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CLUB OF THE YEAR
Red Beach dominant at JuniorSurf champs
7th February 2012
Club wins points trophy for fifth consecutive year
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf competitors put in some sparkling performances to enable the club to retain the Northern Region Championships points trophy by a wide margin.
The event, held over two days at Orewa Beach, saw the club amass 818.5 points to finish 290 points clear of its nearest rival. More than 700 competitors aged from seven -13 years, representing 11 clubs, took part in the championships. Red Beach showed its strength over all three age divisions to give the club its fifth consecutive win.
Results: Red Beach (818.5) 1, Orewa (528) 2, Mairangi Bay (322) 3, Piha (199) 4, Muriwai (126) 5, Waipu Cove (43.5) 6, Bethells Beach (46) 7, Mangawhai Heads (23) 8, Ruakaka (5) 9, Karekare (4) 10, United North Piha (4) 11.
For the results from the Championships, click here.
Club wins Millar Cup
7th February 2011
Tenth consecutive win for Cath & Eddie Millar Cup
Red Beach’s JuniorSurf competitors have retained the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup by a convincing margin.
Competition for the trophy was held in conjunction with the SLSNR JuniorSurf Championships at Orewa Beach over the weekend of 4 & 5 February. It was the first time that this format has been adopted with specific events designated for Millar Cup points.
Red Beach finished with 62 points and clearly ahead of the runners-up. The club also collected the age group trophies for winning the A, B & C divisions.
Overall Points for Cup: Red Beach (62) 1, Orewa (34) 2, Mairangi Bay (31) 3.
Podium finishes for club surf boat crews
7th February 2012
The Cab Savs crew competing in the Masters division at Waihi Beach.
Three Red Beach surf boat crews made it to the podium at the recent North Island Surf Boat Championships at Waihi Beach
In a tricky one metre surf, the Cab Savs crew won all three races in the Masters division to take out the overall win. The crew also competed in the open men's division and just missed out on making the final by one placing.
The Red Beach Sirens crew rowed powerfully in the long course event to finish second in the open women’s final, one place better than last year.
Sirens sweep Craig Dillon also made it to the final of the U19 men’s final when he swept his Red Beach Roosters crew to a third placing. The crew is in build-up mode for the Australian Championships at Kurrawa in late-March.
The Red Beach Roosters crew competing in the U19 division at the North Island Surf Boat Championships at Waihi Beach.
The Red Beach Cab Savs crew, outright winners in the Masters division at the North Island Surf Boat Championships. From left: Phil Wihongi, Duncan Reid, Lance Hammond (sweep), Gordon Williams, Chris McCullough.
Photos by Ross Malyon.
Tribute to Rex Olds
7th February 2012
Click on photo to enlarge it.
Surf boat oars were raised vertically at Waihi Beach recently as a tribute to boat arena official and ‘flag man’ Rex Olds who passed away recently.
A minute of silence was observed at the water’s edge prior to the start of the North Island Surf Boat Championships on Saturday 4 February.
Rex was a boatie with the Whiritoa surf club and later became its president. He became a surf official more than 20 years ago and was officiating in the boat arena at the Owen Chapman surf carnival last month. Rex (69) died from melanoma cancer.
Events coming up
7th February 2012
9th,10th Feb U14 & U16 Surf League, Mt Maunganui
11th,12th Feb U19 & Open Surf League, Mt Maunganui
11th,12th Feb Red Beach Rookie Weekend, Pakiri
18th,19th Feb Northern Region Champs, Ruakaka
23-26 Feb Oceans '12, U14 NZSLS Champs, Mt Maunganui
Sat 25 Feb Big Wave Surf Boat Classic, Piha
Sat 3 Mar Red Beach SeniorSurf Club Champs
Sun 4 Mar Open Water Swim, Red Beach, 2.00 pm
Swell forecast
2nd February 2012
Want to know the sea swell forecast for the next 7 days around the New Zealand coastline? Click here.
Chris Moors in top form at the ERC’s
1st February 2012
All firsts, no minor placings at Mt Maunganui
Chris Moors heads off Glenn Anderson (NPOB) to win the open men’s surf race.
