04) 1, Piha A (1:23.13) 2, Red Beach Cab Savs (1:26.05) 3, Red Beach Icebreakers (1:30.11) 4.
Women - Waihi (1:32.22) 1, Orewa (1:39.29) 2, Red Beach Rebels (1:45.09) 3
Age Group - U23 Piha Pirates (1:27.19) 1, U19 Piha Pistols (1:31.14) 2, U19 Piha Underdogs (1:37.05) 3
Lifeguard refreshers
4th November 2008
Red Beach lifeguards have the opportunity to complete their Lifeguard Refresher before the summer gets into full swing. There is a choice of dates and each refresher is to be conducted at Red Beach.
Friday 7th November 5.00 pm
Friday 14th November 5.00 pm
Sat 15th November 11.00 am
The refresher components are: i) Theory (written paper) ii) CPR iii) Run-Swim-Run iv) Tube Rescue.
Enrol for JuniorSurf
28th October 2008
The Red Beach Surf Club is still taking registrations for its JuniorSurf division. Parents wanting to enrol their children aged from 5 - 13 years can contact club administrator Debra Cairns at the club rooms, ph. 426 5283 or by email info@redbeachslsc.com
Children can also be enrolled during the JuniorSurf Opening Day on Sunday 2nd November. Be at the clubrooms from 9.00 am onwards. Activities begin on the beach at 10.00 am. To print out the JuniorSurf registration form, click here.
Pub to Club event for crews
28th October 2008
Close to 15 surf boat crews are expected to take part in the Pub to Club Surf Boat Challenge on Saturday 1st November.
The event, sponsored by B H Heron Plumbing, will be raced from the Puhoi Pub to Red Beach, a distance of around 16km. More than $2,000 in prize value will be at stake.
The race, a repeat of last year’s successful event, is open to all surf boat crews, male and female. The course is along the Puhoi River, past Wenderholm to the sea then across the ocean to Red Beach.
The briefing at the Puhoi Pub is at 9.00 am and the first boat will get away at 10.00 am with 3-minute intervals between boats. The entry fee is $50.00 per crew.
For entry information, email chris.mccullough@xtra.co.nz or contact Chris after hours at 021 612 304.
JuniorSurf Opening Day
28th October 2008
The Opening Day for the club’s JuniorSurf division kicks off next Sunday 2nd November.
Roll-call is at 9.45 am with activities for the five -13 year olds commencing at 10.00 am.
The two registration days held prior to Labour Weekend saw a large intake of JuniorSurf members which augurs well for the coming summer.
Patrols under way
28th October 2008
The hoisting of the flags above the Red Beach surf clubrooms on Saturday 25th October signalled the start of the new patrolling season for 2008-09. The club's volunteer lifeguards are rostered for patrols on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays through to Easter Monday, 13th April 2009.
Surf patrol season about to start again
20th October 2008
Lifeguard patrols commence on Saturday 25th October, the first day of the country’s Labour Day weekend. Patrol hours for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are:
11:00am - 4:00pm Months of October, November, March, April (to Easter Monday)
11:00am - 5:00pm Months of December, January and February.
The patrolling hours may be extended on any particular day at the discretion of the Patrol Captain on duty.
Australian Champs returning to Kurrawa
14th October 2008
The Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will return to Kurrawa on Queensland’s Gold Coast in 2010.
Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) recently announced a deal which will secure the future of the event through to 2022.
The ‘Aussies’, as they have become known, will be held on the Gold Coast for three years from 2010 to 2012. The plan is then to rotate them between other Australian states and the Gold Coast every two years.
The championships were held at Kurrawa from 1995 to 2006 then moved to Scarborough Beach in Perth for three years.
The dates for the 2010 event at Kurrawa are yet to be announced.
For the full press release from SLSA, click here.
Chilly but refreshing
14th October 2008
Around 180 lifeguards from across the Auckland region braved chilly conditions at Orewa for the mass refresher day held recently.
They were tested on theory, CPR practice, a tube rescue and a run-swim-run in preparation for the opening of the surf lifesaving season at Labour Weekend.
Red Beach lifeguards who couldn’t attend will be given the chance to become ‘refreshed’ on a day to be organised by the club. Members need to be refreshed to be eligible to compete in surf carnivals.
Calling all Masters …
3rd October 2008
The Top Masters Club Trophy will be up for grabs at the Auckland Championships in February.
Masters races for men and women over 30 years of age will be contested in the events of Board, Ski, Surf Race, Beach Sprint, Boat & Canoe. The Masters age group is a single age group and not broken down by different years. Medals will be awarded and all points will count for the trophy.
The Auckland Championships will be held at Ruakaka during the weekend of 14/15 February 2009.
SLSNZ awards to two surf club members
3rd October 2008
Red Beach stalwarts Edwin Richards and Michelle Newton have been presented with Service Awards by Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
The past few months have seen a trifecta of awards bestowed on Edwin, the club’s JuniorSurf chairman. The award from SLSNZ comes on top of the Distinguished Service Awards he received from SLSNR in June and from the Red Beach Surf Club in July.
Michelle Newton joined Red Beach in 1987 and has served on various committees. She was the club’s Awards Instructor for three years and established a record number of 47 Surf Medallion passes for the club in 1993. For the past 14 years she has been a member of the SLSNR Board of Judges and for 10 years as a New Zealand official in the surf boat arena at the National Championships.
40 years of BP partnership
3rd October 2008
This month, Surf Life Saving and BP celebrate 40 years of partnership.
The sponsorship began following the Wahine disaster in 1968 with BP’s subsidiary Europa donating a new surf boat to Worser Bay Surf Club. The relationship evolved through medical scholarships, Europa Jet Rescue Boats and then through to IRB’s.
BP’s long-term support has enabled Surf Life Saving NZ to develop the most advanced IRB fleet in the world by having one standard type hull and engine used throughout the country.
There are 160 IRB’s sponsored by BP in the 71 surf lifesaving clubs in New Zealand. They are used in more than half of the rescues conducted by surf lifeguards each year.
BP service stations are selling battery-powered toy IRB’s during October, supported by TV advertising.
Lifeguards tested in long-distance event
3rd October 2008
The fitness of competitors was put to the test at the long-distance carnival at Orewa Beach on Saturday 27th September. The event had lifeguards competing in their choice of a 3km beach run, a 5km board paddle or a 10km ski paddle. Surf boat and canoe crews also raced over a 10km distance.
Calm sea conditions and mild spring weather saw the season-opener wrapped up in two hours.
Results:
Men’s 3km Beach Run: T Currie (RB) 1, K Morrison (MB) 2, D French (RB) 3, S Green (Or) 4, D Morrison (MB) 5, L Siddins (Or) 6,
Women’s 3km Beach Run: K Burke (Om) 1, G Lloyd (RB) 2, D Collins (Om) 3, S French (Rua) 4, C Peters (Or) 5, J Sweetman (Or) 6
Men’s 1km Swim: P Maney (RB) 1, T Currie (RB) 2, J Pouwhare (RB) 3
U-16 Men’s Board Race: L Siddins (Or), J Readman (RB) 2, J Davison (RB) 3, C Richards (RB) 4
U-19 Men’s Board Race: AJ Maney (RB) 1, D French (RB) 2,
Open Men’s Board Race: D Storey (MH) 1, V Skiffington (RB) 2,
Masters Men’s Board Race: T Bock (MH) 1, M Dix (MH) 2, P McInnes (MH) 3
Women’s Board Race: C Ryan (RB) 1
Women’s 5km Ski Race: J Sweetman (Or) 1, C Peters (Or) 2
U-16 Men’s Ski Race: S Green (O) 1, T Clarke (RB) 2
U-19 Men’s Ski Race: R Sweetman (Or) 1, B Hart (RB) 2, K Leopard (RB) 3
Open Men’s Ski Race: T Mitchell (MB) 1, K Morrison (MB) 2, J Pocock (MB) 3, D Morrison (MB) 4, R Fearon (MB) 5
Surf Boats: Red Beach Men 1, Red Beach Women 2
Surf Canoes: Waipu Cove Masters 1, United Nth Piha Ladies 2
Registration days for JuniorSurf members
1st October 2008
The Red Beach Surf Club is taking registrations for its JuniorSurf division at the surf clubrooms, Ngapara Street, Red Beach on the following days:
Dates: Sunday 12th October & Sunday 19th October
Times: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm
Parents are invited to bring their children along to either of these registration days to enrol them. Boys and girls aged from 5 - 13 years are eligible to join as JuniorSurf members.
Administrators will be on hand to provide information on age groups, activities, training days and surf carnival competition. Club clothing will be on sale on both days.
Activities for the JuniorSurf division will commence at Red Beach on Sunday 2nd November.
You are able to print out the JuniorSurf registration form to complete and take with you to either of the registration days. Just click here.
Lifeguard Refresher Day
26th September 2008
The SLSNR Lifeguard Refresher Day is coming up on Saturday 11th October at Orewa Beach. Registrations commence at 9.30 am and the refresher start time is 10.30 am.
It’s the day on which all lifeguards are given the opportunity to become ‘refreshed’ for surf patrol work. Lifeguards must complete the refresher course to be eligible to compete at surf carnivals.
The refresher components are: i) Theory (written paper) ii) CPR iii) Run-Swim-Run iv) Tube Rescue.
Candidates are required to present themselves on the day in their yellow DHL lifeguard shirts and red DHL lifeguard shorts.
Programme for long distance carnival at Orewa
16th September 2008
The long-distance surf carnival at Orewa on Saturday 27th September will kick-start the 2008-09 surf sports season.
The event will include a 3km Beach Run, a 10km Ski paddle, a 5km Board paddle and a 1km swim. Surf boat rowers and canoe paddlers will also compete over the 10km course. The start time is 10.00 am and the courses will be explained on the day.
Cranston on SLSNR board
16th September 2008
Red Beach club member Blair Cranston was elected to the five-person Board of Surf Life Saving Northern Region (SLSNR) at its recent AGM.
Blair is a JuniorSurf coach for Red Beach and competes in the Masters division in surf canoe racing. He is the managing director of Cranston Homes Ltd.
Two Red Beach club members were re-elected to operational committees. They are Vaughan Skiffington (Sport) and Mark Rice (JuniorSurf).
A further three club members were re-elected to standing committees. They are Mike Taylor (Allocations), Ed Richards (Honours & Awards) and Graeme Porter (Judiciary).
U-23’s category for surf boats
16th September 2008
An under-23 category for men’s crews is being introduced to surf boat racing in New Zealand for the coming season. It will replace the current under-21 category.
The new age category will make its first appearance at Round One of the Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series in Wellington on November 28 & 29.
The decision to introduce it was made after more than 12 months of research, consultation and discussions. An under-23 surf boat category is raced in Australia.
A decision to introduce the same category for women has been deferred until a review is completed after the 2009 Nationals in Gisborne.
Red Beach crews in 90 Mile Beach event
16th September 2008
IRB crews had to contend with a choppy one metre surf in the recent Classic IRB Challenge held at Northland’s 90 Mile Beach.
The annual event attracted 18 crews which raced in the surf line, parallel to the beach, over the 54 mile distance from Scott’s Point to Ahipara. There were two compulsory refuelling stops for crews during the journey.
Red Beach fielded three IRB crews which included the only all-women’s crew in the race. All made it to the finish line. Providing back-up for the Red Beach lifeguards were Dean Pouwhare, Brian Maney and Vaughan Skiffington.
The event was won by the East End club from Taranaki. Four IRB’s failed to complete the course.
Rescue 2010 in the UK
9th September 2008
With Rescue 2008 recently completed in Germany, the focus will now switch to Rescue 2010 in the UK.
The Rescue 2010 Life Saving World Championships will take place at Newquay, Cornwall and the surrounding areas during two weeks of competition in June/July 2010.
Surf Life Saving Great Britain (SLSGB) will host the event on behalf of the International Life Saving Federation (ILS).
Activities will centre on Newquay which is, not surprisingly, Cornwall’s most popular holiday destination.
To check out the website on Rescue 2010, click here.
Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, the UK’s most famous beach and home of British Surf and Lifesaving. During Rescue 2010 it will be the venue for the National Teams Lifesaving World Championships and the Inter-Club Lifesaving World Championships. It will also host the World Championships for Masters, Surf Boats and IRB’s.
Fistral will also be R2010 beach party central where you can pick up a bargain in the trade village, relax in the beer tent and enjoy the hospitality areas.
Club to host five events
9th September 2008
Red Beach is to host five competition events this summer. The dates and the events are:
• Sat 1st November Pub to Club Surf Boat Challenge
• Wed 3rd December SeniorSurf Twilight Carnival # 2
• Sun 7th December JuniorSurf Carnival # 1 (full day)
• Sat 10th January Owen Chapman Cup Carnival
• Wed 11th February JuniorSurf Twilight Carnival # 4
In addition, the club will also host the 20th annual Open Water Swim at Red Beach on Sunday 1st February 2009.
For the full Surf Sports Calendar for 2008-09, click here.
Red hot Quiz Night
9th September 2008
Patrons who attended the club’s recent Quiz Night have hailed the fundraising event as an unqualified success.
And so too have the JuniorSurf organisers with $6,500 raised for training equipment for the coming summer. Parents and supporters packed the Red Beach surf clubrooms and added to the fun by dressing up in something Red.
At different tables were the Red Berets, the Gingas, the Red Winers and the Red Indians who ran out the ultimate victors with 90 points.
The resident MC’s were Mark Readman and Roy Herbert who hosted the evening and the auction with dexterity and hilarity. Rumour has it they may soon have their own sitcom show. Attendees bid on 23 different auction lots with the two biggest - one being a helicopter flight for five - going for $700 each.
Lifeguard exchange
9th September 2008
The Red Beach club will be sending two of its U19 lifeguards to Australia in December as part of the Lifeguard Exchange arrangement it has with Sydney's Collaroy Surf Club.
The programme has been running since 1995 and the Red Beach lifeguards selected will spend two weeks with sister-club Collaroy during December.
The visit provides the opportunity for the lifeguards to train and socialise with their Australian counterparts, to patrol a popular north Sydney surf beach and to compete in one of NSW’s premier surf carnivals at Cronulla.
The Collaroy club will reciprocate by sending two of their members to New Zealand in January.
Expressions of interest are now being sought from club members and those wishing to be considered need to apply in writing to the club by 30th September. An email providing full details on the exchange has been sent to all eligible club members.
Training sessions for Surf Lifeguard Award
3rd September 2008
Tuition is now under way for candidates wanting to become qualified lifeguards with the Red Beach Surf Club. Training sessions for the Surf Lifeguard Award are as follows:
Wednesdays: 7.00 pm Red Beach clubrooms. Sundays: 9.30 am Red Beach clubrooms
The Surf Lifeguard Award is a pre-requisite for competing in surf carnivals. For further information contact Awards Instructor Chris Randell at 027 289 5780.