Red Beach athlete Chris Moors was ultra-impressive at the Eastern Regional Championships, picking up six titles during the course of the two-day event.
Based on the Gold Coast where he trains, Chris arrived at the Mount Maunganui venue the day beforehand. On Day One he took out the open men's surf race before collecting his second ERC title in the open board race. He then teamed with AJ Maney to win the open board rescue, picking up his third title of the day.
On Day Two he retained his open Iron Man title while anchoring Red Beach to wins in the open surf teams race and the open Taplin relay.
For the news article 'Moors makes waves ...' click here.
Chris Moors takes out the open Iron Man event.
Winners at ERC's
1st February 2012
Our photo essay on the Eastern Regional Championships at Mt Maunganui gives recognition to the Red Beach athletes who won titles during the two-day event. We weren't able to capture all winners on camera, such were the demands of the event with several arenas in operation. Nevertheless, congratulations to all our ERC winners and placegetters who delivered some highly impressive results. Red Beach finished the championships with eight titles and in fourth place on overall points from the 35 clubs that participated.
Overall Results (top 12 clubs): Mt Maunganui (136) 1, Papamoa (79) 2, Mairangi Bay (66) 3, Red Beach (62) 4, Piha (48) 5, Ocean Beach Kiwi (39) 6, Waikanae (37) 7, Midway (34) 8, Orewa (24) 9, Westshore (19) 10, Lyall Bay (15) 11=, Paekakariki (15) 11=.
For the full set of results from the ERC's, click here.
Winners of the U19 board relay: Briar McLeely, Louise Aitken, Georgia Lloyd.
Chris Moors on his way to winning the open board race.
The start of the open surf teams race, won by Chris Moors, AJ Maney, Jared Pouwhare & Dylan French.
AJ Maney & Chris Moors took out the open board rescue event.
Photos by Ross Malyon.
Taplin title retained
1st February 2012
Red Beach wins Open Taplin Relay at ERC’s
The Open Taplin Relay team, from left: Scott Williams, AJ Maney, Dylan French, Joshua Cholmondeley-Smith, Chris Moors, Jared Pouwhare (click to enlarge).
Red Beach held on to its Open Taplin Relay title at the Eastern Regional Championships at Mount Maunganui. All six team members put in powerful performances, however, it was the stunning board paddle from Chris Moors, half-way into the event, which pulled the team up from eighth to second position and without any wave assistance. Dylan French, below, swam the final leg of the relay and brought the team home for the win.
Ocean Waves
1st February 2012
Photo # 106 in our series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Surf sequence shots
25th January 2012
We shot the following sequence of pics of club member Jared Pouwhare barreling a wave during a recent training session at Pakiri Beach.
   
Photos by Ross Malyon.
Red Beach members in Surf League teams
25th January 2012
 Four Red Beach club members have been named in the Northern Region Open and U19 teams to compete in the Lion Foundation Surf League at Mt Maunganui over the weekend of 11/12 February. Eight district teams from throughout New Zealand will compete in the Open division while eight teams will battle it out in the U19 division over the two days of Surf League competition. Those selected are:
Open Team: Chris Moors (right), Dylan French. U19 Team: Georgia Lloyd, Daniel Cairns.
A team from New South Wales will also be competing in the Open division. To see who’s in the district teams, click here.
Check the weather
25th January 2012
To check out the weather forecast over the next 5 days, click here and enter your city in the search box.
Red Beach members in U16 & U14 teams
25th January 2012
 Eight Red Beach club members have been named by Surf Life Saving Northern Region for the Under-16 and Under-14 representative teams. Both of the 10-strong SLSNR teams will compete in the 2012 NZ Surf League at Mt Maunganui on Thursday 9 & Friday 10 February. Eight district teams will compete in each age division. Those selected are:
U16 Team: Briar McLeely (right), Matt Thetford, Kelsi Boocock, Maddie Readman.
U14 Team: Jake Morgan-Kemp, Rebecca Pearce, Lewis Gjaltema, Izaak Scheib.
To see who's in the district teams, click here.
SLSNR Patrol Champs
23rd January 2012
Red Beach takes second spot at patrol champs
The team, from left: Georgia Lloyd, Daniel Cairns, Jared Pouwhare, Matt Thetford, Kurt Leopard. In front, Joshua Davison.
 Red Beach lifeguards took out second placing at the 2012 Northern Region Patrol Champs held at Kariaotahi on Sunday 22 January.
Competitors faced challenging conditions with a messy 1.5m surf and a very strong current pulling north. Red Beach came out on top in the two water events, the surf teams race and the rescue relay. Teams then went into a rotation that included a lifesaving scenario, CPR assessment, a theory exam and isolation for 30 minutes.
Results: Mangawhai Heads 1, Red Beach 2, Bethells Beach 3, United North Piha 4
Above and below, the start & finish of the surf teams race. The overall winner was Georgia Lloyd. Photos by Chris Gurr.
Training at Pakiri
23rd January 2012
Club members were put through their paces during training at Pakiri Beach on a recent Saturday morning. The hard-out session was part of the build-up for the major surf carnivals coming up. We were there to take the following shots for this photo essay.
        
Photos by Ross Malyon.
Owen Chapman pics
23rd January 2012
The Owen Chapman photo gallery has 60 pics available for viewing. To check it out, click here.
Ocean Waves
23rd January 2012
Photo # 105 in our series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
2012 Aussie Titles
15th January 2012
The 2012 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships will be held during the last week of March at Queensland’s iconic Kurrawa Beach. The Aussies - the largest sporting event of its type in the world - will bring together surf athletes of all ages to contest over 300 surf lifesaving events in a full week of competition.
Dates: Monday 26th March – Sunday 1st April.
Venue: Kurrawa, Broadbeach, Gold Coast
For the Aussies preliminary timetable, click here.
Pub to Club gallery
15th January 2012
For the gallery of pics from the Puhoi to Red Beach surf boat event, click here.
Ocean Waves
15th January 2012
Photo # 104 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Coaching coaches
15th January 2012
A ‘coaching the coaches’ training session for JuniorSurf parents was held at the start of the season with the aim being to provide tuition on coaching skills and techniques. Running the session were Vaughan Skiffington, Mark Readman, Tavita Tuilaepa and Lauren Johnson. We bring you our photo essay on the activities.
       
Graeme bows out
12th January 2012
 Red Beach Life member Graeme Danks has stepped down as Carnival Controller for the Owen Chapman Cup event.
He made the announcement at this month’s carnival, having completed 30 years in the role.
“I’ve witnessed the transition of the event which started out as a picnic carnival and metamorphosed into an event which now attracts many of the country’s top surf athletes as well as international competitors,” he said. “The Owen Chapman is now a major event on the surf sports calendar and I’ve enjoyed every minute of every carnival”.
Graeme’s successor is Red Beach stalwart Ed Richards.
Red Beach retains Owen Chapman Cup
11th January 2012
Close to 400 surf athletes at rain-marred event
The start of the U19 men's surf race.
Red Beach, utilising its strengths across all age divisions, was able to retain the Owen Chapman Cup on its home beach on Saturday 7th January.
In spite of the rain which fell during the 56th challenge for the trophy, 384 competitors fronted for the annual event.
Surf athletes came from 16 clubs across the North Island. In addition, the Rarangi club from Blenheim – in its first-ever appearance at the Owen Chapman carnival – participated with four surf boat crews.
The weather didn’t deter a number of the country’s top surf athletes from delivering strong performances. Read more …
Owen Chapman Cup Points (Northern Region Clubs):
Red Beach (164) 1, Orewa (85) 2, Mairangi Bay (75) 3, Piha (32) 4, Muriwai (24) 5, Bethells Beach (7) 6, Kariaotahi (6) 7, Karekare (6) 8.
For the full set of carnival results, click here.
Matt Thetford on his way to winning the U16 men's board race.
The start of the U19 women's board race.