Four new IRB drivers
3rd September 2008
Four more Red Beach lifeguards are now qualified to drive the club’s inflatable rescue boats.
Dean Pouwhare, Jared Pouwhare, Thomas Clarke and Shauni Furniss obtained the IRB Drivers Award at an examination held at Piha in late-August.
“It was one of the highest standards of candidates that have been put forward for an IRB Driver’s exam,” said the SLSNR examiner.
Club members with their Surf Lifeguard Award who would like to obtain the IRB Drivers Award should contact IRB instructor Brian Maney at 0274 906 622.
New Administration Officer
25th August 2008
Red Beach Surf Club has appointed Debra Cairns as its new administration officer.
Debra became associated with the club in 2004 when her 3 children joined the JuniorSurf division. At the same time she became a member of the JuniorSurf committee and served on it for four years which included one season as secretary.
For the past two years she has been the club’s Funding Co-ordinator, the Rookie Co-ordinator and a JuniorSurf official for SLSNR events. Last season she was a member of the club’s Management committee, serving as Treasurer. At the club’s Prizegiving Night in May, she received the award for outstanding achievement over the 2007-08 season.
Debra will be looking after the administration matters for the SeniorSurf, JuniorSurf and Squash divisions of the club.
SLSNR Pool Champs
25th August 2008
The SLSNR Pool Championships take place at the Millennium Institute on Auckland’s North Shore over the weekend of 13th & 14th September.
The Saturday programme is for U16, U19, Open and Masters competitors and runs from 3.00 pm to 8.30 pm. Sunday’s programme for U10, U12 and U14 competitors runs from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm.
At stake will be the Cosgrove Trophy which was won on overall points by Red Beach in 2006. The club was runner-up to Piha at last year’s event.
The SLSNR championships are a forerunner to the NZ Pool Championships in Wellington on 3,4,5 October.
The location of the Millennium Institute is 17 Antares Place (off Apollo Drive), Mairangi Bay. For full information on the event, click here.
Deck construction under way
25th August 2008
Construction of the long-awaited deck at the Red Beach clubrooms is now under way.Work began on Saturday 9th August when a digger moved onto the site to excavate the foundations by digging 12 holes for the support columns. Volunteer labour is being provided by working bees which have been on the site each weekend since the initial dig.
The deck, when completed, will be accessible from the club lounge and will include a lifeguard observation post. It will extend over an area of 150 square metres. The current phase of construction, which will also see improved ground floor ablutions, represents stage one of the total building project. Completion of this stage is expected prior to Christmas.
Our next update will provide details of all stages of the project and the plans to create a first class club facility.
90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge Coming Up
25th August 2008
The 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge is coming up again on Saturday 6th September. The event, hosted by Far North Rescue, is raced from Scott’s Point to Ahipara. Red Beach will field two or possibly three crews.
The race is run in stages to test each crew’s skills and stamina as well as the reliability of the equipment. To read more about the event, click here.
(Photo caption) Vehicles and IRB’s at last year’s event, parked up at Te Paki Stream and waiting for the tide to drop before driving up the beach to Scott’s Point for the start of the IRB Classic.
The rise and rise of Erin Taylor
4th August 2008
With the Olympic Games about to get under way in Beijing, we take a pictorial look at Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor, the first-ever female to represent New Zealand in flat water kayaking at an Olympics.
She’s a talented young woman who has performed well in every sport she has participated in – swimming, netball, surf lifesaving and now kayaking – and we track her successes during the past few years.
Erin's had a rapid rise in kayaking and we can reflect on having in our midst a Kiwi sportswoman with the X factor. To read the article Taylor-made for a Career in Kayaks by journalist Kevin Tutty, click here.
(Photo essay captions ...)
Red Beach, November 2000: Alongside some newly sponsored training equipment, 13-year-old Erin Taylor (right) with Lauren Johnson and James Clarke. All three were top competitors in the surf club’s JuniorSurf division.
March 2002: At the age of 14 and competing for the very first time at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships, she won the U16 Women’s Beach Flags event at Mount Maunganui.
March 2004: At Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, Erin Taylor became the first-ever Red Beach competitor to win a medal at the Australian Championships. She placed third in the U-19 Surf Ski event.
March 2005: Winning the U19 Surf Ski race title for the first time at the NZ Championships at Mount Maunganui.
March 2005: Red Beach's gold medallists in the U19 Women’s Ski Relay at the NZ Championships, Mount Maunganui. From left: Erin Taylor, Jodie Johnson, Jane Moors. Taylor collected a third gold medal for the U19 Taplin Relay.
March 2006: The TV interview following her win in the U19 Surf Ski race at the NZ Championships in New Plymouth where she retained her title. Taylor was a key competitor for Red Beach when the club won the Allan Gardner Trophy for top New Zealand club for overall points at the championships. Even Nostradamus didn’t see it coming.
March 2006: Erin Taylor with Red Beach surf coach Vaughan Skiffington at the NZ Championships. It was Skiffington who suggested that she give kayaking a go because it was similar to surf ski paddling and also an Olympic sport. “I thought that was a really good idea,” said Taylor.
March 2006: Erin Taylor (right) winning the Australian U19 Surf Ski title at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast, finishing ahead of Australian paddler Elyse Yardley from the North Wollongong club. Taylor was one of 73 starters in the event and made her way to the 16-berth final after displaying top form in the heats, quarters and semifinals.
November 2007: Erin Taylor made her representative debut as a member of the New Zealand surf lifesaving team at Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach, the birthplace of surf lifesaving in Australia. She was a member of the 12-strong Kiwi team, along with a surf boat crew, to compete with five other countries in the International Surf Challenge.
Taylor provided one of the highlights in an otherwise Australian-dominated event. She caught her international rivals napping with a dominant display on her ski and sealed a great three-test series by beating the best surf ski paddlers in the world in two of her three ski races.
She was also a member of the New Zealand women’s beach relay team which completed a clean sweep by winning the beach relay event three days in a row.
December 2007: The New Zealand surf lifesaving team on Bondi Beach at the conclusion of the International Surf Challenge. Held over four days, the event was a celebration of 100 years of surf lifesaving in Australia. Erin Taylor is pictured fourth from the left in the front row. The stint with the New Zealand team in Australia temporarily ended Taylor’s foray into surf lifesaving.
On her return to New Zealand she was back on Auckland’s Lake Pupuke to resume her steely focus on making the kayaking team for the Beijing Olympics.
May 2008: Erin Taylor was officially named in the New Zealand kayaking team to compete at the Beijing Olympics. She will contest the K1 500m event.
Watching the 2004 Athens Olympics sowed the seeds of an Olympic dream for the teenage Taylor. Her initial goal was the 2012 London Olympics, however, Beijing quickly came into contention when she began to make rapid progress in the sport.
The four paddlers who make up New Zealand’s Olympic kayaking team are currently in training in Rockhampton, Queensland and are about to head to Beijing. From left: Steven Ferguson, Erin Taylor, Mike Walker, Ben Fouhy. The kayaking heats begin on Monday 18th August, with Taylor on the water on Tuesday 19th.
Life Membership of Collaroy for Geoff Small
4th August 2008
Red Beach Surf Club life member Geoff Small has been made a life member of the Collaroy Surf Club in Sydney.
The honour was bestowed on him at Collaroy’s Annual General Meeting held on 3rd August.
Geoff joined the Collaroy club when he and his family moved to Australia in 1991, soon after receiving Red Beach Surf Club’s top award.
He was Collaroy’s secretary from 1992-1994 and was instrumental in forging the sister-club arrangement with Red Beach SLSC. This led to the Lifeguard Exchange scheme between the two clubs.
Geoff became heavily involved in many aspects of Collaroy’s administration and during the 1990’s he served on the committees for the Golf Day, the Bowls Day, East Coast Masters, Sponsorship, Expenditure Review and the Annual Report.
His current committee involvement includes: Constitution (96-08), Bowls Day (00-08), East Coast Masters (00-08), Competitors’ Support (01-08), History (05-08), Premises (05-08).
He has been Collaroy’s International Liaison Officer since 1993, the Branch Delegate (04-07) and the team manager to the Australian Titles since 2005.
The Red Beach Surf Club extends hearty congratulations to Geoff Small on receiving this highly prestigious award.
Awards made at AGM
28th July 2008
Three Red Beach Surf Club members were given recognition for their services to the club when awards were handed out at the Annual General Meeting held on Sunday 27th July.
Edwin Richards, the club’s JuniorSurf chairman was presented with a Distinguished Service Award for his services to surf lifesaving and to the club since joining in 1978.
Mike Taylor, who was re-elected as Club President at the meeting, was the recipient of a Recognition Award. He has served as chairman of the SeniorSurf division, as the club’s Fundraising Officer and as a delegate to SLSNR. He has also been involved in IRB instruction for club lifeguards.
Craig Dillon, although not present at the meeting, was also the recipient of a Recognition Award. He has been the club’s Surf Boat Captain for the past four seasons and his total dedication to surf boat competition has established Red Beach as one of the top surf boat clubs in the country.
Have a go at Squash!
28th July 2008
Business House Squash gets under way at the Red Beach courts on Thursday 7th August. It will be open to non-members as well as players of any squash standard.
Business House competition will run every Thursday evening for approx. 8 weeks. Four teams play from 6.00 – 8.00 pm with the actual playing time organised by the team members. Another 4 teams play from 8.00 – 10.00 pm. Each team entered will play equal amounts of early and late sessions.
If you would like to play Business House Squash, send an email to one of the following
Damien Barry dbarry@vodafone.net.nz or
Dawn Ross rossfam1@hotmail.com
A few days are required to put the teams together so be sure to register before Thursday 31st July.
Mid-winter storm fury
27th July 2008
One of the worst storms to lash Auckland in the past decade delivered its fury to the east coast yesterday.
Red Beach was buffeted by hurricane-force winds which saw a turbulent surf crashing onto the rocks on the beachfront. The unbelievable strength of the wind made it difficult to stand upright in the carpark alongside the clubrooms.
It was caused by a weather bomb which left a trail of destruction across the North Island.
Around 1.00 pm, at the time of the high tide, two of the club’s IRB crews departed with the IRB’s to attend a rescue call-out at neighbouring Stanmore Bay.
Pub to Club paddle
27th July 2008
Favourable sea conditions greeted paddlers in the recent Pub to Club event organised by the Red Beach Surf Club.
The occasion was the sixth annual paddle which took entrants from the Puhoi Pub to the Red Beach Surf Club, a distance of almost 19km.
It was a far cry from last year’s paddle in which entrants had to contend with rough weather and choppy sea conditions described as ‘not at all pleasant’.
Between 20 and 30 paddlers on single surf skis, double skis and ocean kayaks covered the course which took them down the Puhoi River to Wenderholm then on to the transition stage at Hatfields Beach. They then headed back out to sea, past Orewa Beach then on to Red Beach.
Results:
Single Ski 1st R Clarke Double Ski 1st D Pouwhare/M Readman, 2nd M Taylor/P George, 3rd B Maney/B Cranston U-19 Ski 1st K Leopard U-16 Ski 1st M Ryan Surf Boat 1st Muriwai
Regional Lifeguards
11th July 2008
Applications for the Regional Lifeguard Service are now open. If you would like to apply to be a Regional Lifeguard for the 2008-09 season, click here.
Applications close on Wednesday 1st October.
Pub to Club event
4th July 2008
The sixth annual Pub to Club event, from the Puhoi Pub to the Red Beach club, is set to take place on Sunday 20 July.
The paddle, down the Puhoi River to the ocean, then past Orewa to Red Beach, is open to all surf ski, kayak, surf canoe, surf boat and outrigger paddlers. The journey ends with a hearty cooked brunch and prize giving in the Red Beach clubrooms at the conclusion of the event.
The briefing at Puhoi is at 9.45 am, with a start time of 10.00 am. The entry fee of $20 per person includes the cooked brunch at the club.
Enquiries to Doug Stephenson 09 426 8894, or Anne Golder 09 426 8347. For an entry form, click here.
Erin on the podium in Poland
30th June 2008
Erin Taylor has achieved the first-ever podium finish for a New Zealand female kayaker at a World Cup regatta. She finished third in the A final of the K1 500m event in Poznan, Poland.
Racing in lane one, Taylor pulled out all the stops to score a personal best time of 1:50.590. Nine women lined up for the final.
“It was great to do a PB and also stand on the podium,” she said after the race.
She admits to having a lot of improving to do ahead of the Beijing Olympics, adding that she knows how much faster she has to get to reach the world’s best.
The four Kiwi kayakers arrive in Rockhampton, Queensland this week for a five-week build-up before flying to Beijing.
JuniorSurf AGM : 6th July
25th June 2008
The Annual General Meeting for the JuniorSurf division of Red Beach SLSC will be held on Sunday 6th July, 4.00 pm at the Red Beach Surf Clubrooms, Ngapara Street, Red Beach.
The election of officers for the 2008-09 season will take place at this meeting.
All parents and members are most welcome to attend.
For enquiries, email juniorsurf@redbeachslsc.com
Change of date for Ocean Athletes 2009
15th June 2008
Because of the change of date for next year’s New Zealand Championships, the 2009 Under-14 Ocean Athletes event will now take place from Friday 27th February – Sunday 1st March.
It will be held at Main Beach, Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty.
Distinguished Service Award to Ed Richards
15th June 2008
Red Beach JuniorSurf Chairman Edwin Richards has been presented with a Distinguished Service Award from Surf Life Saving Northern Region.
The presentation was made at the recent Awards of Excellence night held at the ASB Lounge, Eden Park.
Ed had his beginnings with the South Brighton club in Christchurch before moving to Auckland. He joined the Red Beach club as a patrolling lifeguard in 1978 and competed with distinction in ski and canoe events.
As a committee member for several years he served as gear steward, instructor and deputy captain while maintaining a high competitive interest. For four years he was a member of the Auckland Surf Lifesaving rep team and in 1987 was the top achiever at the Auckland Championships, winning six gold medals.
From 1991-1997 he was a New Zealand selector and in the mid-nineties was the NZ Development Squad Coach.
He has been a member of Red Beach’s JuniorSurf Committee for five years, serving as chairman for the past two seasons.
Ed also represented New Zealand in kayaking at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Top surf athletes 2007-08
15th June 2008
Three Red Beach lifeguards were amongst the sports award winners at the recent SLSNR Awards of Excellence Night. All were recognised for their outstanding sports achievements during the 2007-08 season.
Dylan French (on left) took out the under-16 Sportsman of the Year Award in just his first season competing for Red Beach. He has excelled in Iron Man, surf and board events and emerged as the top U-16 Iron man competitor in the Northern region. At the NZ Championships he collected 3 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal.
Caitlin Ryan was presented with the under-16 Sportswoman of the Year award for the second year in a row.
A multi-talented surf athlete with across-the-board abilities in ski, board, swim, tube and beach relay events, she broke an 11-year old record in winning 13 gold medals at the Auckland Championships. At the NZ Championships she won 3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
Alistair ‘AJ’ Maney scored the under-19 Sportsman of the Year award after achieving excellent results in board, ski, swim and Iron man events. He achieved back-to-back wins in the Iron Man at the U-19 Surf League, and emerged as the top competitor from the Northern Region at the NZ Championships. He came away with 4 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze medal. He also collected gold and silver medals in under-17 ski events at the Australian championships.
2009 Surf Nationals moved to Gisborne
15th June 2008
The NZ Surf Life Saving Championships which were to have been held in New Plymouth in 2009 have been transferred to Gisborne.
It was found that the event, scheduled to be held from 5th – 8th March at Oakura Beach, clashed with the NZ Age Group Swim Championships in Wellington.
The SLSNZ Board of Directors, in reaching its recent decision to switch venues, acknowledged that many lifeguards throughout the country would be at the swimming champs.
Midway Beach will now host the event from 12th – 15th March, with the NZ Masters Championships taking place on Thursday 12th.
With the surf lifesaving championships being the premier event of the surf sports year, it was felt there was a need to have as many surf athletes as possible taking part.
The mid-March dates in Taranaki weren't viable because of another major event there which created accommodation problems. The Australian Championships are being held from 17-22 March 2009 at Scarbourgh Beach, Perth.
Erin celebrates 21st with a kayaking win
10th June 2008
Erin Taylor marked the occasion of her 21st birthday last Sunday with a kayaking win.
Competing at the opening World Cup canoeing regatta in Hungary, she was first across the line in the K1 500m B final.
Taylor did a personal best of 1:52.83 in her heat to show that she continues to improve. She went on to finish fourth in her semi-final from which the first three placegetters qualified for the nine-berth A final.
A year ago, she was 17th in the event. Last weekend's win placed her 10th overall.
The next cup regatta is in Duisberg, Germany on June 13.
Website milestone!
26th May 2008
We’ve arrived at another milestone for this website in the number of hits received, a total of 20,000 to date.
Since the launch in December 2006 it took 12 months to notch up the first 10,000 visits to the site. We regarded that as quite an achievement, given that we are a surf lifesaving club and not a shopping cart site.
We’ve now reached the figure of 20,000 hits in the 17 months since launch which points to the ever-increasing number of visits to this website. We’d like to thank you for the interest you are showing.
Alphabet antics
26th May 2008
The club’s recent Prize Giving Night had ‘Alphabet’ as its theme, with everyone encouraged to dress up as something starting with the first letter of their first name. The sell-out night saw a myriad of colourful costumes and lots of originality which suggests that everyone loves to dress up for these occasions! Here's our photo essay on the night. Click on a photo to enlarge it.
SLSNR Awards of Excellence
26th May 2008
It's almost here ... Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s Awards of Excellence Night which takes place on Saturday 7th June.
The finalists have been named and will receive due recognition at the function to take place at the ASB Lounge at Eden Park. The evening will also incorporate the 75th Jubilee celebrations of SLSNR.
Tickets to the function are $55 per head and need to be ordered through Claire Maney by Wednesday 28th May. Contact details have been sent by email to all club members. Get set for a great night!
Erin Taylor bound for Beijing Olympics
15th May 2008
New Zealand’s first female Olympic flat water kayaker
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor has created history by becoming the first woman to represent New Zealand in flat water kayaking at the Olympic Games.
Her Olympic dream has become a reality after training in flat water paddling for just over two years. There is no doubt that her surf lifesaving background has helped substantially.
She paddled into contention last March when she beat her Australian counterpart Alana Nicholls by 1 ½ boat lengths in the women’s K1 500m at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
She also set one of her fastest 500m times by winning the race-off in 1:53.77. At 20 years of age she has a ranking of number 14 in the world.
Taylor joins Ben Fouhy, Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker in New Zealand’s Olympic kayaking team to compete in Beijing in August.
The four paddlers head for Europe on 25 May to compete in World Cup regattas in Budapest, Germany and Poland during June. From the beginning of July they will spend five weeks training in Rockhampton before flying to Beijing. The team is coached by Olympic gold medallists Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald. To read the NZ Herald article of 17.5.08, click here.
Moments of summer
4th May 2008
It’s been a mighty summer and we’ve spent a lot of time on some great beaches. That’s presented us with opportunities to capture on camera our 'moments of summer'.
Club wins Rookie Challenge
16th April 2008
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf members have snared the Perry Foundation Rookie Challenge for the second year in a row to wrap up a highly successful summer for the club.
The 5-person ‘Red’ team which took out the win was one of 16 club teams participating in the event held in choppy conditions at Mairangi Bay. Red Beach also entered a White and a Blue team.
All Rookie lifeguards were judged on a scenario and theory test which involved first aid treatment of a dislocated shoulder and the rescue of one patient from the water.
Teams then participated in a surf teams race, tube rescue relay, board rescue relay and a beach relay around a sand circuit in which the baton was a rescue tube.
Two teams – Red Beach Red and Orewa White – finished on 190 points each, however, the title was awarded to Red Beach on a count back for scoring higher points in the scenario section.
Overall Points: Red Beach Red (190) 1, Orewa White (190) 2, Mairangi Bay A (187) 3, Orewa Blue (181) 4, Orewa Red (177) 5, Red Beach Blue (171) 6, Sunset Beach (159) 7, Piha Red (158) 8, Red Beach White (154) 9, United North Piha (131) 10.
Gold & silver medals to AJ Maney in Perth
7th April 2008
Alistair ‘AJ’ Maney has capped off a remarkable season in the surf by collecting gold and silver medals at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships in Perth.
Competing for the Gold Coast club of North Burleigh, Maney picked up his gold medal in the under-17 men’s ski relay event.
Then, in the flat water of Scarborough Beach, the venue for the championships, he paddled home second to Bulli’s Ben Griffiths in the final of the under-17 men’s ski race to take out the silver medal.
He was also a member of North Burleigh’s under-17 surf team which placed fourth and drew additional points for the club.
For the results of all the New Zealanders competing in Perth, click here and go to Live Results.
Beach Series win to Moors
30th March 2008
Chris Moors has taken out the men’s 1km ocean swim section of the Takapuna Beach Series for 2007-08.
He notched up seven wins from 13 starts in the 17-race series, heading off swim veteran Brent Foster and Mairangi Bay’s Brady Campbell on overall points.
The final result was based on each competitor’s best 10 finishes in the series which started on 7 November and finished on 18 March.
The Beach Series involved three disciplines, the 1km ocean swim, a 5km beach run and a 5km surf ski paddle. Competitors could participate in any one of the chosen disciplines on race night.
For the overall results from the Beach Series, click here.
Chris has headed off to Perth for the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships where he will compete in the board race, surf race and Iron Man events at Scarborough Beach.
Overall Results for Men's 1Km Swim: Chris Moors (999.17) 1, Brent Foster (998.58) 2, Brady Campbell (982.73) 3, Ross Anderson (979.19) 4, Tim Bowen (966.40) 5.
Bon voyage, Serena
30th March 2008
Surf club stalwart Serena Ball was given a warm send-off by club members before flying to South America to start her OE.
The farewell function in the clubrooms came hard on the heels of her gold medal achievement at Ohope Beach where she was a member of Red Beach’s winning ski relay team.
Serena will be in Ecuador for a month to learn Spanish before heading down to Peru, Chile and Argentina.
Mid-June will see her in Panama and Mexico for three months before flying to London to teach physical education. Then it’s a stint in Thailand and South East Asia for two months before arriving back in New Zealand at the end of January.
Can our newly qualified lifeguards then expect some hard physical training with instructions in Spanish?
Jade’s clean sweep
30th March 2008
Red Beach competitor Jade Tuilaepa was the top performer at the Up&Go JuniorSurf Auckland Championships held recently at Orewa. The seven-year-old dynamo swept all before her, collecting five gold medals from all five events held in her age group.
She won the Boogie Board race, the Run-Wade-Run, the Diamond race, the Beach Sprint and then the Beach Flags event. It’s her third season with the Red Beach club, having joined the Tadpole division at the age of five.
Jade’s father David is the coach for the boys and the girls in the A7’s group which took out 20 of the 30 available medals in their age division at the championships.
Erin Taylor in contention for Beijing Olympics
30th March 2008
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor has become eligible to compete as a kayaker at the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.
Taylor (20) paddled the very fast time of 1:53.77 to beat her Australian counterpart Alana Nicholls by 1 ½ boat-lengths in the women’s K1 500m at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Nicholls beat her comfortably in the original Oceania qualification race two weeks ago, but New Zealand officials successfully protested against unfair conditions.
The complaint was over clumps of weed on the Penrith course which hampered the progress of Taylor and fellow New Zealand kayaker Troy Burbidge. The International Canoe Federation upheld the protest and ordered the races be re-run.
“The selection is yet to be confirmed but it should be straightforward,” said a jubilant Taylor who has a world top-16 rating.
But it wasn’t good news for Burbidge who lost to Australian Tony Schumacher by ¾ of a boat-length in the men’s K1 500m qualification race.
Taylor will join Ben Fouhy, Steven Ferguson and Mike Walker at Beijing, pending New Zealand Olympic Committee approval.
She will also create history by becoming New Zealand’s first-ever woman flatwater paddler at an Olympics.
SLSNR 75th Jubilee
30th March 2008
This summer marks the 75th official season for Surf Life Saving Northern Region. To celebrate, SLSNR is hosting a Jubilee weekend with a wide variety of activities. Registrations close Wednesday 2nd April.
When: Friday 11th - Sunday 13th April 2008
Jake George named in leadership group
22nd March 2008
Red Beach club member Jake George is one of seven lifeguards named by Surf Life Saving Northern Region for the 2008 Perry Foundation Leadership Group.
The group will undertake a 10 months programme of events and projects that will help develop their individual skills.
The group was selected from those who attended the 2007 Perry Foundation Leadership camp and, following that experience, made application to be part of the 2008 Leadership Group.
The group will be responsible for the development, management and delivery of a number of events and programmes that will occur this year. They will be assisted by SLSNR personnel.
The events include the Youth Development Camp, the Outward Bound course, the Rookie Challenge, the Youth Forum and the Club Management Training Programme.
Leadership Group: Jake George (Red Beach), Caroline Cave (Raglan), Russell Scoones (Mairangi Bay), Claire Fitzjames (Omaha), Jacqueline Hickey, Rebecca Coldicutt, Fleur Wong (all Piha).
Big medal haul to Red Beach
22nd March 2008
Top Auckland club at NZ Championships
Red Beach delivered a raft of outstanding performances at the recent national surf lifesaving championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane.
Competitors collected 11 gold, 7 silver and 8 bronze medals during the course of the three-day event, enabling Red Beach to emerge as the top club from the Northern region.
In the tussle for the Allan Gardner Trophy for surf lifesaving supremacy, Red Beach finished in third place behind Midway (Gisborne) and Westshore (Napier). Close to 50 clubs from throughout New Zealand took part in the championships.
Competitive successes were right across the board with the under-16 men’s and women’s divisions being key contributors to the points table.
Overall Points: Midway (94) 1, Westshore (88) 2, Red Beach (77) 3, Mairangi Bay (65) 4, Mt Maunganui (64) 5, Lyall Bay (32) 6, Papamoa (26) 7, Orewa (26) 8, Piha (24) 9, Titahi Bay (21) 10, Fitzroy (18) 11, Waikanae (17) 12, East End (17) 13, Waimairi (17) 14, Muriwai (16) 15, Ocean Beach Kiwi (15) 16, South Brighton (13) 17, Wainui (11) 18, North Beach (10) 19, NPOB (10) 20.
National champions!
22nd March 2008
We bring you our Golden Gallery of Red Beach competitors who won a total of 11 national titles at the recent NZ Surf Life Saving Championships held at Ohope Beach.
We extend congratulations to all winners on their particularly fine achievements.
(Photo captions)
Chris Moors and AJ Maney won the very first title decided at the Nationals, the open men's Board Rescue event.
Keziah George and Caitlin Ryan teamed up to win the under-19 women's Board Rescue event at Ohope. They won the under-16 event at the 2007 Nationals.
The duo of AJ Maney and Sam Cosgrove were first back to the beach to claim the under-19 men's Board Rescue title.
Terrific Trio. Lauren Johnson, Serena Ball and Caitlin Ryan handled the Ohope surf with aplomb to take out the open women's Ski Relay title.
Jared Pouwhare and Dylan French charged across the finish line in the under-16 men's Board Rescue event to snare the national title.
Caitlin Ryan was all class in winning the under-16 women's Ski Race title. She came away from the championships with 3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
In the fiercely fought open men's Board Relay event, AJ Maney, Chester Edwards and Chris Moors put in blistering performances to nail the win.
Jared Pouwhare, Brock Hart and Dylan French continued their string of wins in the under-16 men's Taplin relay event to take out the national title.
Brock Hart, after displaying marked progress in ski paddling all summer, capped off the season with a fine win in the under-16 men's Surf Ski event.
Jared Pouwhare, Kurt Leopard and Dylan French made sure the season's hard training paid off by taking out the under-16 men's Board Relay event.
Red Beach's eleventh title came with the winning of the Senior Surf Teams race by Chris Moors, Sam Cosgrove, Jake George and AJ Maney. The team was presented with the Bone of Goodwill Trophy (above) which was given to the NZ Surf Life Saving Association by the SLSA of Australia. It was first contested in 1934 and won by the Lyall Bay Club from Wellington.
The trophy has been won by Red Beach on three previous occasions, in 1993, 1995 and 1996.
Junior Squash open days
22nd March 2008
The 2008 Squash year has arrived and the Squash club is kicking off the season with two ‘Open Days’.
They will take place on two consecutive Sundays, 6th and 13th April and prospective new members are most welcome.
To read more about the Open Days, click here.
Red Beach on top at JuniorSurf Champs
22nd March 2008
Red Beach pulled off a stunning victory at the recent Up&Go Auckland JuniorSurf Championships, finishing more than 200 points clear of its nearest rival.
It was an across-the-board effort with all age divisions contributing handsomely to the overall points.
The all-day event, held at Orewa Beach, replaced the annual Cath & Eddie Millar Cup competition.
The championships were originally scheduled for a weekend in February but were cancelled because of atrocious weather and sea conditions.
Almost 700 competitors took part in near-perfect weather conditions.