Red Beach's Red Roosters U19 boat crew in action.
Steve Leopard, left, and Dean Pouwhare stand in the rain while taking a break from IRB duties.
Max Beattie (Omanu) and AJ Maney (Red Beach) sprint for the finish line in the Open Iron Man event. Beattie took the win. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Ocean Waves
11th January 2012
Photo # 103 in our pictorial series on ocean waves. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Surf League coach
31st December 2011
 Red Beach’s Adam Jackson, right, has been appointed coach of the SLSNR open team to contest the Lion Foundation Surf League, making a return to the position he filled in 2009 and 2010.
The event will again be staged at Mount Maunganui over the weekend of 11 & 12 February, with each of the representative teams comprising of eight males and 5 females. The 13 members of the SLSNR open team will be named in mid-January.
Adam had his beginnings in surf lifesaving in 1982 as a Red Beach Nipper member. An outstanding pool swimmer, he won numerous NZ Surf Life Saving Championship titles between 1991 and 2000. The club’s Jackson surf patrol is named after Adam and siblings Jared and Jacinta.
Sunday breakfasts
31st December 2011
 Fancy a Big Kahuna or a Reef Runner? They're just two items on the mouth-watering Sunday breakfast menu at the Red Beach Surf Club.
Enjoy breakfast over the bay – a great way to start Sunday – at the Red Beach clubrooms where the meals are just as superb as the view. Available every Sunday from 9.00 am – 12 noon. And while you're at the club, enjoy our popular Espresso coffee.
To check out the Sunday breakfast menu, click here.
Adelaide to host Rescue 2012 event
31st December 2011
Lifesaving World Championships in South Australia
Christies Beach, Adelaide, South Australia
 Rescue 2012 will be held in Adelaide, South Australia, from November 7-18, 2012 and will include five separate competitions … the World National Team Championships, the World Interclub Championships, the World Masters Championships, the World Surf Boat Championships and the World Inflatable Rescue Boat Championships.
Rescue 2012 is open to all proficient lifesavers. The Masters competition is open to all proficient lifesavers who are 30 years of age or above.
Athletes can compete in nine separate disciplines … swimming, simulated emergency rescue, Ironman & Ironwoman, surf ski, board, beach sprints, beach flags, surf boats and IRB.
Beach, National teams and all IRB events will be held at Glenelg Beach while Christies Beach will be the home of all Masters, Interclub and surf boat events. The Adelaide State Aquatic Centre will host all Pool events. Read more ...
High and dry …
31st December 2011
Surf boat on wall of clubrooms to commemorate the BH Heron sponsorship which began in 1978
Olympians from Red Beach club ranks
31st December 2011
 It’s a little known fact that there are nine Red Beach surf club members, past and present, who have competed at the Olympic Games.
All have represented New Zealand in kayaking, while Steven Ferguson has also represented his country in swimming. Ferguson, along with older brother Alan, was a member of the club’s JuniorSurf division for three seasons in the early-nineties. Those to have worn the Silver Fern are:
Don Cooper & John Leonard (both in 1976), Ian Ferguson (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992), Edwin Richards (1984), Stephen Richards & John MacDonald (1988, 1992), Mark Scheib (1992), Steven Ferguson (swimming 2000, kayaking 2004, 2008). Red Beach's very first female Olympian was Erin Taylor, above, who competed at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She joined the club's JuniorSurf ranks at the age of 12 and went on to become a top competitor in surf lifesaving.
In the media ...
21st December 2011
The following media stories appear in the press or on the SLSNZ website.
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National Jandal Day raises $380,000 for Surf Life Saving
The New Zealand public proved just how much it values the essential service surf lifeguards provide on our beaches when they donated to Surf Life Saving’s national appeal day, raising $380,000 … read more.
Check out the tides
21st December 2011
The tide chart is a popular link on this website. If you're wanting to know the tide times for a specific day on either coast, right through 2011 & 2012, click here.