Overall Points: Red Beach (614) 1, Orewa (403) 2, Mairangi Bay (333) 3, Piha (141) 4, Ruakaka (50) 5, Muriwai (43) 6, Waipu Cove (43) 7, United N-P (14) 8, Mangawhai Heads (11) 9, Omaha (11) 10, Sunset Beach (4) 11, Raglan (4) 12, Bethells Beach (3) 13.
Destination Ohope
10th March 2008
Ohope Beach, Whakatane, is at the ready to play host to this week's NZCT Surf Life Saving Championships which will see almost 1,400 competitors, including Masters, compete on the sand and in the surf over four days.
It's 36 years since the Nationals were staged at Ohope Beach (above) back in 1972. The Bay of Plenty venue will see a ton of action action starting with the Masters events on Thursday 13th March, through to the wind-up on Sunday 16th March.
The event itself is huge - nearly 50 clubs from throughout New Zealand will attend - with more than 100 titles to be decided in the open, under-19 and under-16 divisions.
The logistics are impressive - four arenas will be used over 1,500m of beach - with a special grandstand to be erected.
Red Beach will have a total of 67 competitors at Ohope, including five surf boat crews which is a record for the club. Masters competitors will boost this number to around 80.
And with the addition of all the Red Beach supporters, the club will see its biggest-ever turnout at a Nationals event.
For the full 4-day programme, click here.
For a map of the competition arenas, click here.
For today's weather in Whakatane, click here.
For the Ohope Beach surf report & forecast, click here.
To read about Ohope's 36-year wait, click here.
NRC's confirmed for the Mount in 2009
7th March 2008
The Northern Regional Championships will be back at Mount Maunganui in 2009.
The NRC management committee, at their recent debrief meeting, confirmed Main Beach, Mount Maunganui as the venue for next January.
There had been speculation that the two-day event would move to Waihi Beach next summer.
During the next few months the organisers plan to conduct a survey on future venues for the NRC’s.
Caitlin's golden collection
3rd March 2008
Red Beach lifeguard Caitlin Ryan proudly displays the 13 gold medals she won at the 2008 Auckland Surf Life Saving Championships at Ruakaka in February.
She broke the previous record of 11 gold medals which was set by Mairangi Bay’s Katie Pocock at the Auckland Champs held in 1997 at Waipu Cove.
Red Beach in the medals at Ocean Athletes
3rd March 2008
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf division has returned from the Ocean Athletes event with 13 medals.
Club members picked up 3 gold, 3 silver and 7 bronze medals and finished the 3-day competition at Mt Maunganui in sixth spot on overall points. Close to 30 clubs from throughout New Zealand took part.
For story and full results, click here.
New date for Club Champs
3rd March 2008
The SeniorSurf club championships, postponed because of bad weather on Saturday 1st March, have been rescheduled.
Because of the difficulty in arranging a weekend date, the event will now take place mid-week at Red Beach on Wednesday 5th March. The programme remains unchanged.
Registrations: From 5.30 pm
First Event: 6.00 pm sharp
Masters events have been added to the programme. There are two categories, 30-49 and 50+ with competitors able to take part in a surf race, ski race, board race and a beach sprint.Club members are invited to stay on for a BBQ at the conclusion of events.
Ocean Athletes set for Mount
26th February 2008
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf members head for Mount Maunganui this coming weekend to compete in the annual Ocean Athletes event.
A total of 56 club competitors aged from 10-14 years will participate over three days of competition starting on Friday 29th February.
The Ocean Athletes concept was developed eight years ago by Sensor Promotions in Tauranga. Since then, the event has developed into one of Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s most successful surf sport events. Close to 1,000 young athletes attend this national event every year, making it one of the largest children's events in the country.
To read the very latest on Ocean Athletes, click here.
Change of carnival venue
26th February 2008
The Surf Sports carnival scheduled for this coming Sunday at Mangawhai Heads has been switched to Red Beach.
Last weekend’s storm has resulted in erosion on the beach at Mangawhai, making it difficult to gain access.
With a high tide of 3.40 pm, beach sprints and beach flags head the programme. Next up are surf, board and ski races, to be followed by the Run Swim Run event, board relays and ski relays. The 3-person Taplin relay event wraps up the day.
The briefing for team managers is at 9.30 am and the beach events get under way at 10.00 am. Racing for surf boats & surf canoes will also get under way at 10.00 am.
For competitors, it’s the final opportunity for a hit-out before the NZ Championships at Ohope Beach, Whakatane in mid-March.
SeniorSurf Club Champs
25th February 2008
The annual club championships for the SeniorSurf Division take place on Saturday 1st March at Red Beach.
Up for grabs will be the six Champion Lifesaver titles for men and women in the open, under-19 and under-16 divisions.
Club members will get to compete in beach sprints, tube rescues, board and ski races, surf races and beach flags.
The Champion Lifesaver trophies will be awarded to the competitors in each of the six divisions who gain the most overall points. Details have been posted to club members.
All trophies will be presented at the prizegiving night in May.
Registrations will be taken at the beach from 9.00 am with the first event getting under way at 9.30 am.
Important Notice : Open Water Swim
23rd February 2008 (12 noon)
19th Annual Open Water Swim, Red Beach
Due to weather and sea conditions, the 2008 Open Water Swim scheduled for Sunday 24th February at Red Beach has been cancelled. We look forward to seeing all open water swimmers at Red Beach in 2009 for the 20th anniversary swim.
Important Notice : JuniorSurf Champs
23rd February 2008 (7.15pm)
Up&Go JuniorSurf Champs, Orewa Beach
Due to weather and sea conditions, the events scheduled for Sunday 24th February at Orewa have also been cancelled. Click onto the website ... www.lifesaving.org.nz
Winners at Ruakaka
21st February 2008
Our photo essay on the Auckland Championships at Ruakaka gives recognition to the many Red Beach athletes who won titles during the weekend.
We weren't able to capture every winner on camera, such were the demands of the two-day event with three arenas in operation. Nevertheless, congratulations to all who gave their best and delivered some highly impressive results.
Open Water Swim
21st February 2008
The 19th annual Open Water Swim gets under way at Red Beach this Sunday, 24th February.
Organised jointly by the Roskill Masters Swim Club and the Red Beach Surf Club, the event is expected to attract around 100 swimmers.
To read more about the event, click here.
To print out an entry form, click here.
Golden haul, and a record, for Caitlin Ryan
21st February 2008
Red Beach lifeguard Caitlin Ryan came away from the Auckland Surf Life Saving Championships at Ruakaka with a distinctly golden glow.
She was not only the outstanding competitor at the two-day event, she rewrote the history books with a haul of 13 gold medals.
The previous record was held by Mairangi Bay’s Katie Pocock who won 11 gold medals at the Auckland Championships held at Waipu Cove in 1997.
Caitlin picked up seven gold medals on the first day of competition, unaware there was a record to be broken. Just a handful of Red Beach people knew the weekend’s target was 12, however, they didn’t let on because of the concern they had for putting pressure on the talented teenager.
On the second day of competition, she didn’t disappoint and cruised home with a further six gold medals. The weekend’s wins came from two individual events and 11 team events. Surprisingly, she missed out on the Diamond Lady event by a matter of metres which would have given her a final tally of 14 golds.
To her collection she added four silver and three bronze medals.
Overall Results: Mairangi Bay (552.5) 1, Red Beach (517) 2, Muriwai (325.5) 3, Piha (245) 4, Orewa (179) 5, Ruakaka (45) 6, United North Piha (22) 7, Omaha (21) 8, Bethells Beach (19) 9, Kariaotahi (15) 10, Whangarei Heads (8) 11.
Auckland Champs at Ruakaka
12th February 2008
Ruakaka is again the venue for the Auckland Championships this coming weekend. The Ruakaka surf club is hosting the two-day event for the third consecutive year at the popular Northland location.
Saturday’s programme gets under way at 11.00 am with beach sprints, followed by beach flags and beach relays.
Water events commence with the Run Swim Run, followed by ski relays, board rescues and tube rescues. The boat arena will see short course racing for surf boats and surf canoes. Board relays wrap up the first day of competition.
Sunday’s programme starts at 8.00 am with a March Past for all competing clubs, followed by ski and board races. The presentation of medals takes place at the conclusion of all events. For the full two-day programme, click here.
Ironman double for AJ Maney at Surf League
6th February 2008
Red Beach’s Alistair 'AJ' Maney notched up a significant Ironman double while competing at the recent Lion Foundation Surf League.
Competing in Auckland’s under-19 team, he was a clear winner of the event on Day One at Mount Maunganui. On Day Two, in an extremely tight finish, he crossed the finish line just centimetres ahead of Canterbury competitor Tim Johns.
As part of his build-up, AJ spent two months training with the North Burleigh club in Queensland before returning to Auckland in mid-January.
Red Beach clubmate Sam Cosgrove was also outstanding for Auckland through his swimming strengths. Named initially for the under-19 team, he received a last-minute call-up to compete in Auckland’s Open team and acquitted himself well in both teams.
Lifeguard exchange
6th February 2008
Red Beach, through its sister-club relationship with the Collaroy surf club in Sydney, has just hosted two young Collaroy members by way of a lifeguard exchange scheme.
Andrew Brown and Mark Broome were in New Zealand in January and attended the Northern Regional Championships with Red Beach club members.
The inaugural exchange took place in December 1995 when Vaughan Skiffington and Hugh Roberts spent two weeks in Australia as guests of the Collaroy club.
Four surf boat crews to compete at Waihi
6th February 2008
Four Red Beach surf boat crews are entered for the Trillian Trust Surf Boat event at Waihi.
Round Three of the series kicks off on Saturday 9th February and organisers are expecting up to 40 crews to take part. Saturday’s long-course event also doubles as the Tradestaff North Island surf boat championships 2008.
The open men’s crew will be looking to emulate the first placing achieved by Red Beach at last year’s event. There is just one change to the crew which sprang the surprise win at Whangamata in early-January during Round Two.
Red Beach will also have its three women’s crews rowing at Waihi. One crew is entered in the Open Women’s division, while the other two will row in the Novice Ladies division which is restricted to first year rowers only.
The Champion of Champions surf boat racing takes place at Waihi on Sunday 10th February.
Red Beach club members named in rep teams
24th January 2008
Five Red Beach club members have been named by Surf Life Saving Northern Region for their under-16 and under-14 rep teams.
Both of the 10-strong SLSNR teams will compete in the Inter-District championships at Oakura Beach, New Plymouth on the weekend of 9th/10th February. Those selected are:
Under-16 Team: Dylan French, Caitlin Ryan, Shauni Furniss.
Under-14 Team: Cody Richards, Kayla Herbert.
Surf Camp to return in 2009
24th January 2008
The Super Surf Camp held at Red Beach in early-January is set to make a return in 2009 following a successful outcome.
It was conducted on the same lines as the popular JuniorSurf training camps held in Australia. The camp focused on developing board and swimming skills as well as training ethic and personal development.
The 38 youngsters aged from 8-13 years who attended the two-day camp were JuniorSurf members from a number of clubs in the northern region.
It was run by Brett Dowker, the Australian National High Performance head coach with the assistance of Michael Buck. It is scheduled to return on 15th/16th January 2009.
To read the Super Surf Camp newsletter, click here.
NRC’s at the Mount
24th January 2008
Mount Maunganui in the Bay of Plenty is again the venue for the Northern Regional Championships during Auckland’s Anniversary weekend.
The next biggest surf lifesaving event after the New Zealand Championships, it will take place on Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th January with a record 38 surf clubs participating.
There are 835 competitors in what is the largest NRC's held for some years.
To view the event programme, click here.
To view the NRC's beach plan, click here.
Surf League teams
16th January 2008
The 2008 Lion Foundation Surf League teams have been announced.
Seven district teams will compete in the League’s open division on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd February at Mt Maunganui Beach. Nine district teams will do battle in the under-19 division.
Red Beach lifeguards selected for the Northern Region teams are:
Open: Chris Moors, Jane Moors, Lauren Johnson
Under-19: Sam Cosgrove, Alistair Maney
Lauren's Shark encounter
15th January 2008
Red Beach lifeguard Lauren Johnson thought her number was up when she encountered a shark at Omaha Beach yesterday.
Working as a Regional lifeguard at the popular holiday spot north of Auckland, she spoke of the terror as the shark sank its teeth into the inflatable rescue boat she was riding in with fellow lifeguard Kris O’Neill.
They were checking out reports of sharks when their 3.8m craft was attacked by a four-metre bronze whaler.
To read the article from the New Zealand Herald, click here.
Carnival at Orewa
11th January 2008
Orewa is now the venue for the next Surf Sports carnival on Sunday 13th January.
It was to have been held at Piha, however, surf officials decided on the switch after giving consideration to a number of factors.
There is a slight change to the programme. It now starts with beach sprints, followed by beach relays and beach flags. Next up are surf, board and ski races, to be followed by board relays, board rescues and double ski races. Diamond person, Ironman events and Taplin relays wind up the day.
The briefing for team managers is at 9.30 am and the beach events get under way at 10.00 am. The surf boat arena starts up at 12 noon.
The carnival is the last opportunity for competitors to impress the selectors and gain berths in Auckland’s Lion Foundation Surf League teams.
Red Beach retains Owen Chapman Cup
9th January 2008
A strong turnout by Red Beach competitors gave the club the edge to retain the Owen Chapman Cup on its home beach on Saturday 5th January.
It was the 52nd year of competition for the trophy and just three points separated Red Beach and Mairangi Bay at the lunch-break.
However, Red Beach pulled out all the stops during the afternoon’s events and went on to win the carnival for the fourth consecutive year, finishing ahead of Mairangi Bay by 21 points.
Close to 300 competitors representing 20 clubs across the country battled it out on the sand and in the tricky surf thrown up by a north-easterly wind.
The carnival was notable for the presence of members of the NZ representative team which competed in the International Surf Challenge at Bondi at the end of November.
The shining star for Red Beach was Caitlin Ryan who featured in six wins. Along with three team wins she pulled off individual wins in the under-16 board race, ski race and Diamond Lady events.
Overall Points: Red Beach (147) 1, Mairangi Bay (126) 2, Orewa (97) 3, Muriwai (31) 4, Piha (16) 5. For a full set of results, click here.
Training Sessions for Surf Lifeguard Award
9th January 2008
Tuition for candidates wanting to become qualified lifeguards with the Red Beach club begins again on Sunday 20th January.
The training will be held in the Red Beach surf clubrooms from 11.00 am with the session lasting 1 ½ hours. There is no tuition on Sunday 27th January, however, it will resume on Sunday 3rd February.
The Surf Lifeguard Award is a pre-requisite for competing in surf carnivals.
For further information contact awards instructor Kate Randell at 021 187 1470.
Whangamata winners
7th January 2008
The Red Beach open men’s surf boat crew in high spirits after winning the short course final of the Trillian Trust surf boat event at Whangamata Beach. From left: Steve Westlake, Rodney Stephens, David Schumacher, Richard Beaumont, Craig Dillon (sweep).
Red Beach's newly formed surf boat crew came up trumps in winning the open division of the short course surf boat final at Whangamata recently.
The event, held in a testing surf of up to one metre, was the second of four rounds of the Trillian Trust surf boat series.
It was the crew's first competitive outing in surf boat racing but the win was no fluke.
With 20 crews competing in the open division, Red Beach notched up two wins and a second in their three heats to emerge as top qualifier for the semi-finals.
In the six-boat final, Red Beach was flanked by Mt Maunganui and trans-Tasman champions Titahi Bay, the pre-race favourites.
The three crews drew level in the last 50 metres, however, Red Beach pulled ahead by several metres in the closing stages to give Steve Westlake the edge in the sprint to the finish line.
Earlier in the day, the crew finished a close second to Titahi Bay in the annual Round the Island surf boat race.
A record 41 crews raced at Whangamata, including 14 women's crews and seven age-group crews.
Round three of the series is at Waihi Beach on 9th February.
Overall Results:
Open Men A Final: Red Beach 1, Titahi Bay 2, Mt Maunganui Yellow 3, Piha 4, Mt Maunganui White 5, Whakatane 6.
Open Men B Final: Mairangi Bay Vice 1, Waihi 2, Bethells Beach 3, Whangamata 4, Red Beach Cab Savs 5, Mairangi Bay Barbarians 6.
Women's A Final: Titahi Bay 1, Mt Maunganui 2, Red Beach A 3, Whakatane 4, Bethells Beach 5, Orewa 6.
Women's B Final: Paekakariki 1, Lyall Bay 2, Red Beach Black Widows 3.
Website milestone!
7th January 2008
It’s just a little over 12 months since this website was launched on 22 December 2006 and we’ve reached the milestone of 10,000 visits to the site. We regard that as quite an achievement.
To be expected, the biggest number of hits, or just on 70%, are from website visits here in New Zealand. The balance comes from no less than 50 other countries around the world. And while we continue to receive an ever-increasing number of hits, we’ll keep surfing towards the next milestone.
52nd Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival
28th December 2007
Close to 300 competitors are expected at the 52nd Owen Chapman surf carnival at Red Beach on Saturday 5th January.
Over the years the carnival has become a mecca for the region's surf athletes and big fields have become the norm.
Now one of the highlights of the Auckland surf carnival circuit, the event attracts an abundance of top-calibre competitors. Joining the ‘locals’ will be competitors from the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Wellington.
The event has always been contested at Red Beach, having been first held in 1957. Only clubs from the Auckland region are eligible to win the Cup which is awarded for most overall points.
The carnival will also provide opportunities for competitors to assess their chances of success at the Northern Regional Championships coming up at the end of January.
There are no entry forms or entry fees for the carnival. Team managers need only supply the names of their competitors on a form handed out at the managers' meeting at 8.40 am.
Surf races kick off the programme which starts at 9.00 am. The surf boat and surf canoe series of races commence at 12 noon. The afternoon programme will see the Iron Man and Diamond Lady events, with the Taplin relays, beach flags and a Tug O’ War wrapping up the day’s competition.
The after-carnival function on the Red Beach Reserve will see prizes awarded to all event winners, with spot prizes also being handed out. Through the support of the business community, the carnival's prize value runs close to $7,000.
For the Owen Chapman surf carnival programme, click here.
To read the history of the Owen Chapman Cup, click here.
Surf Camp at Red Beach
21st December 2007
Red Beach is the venue for the first of two Super Surf Camps to be conducted in New Zealand in January during the school holidays.
The 2-day camp at Red Beach, to be held on 7th/ 8th January, will be conducted on the same lines as the popular JuniorSurf training camps held in Australia.
Aimed at youngsters aged from 8-14 years, it will focus on developing board and surf swimming skills along with training ethic and personal development.
Heading the training camp is Brett Dowker, the Australian National High Performance Head Coach. Brett has the skills and knowledge to impart to those who attend, regardless of their ability. He will be assisted by a team of highly competent instructors.
The programme is endorsed by Surf Life Saving Australia and has been successfully presented to Juniors throughout Australia for the past 11 years. A second camp will be held at Mt Maunganui on 10th/11th January.
To learn more about Super Surf Camps and to print out an enrolment form, click www.supersurfcamps.com
To find out more about the Super Surf Camp at Red Beach, click here.
Four crews for Whangamata
21st December 2007
Red Beach has four surf boat crews entered for the popular Whangamata Surf Boat Spectacular on 2nd January.
The event doubles as Round Two of the current season’s Trillian Trust Surf Boat Series and race organisers are confident of 30 - 40 crews taking part. The growth in numbers points to a widespread interest in surf boat rowing in New Zealand.
The club will have two men’s crews, the ‘Cab Savs’ Masters who are making a return to the Bay of Plenty venue, and a newly-formed open men’s crew. Joining them will be two of the club’s three women’s crews.
The annual event features two unique types of surf boat racing, namely the 2km Dash for Cash around the island off Whangamata Beach, and the short course sprint series.
The Dash for Cash event, which carries prize money of $1,500, starts at 11.00 am. The short course sprint series gets under way at 1.00 pm.
First anniversary!
21st December 2007
This website notches up its first 12 months of operation on 22 December.
Just one year ago we moved on from a lack-lustre website to something more ambitious … a website for all the divisions of the club. The aim has been to keep it up-to-date at all times with a continuous flow of news, information and photos.
The feedback we’ve received has been extremely positive and we’ve welcomed your comments.
And we keep on breaking records. In October, with the new lifesaving season getting under way, we had a record number of visitors to the site. This was surpassed by the hits received in November, and the December month will establish a new record for the number of visitors to the website.
Whilst we haven’t yet achieved 100% completion – some pages are still under construction – we’re certainly toiling away to meet this objective. In the meantime the website will continue to evolve as we explore a number of new ideas and initiatives. The next 12 months will be just as adventurous.
Santa Claus flies in
21st December 2007
Santa Claus flew in to Red Beach just nine days out from Christmas and was given a rapturous welcome by the youngsters of the club’s JuniorSurf division.
The jolly man arrived in style, flown in by helicopter courtesy of Leigh Hopper of Hopper Developments Ltd.
Decked out in his familiar red outfit, he delighted everyone with a lolly scramble before climbing back into the helicopter and disappearing into the wild blue yonder.
Omanu Beach Classic
13th December 2007
Omanu Surf Club in the Bay of Plenty is staging the Omanu Classic surf carnival on Sunday 30th December.
Heading the programme is the Ian Porteous Ironman which carries $1,200 in prize money, and the Key Research surf boat series which has $1,000 in prize money.
Events for U-16, U-19 and open competitors will include surf races, board races, ski races and a 2km beach run. Men and women in the U-19 and open categories will contest the Ironman event.
Boat crews will compete over a 3-race series, the categories being U-19, U-21 and open men & women.
The carnival, at Omanu Beach in Mount Maunganui, runs from 12 noon to 3.00 pm.
For full details and an entry form, click here.
Big interest in Beach Series
13th December 2007
On a recent Tuesday evening we dropped in to Takapuna Beach to find around 20 Red Beach lifeguards and supporters taking part in the weekly Beach Series which attracts hundreds of contestants.
The three disciplines are a 1km ocean swim, a 5km beach run and a 5km surf ski paddle. The 6.15 pm hooter sends all starters away at the same time.
A competitor can participate in any one of the chosen disciplines on race night but can swap and change to participate in all disciplines throughout the season.
We bring you our photo essay on this popular event.
To read more on the Takapuna Beach Series and to check out all the results, click onto www.beachseries.co.nz
Big jump in entries for surf boat series
4th December 2007
Surf boat rowing in New Zealand is on a roll, judging by the spectacular increase in entries in the Trillian surf boat series.
A record 36 crews are entered for Round One of the series in Wellington this weekend.
The open men’s division will be fought out by 20 crews, while eight crews in each of the open women’s and under-21 divisions will battle it out in the capital.
Racing will take place at Lyall Bay on Saturday, followed by short course sprint racing at the more placid Oriental Bay on Sunday.
Red Beach will be represented by one of its three women’s crews. Taking to the oars will be Daile Lambert, Lorraine Brake, Lizzie Anderson, Karlene O’Halloran and sweep Monty McGougan.
The venues for the three rounds in the New Year are Whangamata (2 January), Waihi (9 February) and Piha (23 February).
Taylor impressive on surf ski in Australia
3rd December 2007
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor has emerged as one of the star performers of the just-concluded International Surf Challenge in Australia.
Competing at Sydney’s Bondi Beach as a member of the New Zealand surf lifesaving team, Erin sealed a great three-test series by beating the best surf ski paddlers in the world in two of her three women’s ski races.
And in the third and final test, she teamed with Kevin Morrison to snare the mixed ski relay title.
Her winning streak was not confined to the Bondi surf. She was also a member of the New Zealand women’s beach relay team which completed a clean sweep by winning the relay event three days in a row.
The Challenge was one of the final events of the ‘Year of the Surf Lifesaver’ which celebrates 100 years of surf lifesaving in Australia.
To read more on the event and to check out the individual and team results of each test, click here.
Results from 1st Test: Australia (127), New Zealand (114), South Africa (89), Japan (58), Great Britain (52), USA (40).
Results from 2nd Test: Australia (131), New Zealand (115), South Africa (85), Japan (54), USA (50), Great Britain (47).
Results from 3rd Test: Australia (132), New Zealand (106), South Africa (95), Japan (61), USA (47), Great Britain (41).
Muriwai confirmed as venue
30th November 2007
Muriwai Beach has been confirmed as the venue for the Surf Sports inter-club carnival on Sunday 2nd December.
Carnival organisers had been holding off making a decision between Muriwai and Omaha, the alternative beach. Big surf on the west coast at the start of the week has since dropped to around 1 metre, making it possible to hold the marker buoys in place. Competitors had also been hoping for surf conditions to test their skills.
The meeting for team managers is at 9.30 am and the first event, beach sprints, gets under way at 10.00 am while the tide is low.
Also featuring on the programme are surf, board and ski races, board relays and board rescues, the double ski event, the Diamond Person and Ironman events, finishing with Taplin relays. A second arena will see racing for surf boats and surf canoes, starting at 12 noon.
For the full programme of events, click here.
Big names for Owen Chapman carnival
26th November 2007
Red Beach will see a star-studded line-up of competitors at the next Owen Chapman Cup carnival in January.
The event will double as a selection opportunity for the country’s top surf athletes keen to make the New Zealand Surf Life Saving team for the World Championships. The ‘worlds’ are to be held in Germany in August 2008.
The Owen Chapman event, set down for Saturday 5th January, will be a great opportunity for competitors to show their skills and impress the NZ selectors who will be present at the carnival.
“Top athletes such as Paul Cracroft-Wilson and Morgan Foster will go head to head in beach flags and the beach sprint,” said NZ sport manager Mark Weatherall.
“Also featuring will be surf stars Dan Moodie, Glenn Anderson, Michael Buck, Steven Kent and Mike Janes.
“The women will also be keen to impress and the likes of Jo O’Connor, Nikki Cox and Lucy Pengelly are likely to attend,” he added.
For the Owen Chapman Cup carnival programme, click here.
Erin Taylor to compete at Bondi with NZ team
26th November 2007
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor will be footing it with the very best while in Australia as a member of the New Zealand surf lifesaving team.
The 12-strong team, along with a surf boat crew, will take on five other countries at the International Surf Challenge at the end of the month.
Surf Life Saving Australia is hosting this one-off surf sports gala at the birthplace of surf lifesaving, Sydney’s famous Bondi Beach. The competing teams are from Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa and the USA.
The first of the three tests will take place on Thursday 29 November, with the final test on Saturday 1st December.
Erin will compete in the women's ski race, mixed ski relay, women's beach relay and a 4-person Taplin relay in which she will paddle the ski leg.
The International Challenge, to be held over four days, is a celebration of 100 years of surf lifesaving in Australia. Seven state teams will also participate at Bondi in the Australian Interstate Championships.
To read more about the International Challenge, click here.
Footnote: Erin is a kayaking finalist for the Sportswoman of the Year award at the North Harbour Sporting Excellence Awards night on Friday 23 November.
Twilight carnival at Mairangi Bay, 28 Nov
26th November 2007
Mairangi Bay is the venue for the next Twilight carnival on the surf sports programme.
The carnival kicks off on Wednesday 28th November with the first event at 6.00 pm. Beach sprints and beach flags head the programme, followed by ski, board and surf races. A second arena will see racing for surf boat and surf canoe crews.
The organisers plan to run two races for each of the ski, board and surf race events.
The carnival is a key event for surf athletes wishing to be considered for selection for Auckland’s Lion Foundation Surf League teams to compete at Mount Maunganui in February.
For the full Twilight programme, click here.
New sponsors now on board
19th November 2007
Red Beach Surf Club welcomes three brand new sponsors to its family of sponsors.
They are North Harbour Law, Silverdale Liquor and Pinewoods Motor Park who join current ‘family’ sponsors G J Gardner Homes, Carpet Plus and Subway Whangaparaoa.
Within the club’s Super Six sponsorship line-up are Cranston Homes, Orewa New World and Albany Timber.
The club is delighted to see all sponsors from last year committing again for the 2007/08 season and feels privileged to have the support of such community minded businesses.
Twilight event # 3
19th November 2007
Red Beach will host its third twilight event of the current season when the Up&Go JuniorSurf carnival gets under way this coming Wednesday evening.
The competition is for C group athletes - the 12 & 13 year olds - who will compete in surf races, board races, beach flags, beach sprints and the Diamond event which comprises of a Run-Board-Swim.
Athletes wishing to be considered for selection for the U-14 inter-districts team to travel to New Plymouth are urged to attend this carnival.
The briefing is at 4.30 pm with the first event at 5.00 pm.
The first twilight carnival for JuniorSurf was held at Orewa at the start of the month and three more are scheduled to follow the Red Beach carnival.
Coming soon … National Jandal Day
17th November 2007
National Jandal Day, Surf Life Saving’s national street appeal, is set to take place on Friday 7 December.
It’s the day on which New Zealanders will be urged to wear their Jandals to help raise funds for the country’s lifeguards.
Just like a school mufti day, Jandal wearers just need to pay up for the pleasure of wearing Jandals which in turn will support surf lifesaving patrols.
National Jandal Day is a joint initiative between Surf Life Saving New Zealand and wine company Bach 22.
Research shows that 74% of New Zealanders believe the Jandal to be a Kiwi icon, and that 81% of New Zealanders own a pair of Jandals.
Surf Life Saving street collectors will be out in force nation-wide on the day at all major transport hubs, central city locations, supermarkets and shopping malls.
Office workers are also being encouraged to take part by registering their workplace online, pledging a donation and wearing their Jandals to work on 7 December.
To make a donation or to find out more about Bach 22 National Jandal Day, visit www.nationaljandalday.co.nz
IRB’s To Race at Red Beach
7th November 2007
Red Beach is to host an IRB Twilight training carnival this Thursday evening with around eight crews taking part.
It’s the second IRB event of the current season; the first IRB Twillight carnival took place at Mairangi Bay on 11 October.
On the programme are 2 x Single Rescue events, 2 x Assembly, 2 x Adapted Mass Rescue and 1 x Tube Rescue.
There will be two divisions, experienced and learners with the latter receiving tuition from the more experienced crews.
Red Beach will have two IRB teams entered with powercraft manager Brian Maney on the beach as back-up and coach.
The briefing for crews is at 5.30 pm with a start time of 6.00. To read more, click here.
Win free BP fuel for a year
7th November 2007
You can win free fuel for a year by purchasing a $2 safety pin which can be worn on clothing. Go into the draw by purchasing a pin at any BP outlet then registering on BP's website.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand and BP have again joined forces to raise funds for surf lifesaving with this National BP Appeal. The promotion runs from 5th – 18th November.
More FM in Auckland and ZM in the rest of the country are supporting the event with spot prizes and on-air giveaways during the first week of the promotion. To read more, click here.
Pub to Club Event
1st November 2007
The Piha Pirates, an under-23 crew were the winners of the Pub to Club surf boat challenge held on Saturday 27 October.
The race, an annual event organised by the Red Beach club, attracted 11 crews. The 14km course took them down the Puhoi River, past Wenderholm to the sea then across the ocean to Red Beach. It was sponsored by Heron Plumbing who contributed over $2,000 in prize value which went to the top-placed crews.
The winning Piha crew completed the course in a time of 1 hour 36:45. A crew from Mt Maunganui came home second in 1 hour 37:29, with the Red Beach masters crew finishing third in 1 hour 37:43.
Results - Men: Piha Pirates U23's 1, Mt Maunganui 2, Red Beach Cab Savs 3, Mairangi Bay Vice 4, Piha U-19 Horses 5, Mairangi Bay Baabaas 6, Orewa U23's 7, Piha U19 Bugseys 8, Muriwai 9, Piha B 10. Women: Red Beach Slappers 1.
Training Sessions for Surf Lifeguard Award
1st November 2007
Tuition for candidates wanting to become qualified lifeguards with the Red Beach club will take place each Sunday morning during November.
The training will be held in the Red Beach surf clubrooms from 11.00 am with each session lasting 1 ½ hours. The Sunday dates are 4, 11, 18 & 25 November.
The Surf Lifeguard Award is a pre-requisite for competing in surf carnivals.
For further information contact awards instructor Kate Randell at 021 187 1470.
Successful Candidates. A total of 14 candidates became qualified lifeguards following a Surf Lifeguard Award exam held during Labour Weekend. Pictured with the examiners are 8 lifeguards from Red Beach and 3 each from Orewa and Omaha surf clubs.
JuniorSurf Training
1st November 2007
Coaching for the club’s JuniorSurf division kicked off at the recent opening day which saw a big turnout of youngsters. A spring tide restricted the activities on the beach but it didn’t deter the enthusiasm of those who attended.
Registration numbers for the 2007-08 season are climbing steadily towards last summer's record intake of members.
Parents who are still to register their children can do so at the clubrooms on any Sunday during November between the hours of 12 noon and 1.30 pm. To download a registration form, click here.
Twilight Carnival
30th October 2007
Around 80 competitors from 6 clubs took to the water at the first Twilight carnival of the season held at Red Beach on Wednesday 24 October.
The rain held off although wetsuits were a feature as lifeguards braved the chilly conditions to compete in board, ski and surf races. Surf boat racing was also included on the programme.
Chilly Start to Patrol Season
28th October 2007
Cool weather wasn’t exactly what lifeguards throughout the region were hoping for when surf patrols commenced at Labour Weekend. Windy conditions deterred people from heading for beaches, leading to a quiet time for lifeguards.
“Strong winds kept people off,” said Red Beach patrol captain Craig Dillon. “I was on patrol on the Saturday and there were only two people in the water between 11am and 4.30pm.
“There were more people on Sunday but they were walking on the beach. On a good day there would be at least 1,000.”
The club's lifeguards made good use of the quiet weekend checking out their equipment instead.
Masters Ahoy!
22nd October 2007
A recent grant from the Lion Foundation has resulted in the purchase of a new twin-hulled surf canoe. Red Beach now has two masters surf canoe crews in training for the summer.
Opening Day for JuniorSurf
22nd October 2007
Coaching for the club’s JuniorSurf division kicks off at the Opening Day at Red Beach on Sunday 28th October. Activities commence with a roll-call at 9.45 am followed by coaching for all age divisions at 10.00 am.
Registrations for the 2007-08 season are highly encouraging and are on a par with the pre-season levels for last year.
Parents who are still to register their children can do so at the clubrooms this Sunday from 9.00 am onwards. Further registrations will be taken on Sunday 4th November. To download a registration form, click here.
Surf Boat Challenge Coming Up : 27 Oct
22nd October 2007
More than $2,000 will be at stake in next weekend’s Pub to Club surf boat challenge.
The event, sponsored by B H Heron Plumbing, will be raced on Saturday 27th October from the Puhoi Pub to Red Beach, a distance close to 14km. Around 14 boat crews have indicated they will be taking part.
The race, a repeat of last year’s successful event, is open to all surf boat crews, male and female. The course is along the Puhoi River, past Wenderholm to the sea then across the ocean to Red Beach.
The briefing at the Puhoi Pub is at 7.30 am and the first boat will get away at 8.00 am. The entry fee is $40.00 per crew.
For further information contact Craig Dillon at 021 829 632 or click here to send him an email.
Squash Success for Cowlard
22nd October 2007
The awards have been piling up for Red Beach squash player Lisa Cowlard.
At the Auckland Squash Excellence Awards night held recently, Cowlard snared three major awards … Most Improved Female player, Master of the Year and Sportswoman of the Year.
Just four weeks earlier she picked up the Squash NZ Most Improved Female award for 2007 after a stunning year as an Auckland Senior and Masters rep.
A New Zealand 35-39 champion in 2005 and 2006, Cowlard has made massive strides in 2007, finishing 7th at the recent National Championships. She holds a New Zealand ranking of no. 7 and has just represented this country in the masters test series with Australia.
Cowlard started playing at age 12 in the UK and moved here permanently in 2003, joining the Red Beach Surf Club's squash division. With three youngsters (8, 7 and nearly 6) now at school, she has been able to concentrate a lot more on her squash and the benefits are clearly visible. Congratulations, Lisa.
Twilight Carnival at Red Beach : 24 Oct
22nd October 2007
Red Beach is the venue for the first Twilight carnival on the surf sports programme for 2007-08.
The event takes place on Wednesday 24th October with a briefing at 5.30 pm and the first event at 6.00pm. Board, ski and swimming events feature on the programme along with racing for surf boat crews. Because of the 6.30 pm high tide, beach sprints and beach flags will not be run.
Surf Patrol Season Under Way
22nd October 2007
Lifeguard patrols commenced on Saturday 20th October, the first day of the country’s Labour Day weekend.
The Red Beach club has started the 2007/08 season with more than 70 qualified lifeguards who are rostered for the volunteer patrols through to Easter Monday, 2008. A further dozen club members are receiving tuition for the Surf Lifeguard Award to become qualified for beach patrols.
Patrol hours for Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are:
11:00am to 4:00pm Months of October, November, March (to Easter Monday)
11:00am to 5:00pm Months of December, January, February.
The patrolling hours may be extended on any particular day at the discretion of the Patrol Captain on duty.
People's Choice Award
15th October 2007
B H Heron Plumbing has emerged as the 2007 winner of the Business In The Community People’s Choice Award.
Given for services to the community, the award was presented at the recent BNZ Waitakere Business Awards function. The event was attended by more than 500 people.
It’s been a significant year for club patron Bryan Heron. The People’s Choice Award award comes hard on the heels of the MNZM he received in the New Year honours in January and the Life Membership awarded by the Red Beach Surf Club in July.
Lifeguards Refreshed
15th October 2007
More than 220 lifeguards from across the Auckland region assembled at Orewa recently for the mass refresher day.
They were tested on CPR practice, a tube rescue, a run-swim-run and theory, in preparation for the opening of the surf lifesaving season at Labour Weekend.
Red Beach lifeguards who couldn’t attend will be given the chance to become ‘refreshed’ on a day to be organised by the club.
Lifeguard Refresher Day
10th October 2007
The SLSNR Lifeguard Refresher Day is being held this coming Saturday 13th October at Orewa Beach. Registrations begin at 9.30 am with a start time of 10.30 am. The refreshers were originally scheduled for Sunday 14th October.
Supported by B H Heron Plumbing, it’s the day on which all lifeguards are given the opportunity to become ‘refreshed’ for surf patrol work. Lifeguards must complete the refresher course to be eligible to compete at surf carnivals.
The refresher components are: i) Theory (written paper) ii) CPR iii) Run-Swim-Run iv) Tube Rescue.
Candidates are required to present themselves on the day in their yellow DHL lifeguard shirts and red DHL lifeguard shorts.
All lifeguards who refresh on this day will take home goodies provided by SLSNR.
(Photo) Lifeguards at last year's mass refresher await the release of yellow and red balloons. Each balloon represented a life saved in the northern region during the previous summer.
JuniorSurf registration days
30th September 2007
The Red Beach Surf Club is taking registrations for its JuniorSurf division at the clubrooms, Ngapara Street, Red Beach as follows:
Dates: Sunday 7th October and Sunday 14th October
Times: 10.00 am – 1.00 pm
You are able to print out the JuniorSurf registration form to complete and take with you to either of the registration days. Just click here.
Wet Conditions for Season Opener
24th September 2007
The rain was the big spoiler at the first surf sports event of the 2007-08 season, the Long Distance Carnival, held at Orewa on Sunday 23rd September.
The weather conditions clearly affected the turnout of competitors, however, those that did take to the surf showed the benefits gained from winter training.
Just a handful of runners lined up for the 4km beach run which preceded the mass start of swimmers, board paddlers, ski paddlers and surf boat rowers who competed over varying distances.
For Red Beach, Chris Moors and Sam Cosgrove finished one,two in the 1500m swim while Vaughan Skiffington and AJ Maney finished in the same sequence in the 5km board race.
In the 7km ski race for competitors under 16, Caitlin Ryan was the first woman home while Kurt Leopard was the first to finish in the men’s section. Each won a Bennett ski paddle for their efforts.Peter Clarke paddled home first in the Masters 7km surf ski race.
Five surf boat crews raced over a 14km course which started and finished in front of the Orewa surf club.
Scrub-up at club
17th September 2007
The clubrooms came in for a spring spruce-up at a working bee held recently.
A solid turn-out of members, parents and supporters from all sections of the club arrived with water-blasters, spades, brooms, dusters, cleaners and plenty of elbow-grease to give the premises a make-over both inside and out.
The patrolling season begins on Saturday 20th October, the start of Labour weekend, and runs through to Easter.
Club to host 4 competition events
17th September 2007
Red Beach is the venue for four SLSNR surf sports events this summer with three of them falling mid-week.
Just four days after the opening of the patrolling season at Labour weekend, the first Twilight carnival for qualified lifeguards will take place. This event is scheduled for Wednesday 24th October.
The club will then host the second IRB Twilight event of the season on Thursday 8th November.
Two weeks later, on Wednesday 21st November, the UP&GO JuniorSurf Twilight carnival for C group (12,13 years old) competitors will be held.
And the 52nd Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival, Red Beach's own club day, will take place on Saturday 5th January.
For the updated Surf Sports Calendar for 2007-08, click here.
SLSNZ Awards to Four Club Members
17th September 2007
Four Red Beach club members have been presented with service awards by Surf Life Saving New Zealand.
Patricia Olsen has received a Distinguished Service Award for services to the surf lifesaving movement. She started with Milford Girls SLSC in 1950 as both club captain and secretary. She has coached Red Beach R & R teams and has been on organising committees for the World Masters event at Red Beach in 1991, the Owen Chapman carnival and the club’s 50th Jubilee celebrations. She has been a member of the Auckland Board of Judges for the past 20 years and a Nationals judge for 17 years.
Gary Richards was also the recipient of a Distinguished Service Award. He joined South Brighton SLSC in 1956 and for 17 years filled various roles including treasurer, club captain and delegate before joining Red Beach in the mid-70’s. A career move took him to Wellington in 1978 and he was a member of the Paekakariki club for nine years before returning to Red Beach as a non-active member. He served on the club committee and was club delegate to Auckland SLSA for four years. He has been a member of the Board of Judges in Auckland, Wellington and the Bay of Plenty for a total of 30 years, and a Nationals judge for 24 years. In 2005 he was presented with a 50 Years Service Badge.
Graeme Porter has received a Service Award for services to the movement. He first joined the Paekakariki club in 1977 then moved to Auckland and joined Red Beach in 1987. He has been an active competitor and has filled the club roles of captain, committee member, powercraft manager and IRB instructor over a period of 10 years. He has also served on numerous organising committees including the World Masters event held at Red Beach in 1991. He has managed the Auckland Kellogg’s Surf League team for three years and is currently a member of the SLSNR Judiciary Committee. Graeme has been a member of the SLSNR Board of Judges for 13 years and a Nationals judge for six years.
Peter Young was also the recipient of an SLSNZ Service Award. He had his beginnings in surf lifesaving in 1965 with the Orewa surf club where he was an active member and competitor, filling numerous administration roles over an 11 year period. He was also a member of the Board of Judges for 13 years. He became involved with Red Beach in 1997 when his four children joined the club. For the past five seasons he has been Red Beach’s coach for sprints, relays and beach flags.
The presentations were made at the DHL 'In It For Life' Awards luncheon at the Hotel Intercontinental in Wellington on Saturday 15th September.
SLSNR Pool Champs Results
15th September 2007
Piha emerged as the winners of the northern region surf lifesaving pool swim championships held on Saturday 8th September.
The West Coast club took out the Cosgrove Trophy with a total of 119 points, heading off Red Beach who finished with 99 points.
The event, held at the Millennium Centre on the North Shore, catered for swimmers from both the JuniorSurf and SeniorSurf divisions of surf clubs, with all points counting towards the overall results.
Overall Points: Piha (119), Red Beach (99), Muriwai (50) Orewa (50).
Olympics for Erin?
13th August 2007
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor has kept her Olympics dream alive by finishing seventh in the B final at the world canoeing championships in Germany.
She was competing in the K1 500m event in Duisberg during the weekend of 11/12 August. That result has kept her in contention for next year’s Olympic Games in Beijing, having met the New Zealand Olympic Committee’s demands of a top-16 finish in Germany.
However, there is one final hurdle before she gets the nod. There will be a race-off between Erin and her Australian opponent in Sydney next March for the Olympics berth.
If successful, she will become New Zealand’s first woman Olympic kayaker. To read the article on Erin Taylor from the Herald on Sunday, click here.
Mike Taylor at helm
13th August 2007
Mike Taylor is the club’s new president, having been elected to the position at the annual general meeting held on 29th July.
He succeeds Bob Dey who has served in the role for the past seven years.
Taylor has been the chairman of the SeniorSurf committee for the past two seasons and the Red Beach delegate to Surf Life Saving Northern Region for three years. He will continue to attend SLSNR meetings in his role as club president. He was recently elected to the Allocations Committee of SLSNR.
There was a record turn-out at the Red Beach annual meeting with close to 70 people in attendance. Several changes to the club’s constitution were adopted, however, a move to change the club name was soundly defeated.
Chris Randell was elected chairman of the SeniorSurf committee, succeeding Mike Taylor.
90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge Coming Up
13th August 2007
The 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge is coming up again on Saturday 1st September. The event, hosted by Far North Rescue, is raced from Scott’s Point to Ahipara.
The race is run in stages to test each crew’s skills and stamina as well as the reliability of the equipment. To read more about the event, click here.
SLSNR Pool Champs
13th August 2007 (Updated)
The SLSNR Pool Championships will take place at the Millennium Institute on Auckland’s North Shore on Saturday 8th September.
The programme gets under way at 6.00 pm with events for under-14 competitors. Events for those aged over 14 years start around 8.00 pm.
At stake will be the Cosgrove Trophy (right) which was won on overall points last year by Red Beach. More than 200 competitors from 11 surf clubs took part, which was double the entry from the 2005 event.
The programme is the same as for the SLSNZ pool champs to be held in Wellington from 28-30 September.
The organisers are needing up to 60 helpers for timekeeping and poolside duties at the Millennium Institute. The location is at 17 Antares Place (off Apollo Drive), Mairangi Bay. For full information on the event, click here.
Regional Lifeguard & BeachEd Positions
13th August 2007
One of the benefits of being a lifeguard and a member of Surf Life Saving Northern Region is the employment opportunities.
They are available either in full-time, part-time of fixed term positions. SLSNR is now calling for applications for Regional Lifeguard and BeachEd Instructor positions.
Applications for BeachEd Instructors close on 21st August 2007.
Applications for the Regional Lifeguard Service close on 1st October 2007.
For more information and application forms, click here.
Life Membership for Heron
6th August 2007
Red Beach surf club patron Bryan Heron was made a Life Member of the club at its annual general meeting on Sunday 29th July.
Bryan became associated with the Red Beach club in 1978 when he sponsored several training boards for the Nipper division of the day. He then followed up with equipment including rescue tubes, single skis, double skis and more Nipper training boards.
His company B H Heron Ltd gave massive support to the building of the new clubrooms in 1982 by donating all the labour for the roofing and the plumbing.
The very first Heron surf boat was given a champagne launch at Red Beach in 1988, followed by the ‘Flying Herons’ boat in 1995 and then the launch of ‘Flying Herons II” in 1999. To date there have been no less than six Red Beach boats which have proudly displayed the Heron signage.
The club now has in place, courtesy of Bryan & Pat Heron, the Heron/Red Beach Lifeguard Development Trust which will serve the club well in the years to come.
“Bryan has given the Red Beach club much more than equipment and a Trust. He has given our members, over the years, reasons to stay committed to surf lifesaving,” said club executive officer Ross Malyon.
“He has made things possible for the club to achieve, because without his support throughout 29 years there would have been much that just couldn’t have happened. Participation in the Ocean Thunder surf boat series in Australia is one thing that comes to mind,” he added.
Awards Made at AGM
6th August 2007
A total of six awards were made at the AGM of the club on Sunday 29th July. Bryan Heron, the club’s patron for the past 11 years, was made a Life Member following a 29 year association with Red Beach.
Steve Moors was the recipient of a Recognition Award. He has served as treasurer of the SeniorSurf division for the past five years and continues in that role.
Also to receive Recognition Awards were Chris Randell and Peter Young for their services to the club.
Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Cherie Dillon and George Cowper for their contributions and many years of service to the Red Beach club and to the surf lifesaving movement.
Recognition Awards. Presented to Chris Randell and Peter Young.
Distinguished Service Awards. Presented to Cherie Dillon and George Cowper.
Pub To Club Event
6th August 2007
Ski paddlers line up for the fifth annual Pub to Club event which took place on Sunday 15th July.
Contestants paddled down the Puhoi River to the ocean and then headed for Hatfields Beach for a registration check. From there it was a paddle back out to sea through challenging and choppy conditions which were best described as ‘difficult’, past Orewa then on to Red Beach where they finished.
First home were Orewa’s Andrew Towns and Zac Franich who finished 1,2 respectively. Vaughan Skiffington paddled home third. Kurt Leopard was the first under-16 ski competitor to finish while the duo of Mark Stephenson and Chris Tilman came home first on a double ski. The Muriwai crew were the only entry in the surf boat section.
The journey ended with a hearty cooked breakfast in the Red Beach clubrooms. To view photos from the event, click here.
High Performance Squad Members
6th August 2007
A total of 17 Red Beach surf club members have been named in the High Performance Squad which was announced recently by Surf Life Saving Northern Region. They are:
Under-16: Alysse Baldry, Shauni Furniss, Kurt Leopard, Jared Pouwhare, Caitlin Ryan.
Under-19: Alex Beer, Alistair Maney, Keziah George, Ellen Young.
Open: Sam Cosgrove, Chester Edwards, Lauren Johnson, Patrick Maney, Chris Moors, Jane Moors, Vaughan Skiffington, Erin Taylor.
Surf Sports Calendar for 2007/08 Season
6th August 2007
Dates have been confirmed for surf sports competition for the coming summer. The majority of venues have been named while several have yet to be announced.
Competition gets under way with the 90 Mile IRB Race in the Far North on Saturday 1st September. One week later, on 8th September, the SLSNR Pool Championships take place at the Millennium Institute.
Orewa is the venue for a Long Distance carnival on Sunday 23rd September.
Dates for both Senior Surf and JuniorSurf competition events have been set. To view the calendar click here.
Distinguished Service Award, By George!
17th June 2007
Red Beach club stalwart George Cowper has been presented with a Distinguished Service Award from Surf Life Saving Northern Region.
The presentation was made at the recent Awards of Excellence night held at the ASB Lounge, Eden Park which was attended by a record 440 people.
George became the club’s Gear Steward in 1987 and held the position for five years. From 1992 until 1996 he was Red Beach’s president, then continued to serve on the club’s Management Committee for a further four years. He was the clubhouse custodian for a period of seven years.
At district level he has been a member of the Board of Surf Sports for 13 years, Equipment Officer for six years and on the Surf Sports committee for four years. Up until 2006 he was the Inspector of Competition Equipment for 16 years. He has been a member of the Board of Judges since1988 and is a familiar face at surf carnivals as the starter in the surf boat arena.
At New Zealand level he has been a Nationals official for the past 18 years, and for 10 years of this time he has served as the Competition Equipment Inspector. Congratulations, George.
Caitlin's a Winner
17th June 2007
Red Beach lifeguard Caitlin Ryan, in just her first season out of JuniorSurf ranks, has picked up the U16 Sportswoman of the Year Award.
She was named as the winner at the recent SLSNR Awards of Excellence Night held at the ASB Lounge at Eden Park.
Caitlin has had a meteoric rise in surf competition. She is a multi-talented young lady with across-the-board abilities in ski, board, swim, tube rescue and beach relay events. Throughout the past season she has been to the fore in these disciplines and was consistently achieving top placings in ski and board events.
At the District Championships at Ruakaka last February she collected four gold medals. Her wins, all in the under-16 division, came from the ski and board events along with the board relay and the beach relay.
Caitlin was also in top form at the NZ Championships in Gisborne, winning the under-16 ski race and the under-16 board rescue event with Keziah George. She also collected four bronze medals. Congratulations, Caitlin.
Pub to Club Event
17th June 2007
The fifth annual Pub to Club event, from the Puhoi Pub to the Red Beach club, is set to take place on Sunday 15th July.
The paddle, down the Puhoi River to the ocean, then past Orewa to Red Beach, is open to all surf ski, kayak, surf canoe and outrigger paddlers, and surf boat crews. The journey ends with a hearty cooked breakfast in the Red Beach clubrooms at the conclusion of the event.
The briefing at Puhoi is at 8.00 am, with a start time of 8.15 am. The entry fee of $20 per person includes the cooked breakfast/brunch at the club.
Enquiries to Anne Golder 09 426 8347 or Doug Stephenson 09 426 8894.
For an entry form click here.
Spypedo on Patrol
11th June 2007
One of the patrolling craft used to watch over 93 swimmers during the Open Water Swim at Red Beach last March was a Spypedo, built by lifeguard Chris Moors.
The craft was the result of a university project where the aim was to design and produce a motorised water craft capable of being powered by an 8hp Yamaha motor. The objective was to have it travel as far as possible in 30 seconds from a standing start.
Chris, along with fellow student Jarrod Hall, had six weeks to design and build it. The fibreglass hull has a polystyrene core while the rest of the craft is built in a high density foam skinned in fibreglass and carbon fibre where additional rigidity and strength were needed.
Most of the construction cost was sponsored, with the two students jointly putting $350 into it. Without sponsorship, it would have cost between $3,000 and $4,000 to build.
The Spypedo was sold recently on Trade Me.
A Trusted Charity
9th June 2007
When it comes to trusted charities, Surf Life Saving New Zealand is top of mind with the New Zealand public.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand was ranked 6th in the 2007 New Zealand Readers Digest survey of trusted charities. Others in the top six included the SPCA, Royal Foundation for the Blind and the Cancer Society of New Zealand. Read more.
Big Increase in JuniorSurf Numbers
28th May 2007
The club’s JuniorSurf division has finished the 2006/07 season with a dramatic increase in membership numbers.
There are 341 registered members aged from five years to 13 years, showing a 40% increase on the previous season (2005/06) which resulted in 244 members. Leading up to that record number the JuniorSurf division had: 2004/5 – 199 members, 2003/04 (226), 2002/03 (217), 2001/02 (192).
The big surge in numbers can be put down to a number of factors such as population growth in the Hibiscus Coast area, the image of surf lifesaving as a healthy outdoors recreation, and the sustained promotion of the club’s activities through the local news media (Rodney Times).
It is also believed that the popular TV programme “Piha Rescue” has played a part in developing awareness of lifeguarding and helping to boost club numbers. The fourth programme of the series is scheduled to begin in October.
Red Beach club administrators have also been to the fore in recruitment drives, and they have a number of successful programmes in place for the running of the division and the coaching of members.
The club has had more than its share of successes over the years. In March, it won the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup for the sixth consecutive occasion – a record – having won it 22 times on the 33 occasions it has been contested.
Also in March, Red Beach won the Rookie Challenge at Takapuna for the very first time.
NZ Rep Status for Erin
28th May 2007
Red Beach lifeguard Erin Taylor is one of three talented teenagers who have been selected for the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Team. The selections were based on top performances at the NZ Championships held at Gisborne in March.
Ski paddler Taylor, Ironman star Dan Moodie and beach sprinter Chelsea Maples are among the new faces in a 12-strong New Zealand team to compete at the International Surf Teams Challenge in Bondi, Australia at the end of the year. Read more …
Champion Lifesavers
28th May 2007
The Club Championships for the SeniorSurf division were held at the tail-end of the season to determine the winners of the Champion Lifesaver awards.
Club members were required to compete in a surf race, a tube rescue, surf ski and board races, a beach sprint and beach flags. The Champion Lifesaver trophies were won by the competitors in each of the six divisions who gained the most overall points.
Senior Men Harris Trophy 1st Chris Moors 2nd Vaughan Skiffington
3rd Daniel Johnson
Senior Women Glover Cup 1st Erin Taylor 2nd Serena Ball 3rd Naomi
Young
Men U-19 Ross Malyon Trophy 1st Chester Edwards 2nd = Kyle Golder, Patrick Maney
Women U-19 Donna Murray Trophy 1st Lauren Johnson 2nd Rachel Clarke 3rd Ellen Young
Men U-16 Stephenson Family Cup 1st Alistair Maney 2nd Jared Pouwhare 3rd = Alex Beer, Kurt Leopard, William Seedhouse
Women U-16 Corrigan Family Cup 1st Caitlin Ryan 2nd Keziah George 3rd Alysse Baldry
Club Prizegiving Revelry
28th May 2007
The clubrooms were full to capacity with guests at the surf club’s recent end-of-season Prizegiving function. The theme for the evening was ‘Dress As Someone/Something You’d Like to Be For a Night’ which inspired many to front in a myriad of great get-ups.
Along with the aspiring All Blacks were Wilma Flintstone, Wonder Woman, Batman, Spiderman, Al Capone, Cat Woman, Ghandi, Mother Teresa and the Lady in Red. They were joined by Marilyn Monroe, an angel with a glowing halo, a policeman, a ghost, a bear, a panda, pirates and technogods. Even an aspiring surf boat sweep.
Amongst the guests were the club’s sponsors who joined in the fun of the night. For a full list of the winners of club awards, click here.
Charity Premiere
28th May 2007
The latest in the Fantastic Four movie series, The Silver Surfer is out in cinemas on 20th June.
Surf Life Saving Northern Region & 20th Century Fox have announced that the charity premiere for the movie will be held at SkyCity Broadway, Newmarket on Wednesday 20th June.
You can support surf lifesaving and be one of the first people in New Zealand to see the movie. Get together with your friends, family and work colleagues and have a great night out at the movies. You will also have the opportunity to win some fabulous seat prizes.
When: Wednesday 20th June, 8.30 pm Tickets: $20.00 per person
To purchase tickets contact Avan Polo on 09 303 9335 or send an email to avan.polo@lifesaving.org.nz
Awards of Excellence Night Coming Up
28th May 2007
Surf Life Saving Northern Region’s Awards of Excellence Night is coming up on Saturday 16th June.
This year’s event, to take place at the ASB Lounge at Eden Park, will be the opportunity to honour those members in all areas of the organisation from administration to sporting excellence.
Red Beach has again made a number of nominations and 12 club members have reached the finals in their respective categories.
Tickets to the event are $50 each and can be ordered through SeniorSurf secretary Anne Golder at golder@xtra.co.nz
The close-off date for ordering tickets through the club is 31st May.
Surf Life Saving on TV2
5th March 2007
Two major surf life saving events will feature on our television screens during March and April.
For six consecutive weeks starting on Sunday 11 March, the Lion Foundation Surf League, which was held at Mt Maunganui in February, will screen on TV2 at 4.30 pm.
The New Zealand Championships at Gisborne will screen on two consecutive Sundays, 22 & 29 April, also on TV2 at 4.30 pm.
Stunning Wins in Kayaking for Erin Taylor
5th March 2007
Erin Taylor has pulled off two significant wins at the National Sprint Kayaking Championships held on Auckland’s Lake Pupuke.
Her first triumph came on the first day of racing when she claimed the K1 1000m national title, beating close friend and titleholder Katie Pocock by a comfortable margin.
She finished in a time of 3:59:74 which was 4:68 seconds clear of Pocock.
Of the second day of the championships she took out the K1 500m title to complete a notable double.
“My biggest hope was in the 500m race, but I was thrilled to win the 1000m race on the Saturday,” said a delighted Taylor.
Pocock had won the K1 500m title nine years running and was hoping to make it 10 in a row. In both races, Taylor came from behind to take line honours.
Taylor’s third win of the weekend came in the K2 1000m race in which she teamed with Pocock to take out the event.
Rachel Clarke was another Red Beach lifeguard to find herself on the winners’ podium at the kayak championships. She paired with Lisa Carrington from Whakatane to collect two gold medals following some impressive paddling performances.
Together they nailed first placing in the Under-19 women’s K2 500m and 1000m events. Both are members of and race for the North Shore Canoe Club.
Nine Medals Won At Ocean Athletes
5th March 2007
Red Beach JuniorSurf members have returned from the NZ Under-14 Ocean Athlete Championships with a haul of nine medals.
A total of 42 clubs competed over the three days of the event which was held at Mt Maunganui. Red Beach emerged in sixth place overall and as top club in the northern region.
Talented youngster Laura Marlow collected two gold medals following wins in the 10 year old Beach Flags and Beach Sprint events.
In the Beach Flags event for 10 year old boys, Matthew Keenan proved too speedy for the opposition and snared a gold medal.
And Alexis Sadgrove picked up Red Beach’s fourth gold when she came home first in the Beach Sprint final for 11 year old girls.
A fifth gold medal was won by the 10 year old mixed beach relay team.
Meanwhile, Steen Lemon placed second in the 12 year old boys Beach Sprint to claim a silver medal. He also collected a bronze when Red Beach came home third in the 12 year old mixed beach relay. And Jordan Downey also took out a bronze medal for his third placing in the 10 year old boys Beach Sprint.
Another silver medal was picked up by the 11 year old mixed beach relay team.
“The Papamoa and Mt Maunganui clubs used their local knowledge to take out first and second places on overall points in demanding surf conditions,” said Red Beach JuniorSurf coach Chris Barnao.
“Not only were there some big waves out the back, the shore break was vicious. You should see the grazes on my chest from being driven into the bottom whilst body surfing. The kids really got smashed around,” he added.
Red Beach had 51 competitors aged from 10-14 years at Ocean Athletes. Included in this figure were five 9 year olds who competed in the 10 year old age group and performed very well.
Overall Points, top 15 Clubs:
Papamoa (96) 1, Mt Maunganui (59) 2, Waikanae (43) 3, Lyall Bay (35) 4, Westshore (27) 5, Red Beach (24) 6, Midway (23) 7, Whakatane (22) 8, Omanu (15) 9, Paekakariki (14) 10, Piha (13) 11, Orewa (10) 12, Spencer Park (7) 13, NPOB (7) 14, Mairangi Bay (7) 15.
To read more about Ocean Athletes click here.
Club Champs Loom
5th March 2007
The annual club championships for the SeniorSurf Division take place on Saturday 10 March.
Up for grabs will be the six Champion Lifesaver titles for men and women in the open, under-19 and under-16 divisions.
Club members will get to compete in beach sprints, tube rescues, board and ski races, surf races and beach flags.
The Champion Lifesaver trophies will be awarded to the competitors in each of the six divisions who gain the most overall points.
The majority of individual events carry trophies which will be presented at the club’s prizegiving night in May.
Registrations will be taken from 9.00 am with the first event getting under way at 9.30 am.
Achievement Award for Erin
3rd March 2007
Erin Taylor has been selected as the Hibiscus Coast Young Achiever for 2006.
She has been honoured for her kayaking achievements and her endeavours to represent New Zealand at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The presentation of the Wayne Stanley-Hunt Memorial Trophy was made to Erin by Rodney mayor John Law and Rodney District Councillor Bill Smith. To mark the occasion, about 20 Red Beach lifeguards watched the proceedings from the water’s edge following a late-afternoon training session.
Erin was also presented with a cheque for $3,000 from the Hibiscus Coast Young Achievers’ Trust.
Previous recipients of the award have included sports people, musicians, singers and a pilot.
Double Success For Crews
3rd March 2007
Red Beach’s two surf boat crews each displayed top form to notch up wins at the recent North Island Surf Boat Championships.
Waihi Beach was again the venue, however, a lack of surf meant that crews had to call on sheer fitness and boat speed to make it through the heats and semis to reach the finals.
Red Beach’s A crew almost blew their chances in the seven-boat final. Going into the turn and leading by more than a boat length, the stroke oar became tangled in the turning can, causing the boat to drag the whole straddle line.
The crew managed to free the oar from the line but it enabled the field to catch up. With 150 metres to the finish, the Red Beach and Piha crews jumped clear of the other boats, however, it was a tight finish with Red Beach taking out line honours.
The Red Beach Masters crew, pitched against five other crews in their division, were unbeaten in the three-race series and claimed the overall points win. For the crew, it was another confidence builder for when they travel to Perth at the end of March for the Australian Championships.
The Start. Red Beach's A crew started in the centre of the field in the open men's final at Waihi.
The Finish. Red Beach took out line honours ahead of Mt Maunganui, Piha and Titahi Bay.
North Island Winners. Matt Kirke, Rodney Stephens, Scott Hurdley, Steve Westlake and Craig Dillon after their win in the open men's surf boat final at Waihi.
Winning Masters. Chris McCullough, John Mark, Gordon Williams, Duncan Reid and Robert Allport were unbeaten in all masters races at the North Island surf boat champs.
Red Beach Dominant at Auckland Champs
26th February 2007
By a convincing margin, Red Beach took out the SLSNR District Championships for 2007at Ruakaka.
At the conclusion of all events, the club had notched up 547 points to head off Mairangi Bay (415) and Orewa (326) to claim the overall points win.
Held over the weekend of 17/18 February in perfect weather conditions but with less than one metre of surf, the club established an early points lead on the first day of competition. With a concerted effort from club members it built on its lead as it moved through day two of the events.
In terms of gold medal wins, many club members excelled. Leading the charge for Red Beach was Patrick Maney with a haul of eight gold medals, predominantly from board events. Close behind, with seven golds, was all-rounder Lauren Johnson who built her collection from board events, along with the beach events of flags, sprints and relays.
Sam Cosgrove was outstanding in swimming events to garner six golds, while Chester Edwards, Rachel Clarke and Caitlin Ryan came away from Ruakaka with five golds apiece.
Meanwhile, Chris Moors and Keziah George ended the weekend with four gold medals each.
A feature of the weekend for Red Beach was the winning of all six divisions of the board relay, a feat never before accomplished at the Auckland Championships. For a full set of results, click here.
Winning Trio. Winners of the men's under-19 Board Relay event at Ruakaka, from left: Patrick Maney, Chester Edwards, Kyle Golder.
Ten Club Members in Surf League Teams
22nd January 2007
Ten Red Beach club members have been named for the 2007 Lion Foundation Surf League teams to compete at Mount Maunganui in February.
Lauren Johnson who has been displaying top form this season while still an under-19 competitor, has been propelled into the SLSNR Open team. She is joined by Chris Moors who returns to the team which has won the Open division honours for the past two years.
Vaughan Skiffington and Jane Moors have been drafted into the Otago team while Lance Gilbertson will compete for the Bay of Plenty.
Selected for the Under-19 SLSNR team for the Surf League are Chester Edwards, Sam Cosgrove, Patrick Maney and Rachel Clarke. Their efforts will be crucial in assisting the team to defend the title won at the same venue in 2006.
Meanwhile, Ellen Young has been drafted into the Western Districts under-19 team.
The Surf League, to be televised for TV2, will take place at Mount Maunganui during the weekend of 10th and 11th February.
New Year Honours for Heron
22nd January 2007
Red Beach surf club patron Bryan Heron has been recognised in the New Year honour’s list.
He has been made a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his community work with a wide variety of clubs and organisations, focusing on youth.
Bryan has been Red Beach’s patron for the last 11 years and a sponsor since 1978. His association with Red Beach started when close friend John Glover, who was Red Beach's club captain at the time, suggested surf life saving as a good cause to support.
“It’s a great honour to be recognised for doing something highly enjoyable and credit must also go to my wife Pat,” he says.
“She is also actively involved and without her support I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
“I’ve teamed up with her and so we get to spend plenty of time together,” he adds.
Although actively supporting a host of sports, including squash and athletics, surf lifesaving has a special appeal, he says.
“It’s a sport where youth learn discipline through helping people by saving lives and it builds healthy bodies and minds,” he adds.
Hat Trick of Owen Chapman Cup Wins
22nd January 2007
Red Beach notched up its third consecutive Owen Chapman Cup win when it took out the honours on Saturday 6th January.
The club had too much class and depth for its opposition and retained the prestigious trophy with a margin of 83 points. It was the 51st year of competition for the cup and one of the widest points margins in recent times.
The stand-out competitor for Red Beach was Patrick Maney who ended the day with six wins. Close to 230 of New Zealand’s top lifeguards took part.
With plenty of highlights, competitors gave everything as they tried to impress the Northern Region selectors who were on hand to watch individual performances.
Final points: Red Beach (210) 1, Mairangi Bay (127) 2, Orewa (88) 3, Muriwai (37) 4, Piha (7) 5, Bethells Beach (5) 6, Ruakaka (4), Raglan (4) 7=, United NP (1) 9.
For a full background on the event, go to the menu button for Owen
Chapman Carnival.
High & Dry at R'Toto's Bar
In Flight. The Flying Herons surf boat suspended from the ceiling at the R'Toto Pub & Cafe in Takapuna. The boat made its appearance at the popular drinking spot in September 2006.
Santa Arrives in an IRB
22nd December 2006
Santa Claus was given an enthusiastic welcome by JuniorSurf members when he arrived at Red Beach in an IRB just eight days out from Christmas. IRB driver Graeme Porter brought Santa ashore where he was quickly surrounded by the youngsters who had raced to the water’s edge to greet him.
Decked out in his familiar red outfit, and wearing a lifejacket, he proceeded up the beach and delighted everyone with a lolly scramble before climbing back into the IRB and disappearing.
Red Beach Lifeguards in Touring Team
22nd December 2006
Ten Red Beach lifeguards have been selected to represent Surf Life Saving Northern Region in an 18-strong team to travel to Australia in the New Year.
The team leaves on January 12 and will first compete in a surf carnival at Killcare Beach, New South Wales, on Saturday January 13.
It will then compete against teams from Central Coast and NSW Country branches in a three-test series during the week of January 15 at three beaches on the Port Macquarrie coast.
Selected for the team are: Chris Moors, Jane Moors, Erin Taylor, Chester Edwards, Patrick Maney, Lauren Johnson, Alistair Maney, Sam Cosgrove, Rachel Clarke and Keziah George.
The team manager is John McBride and the assistant manager is Wayne Franich. Jason Pocock is the coach and Miriam Ellis will travel with the team as chaperone.
Fierce Competition Expected at Owen Chapman Carnival
22nd December 2006
New Zealand’s top surf athletes will descend on Red Beach on Saturday 6th January for the annual Owen Chapman Cup Surf Carnival.
They will be out to impress a number of district selectors who will be on hand to pick their squads for the surf league teams. These teams will contest the Lion Foundation Surf League at Mount Maunganui in February.
Over the years the carnival has become a mecca for the region’s lifeguard competitors and big fields have become the norm. The club’s organisers are expecting a large turnout which may well eclipse the record 300 competitors who attended the 50th year of competition for the cup last January.
The Owen Chapman carnival has always been contested at Red Beach, having been first held there in 1957 as a picnic carnival for Auckland’s east coast surf clubs.
Now one of the highlights of the Auckland surf carnival circuit, the event attracts an abundance of top-calibre competitors. Joining the Auckland lifeguards will be competitors from the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki and Wellington. And some of their counterparts from the South Island are also expected at the event.
The carnival will also provide opportunities for competitors to assess their chances of success at the Northern Regional Championships coming up at the end of January.
Only clubs from the Auckland district are eligible to win the Owen Chapman Cup which is awarded for most overall points.
Surf races kick off the programme which gets under way at 9.00 am. They will be followed by board races for both men and women and then the board relays. The surf boat and surf canoe series of races commence at 10.30 am. The afternoon programme will see the Iron Man and Diamond Lady events, with beach sprint, relays and beach flags wrapping up the day’s competition.
Red Beach is the defending champion, having won the cup on the past two occasions.
Surf Life Saving Masters Set for Gisborne in 2007
22nd December 2006
Waikanae Surf Life Saving Club is to host the 2007 Masters Day on 15th March 2007 at Gisborne's Waikanae Beach.
The day will be a social and fun occasion with plenty of activities encompassing all age groups and individuals as well as teams. There is a special invite to past 6-Man R & R (Nelson Shield) teams to reform for the day, fixed positions ... no pressure here!
A lifeguard refresher is not required to compete on the day. For additional information and the entry form, click onto www.surflifesaving.org.nz
We've Made It!
22nd December 2006
The waiting is finally over. We've moved onfrom an old, outdated website to something more ambitious ... a website for all the divisions of Red Beach Surf Life Saving Club. It's been a mad rush to go live with the site prior to Christmas, and while some pages are still under construction, work on the site will carry on in the days and weeks ahead. And as time goes by our new-look website will continue to evolve as we pursue the aim to keep it as up-to-date as we possibly can.
There's always plenty to report in surf life saving and we want to bring you the news via this website. Check it out on a regular basis by bookmarking the site. Visit the photo gallery because we'll be adding new pics all the time. And if it's information you want, move through the menu buttons to track down whatever it is you're looking for. Enjoy your navigation.