Iron Man win to AJ
19th December 2011
Sonic Race Series Iron Man win to AJ Maney
 Red Beach’s Alistair ‘AJ’ Maney ran out the winner of the open Iron Man event during the northern and eastern regional surf carnival at Whangamata last weekend. He finished ahead of a field of top-rated surf athletes in the first round of the Sonic Race Series which will run through the summer.
Fellow club members helping to fill out the top-10 placings were Dylan French (5th) and Jared Pouwhare (8th) who will also contest the follow-up races in the Sonic series. The next round will take place at Oakura Beach, New Plymouth on Sunday 15th January.
To read the NZ Herald article on AJ’s win, click here.
To read more on the Sonic Race Series, click here.
Finishing the board leg and heading into the swim section of the open Iron Man event at Whangamata, from left: Jared Pouwhare, Ollie Puddick (Wainui) and Dylan French. Photos by Ross Malyon.
Surf skills tested at Mangawhai Heads
6th December 2011
Red Beach competitors made the most of a 1.5 metre surf at Mangawhai Heads to run out the overall points winners at the second inter-club surf carnival of the summer. The full-day event was deemed to be a test of fitness and surf skills in preparation for the next carnival at Whangamata on 17 December. Coming soon ... our photo essay on the event.
Overall Points: Red Beach (179) 1, Orewa (109) 2, Mairangi Bay (69) 3, Muriwai (40) 4.
For the full set of results from Mangawhai, click here.
Handicap surf race results from 2 races
24th November 2011
Next handicap surf race this Friday 25th, 6.00 pm
The cumulative points from the first two handicap surf races of the new summer series are:
Open Men: Vaughan Skiffington (9), Sam Young (7), AJ Maney (6), Dylan French (6), Jared Pouwhare (5), Joshua Cholmondeley-Smith (1). Open Women: Serena Ball (6), Caitlin Ryan (5). U19 Men: Jordan Curd (6), Karl McMurtrie (6), Toby Hurley (5), Reid Blackall (4), Joshua Davison (3), Daniel Cairns (2). U19 Women: Georgia Lloyd (6) 1, Nivana Johnson (5) 2. U16 Men: Pierre Gjaltema (6), Nick Wilson (6), Jake Hurley (5), Matt Thetford (5), Josh Mittendorff (4), Jack Lloyd (4), Jacob S (3), Luke Crouch (3), Adam Jenkinson (2), Thomas Burton (1), Ben Jenkinson (1), Campbell Busby (1). U16 Women: Kelsi Boocock (11), Rebecca Pearce (9), Maddy Readman (6), Elle Blunden (3). Masters Men: Dermot Smith (12), Steve Moors (9), Owen Wilson (8), Peter Kramer (4), Nick Saull (4), Brian Maney (3), Paul Cleminson (2), Norman Blunden (2), Kevin Cornish (2), Dave Jenkinson (1), Alistair Presland (1), Brett McMurtrie (1). Masters Women: Marie Stutz (12), Kathy Kramer (8), Wendy Taylor (5), Helen McMurtrie (4).
Team Points after 2 Races: Harker Patrol (41), Reece Patrol (41), Jackson Patrol (37), Pritchard Patrol (35), Piper Patrol (27), Fitzsimmons Patrol (21), Richards Patrol (14).
Flashbacks …
6th June 2011
Series 19 … photographs from yesteryear.
1992 : Hayden Reece, winner of the NZ Ironman event at New Plymouth and a key competitor in Red Beach's winning the Allan Gardner Trophy that year. Reece was the last competitor from the Auckland region to win the Ironman at the Nationals until Red Beach's Chris Moors picked up the title in March 2011.
1967 : The Red Beach March Past team at a Muriwai surf carnival. The day included a competition between an Auckland team and a visiting USA team. Auckland won the event.
1981 : Above & below … the wreck of Red Beach’s Blue Bonnet surf boat in big surf during the Auckland Championships at Piha.
The Gallipoli 100
29th May 2011
Gallipoli landing by surf boat crews
 Surf boats will feature in the 100th anniversary of the famous landing on Gallipoli by the ANZAC’s.
To take place in April 2015, the Gallipoli 100 is a surf boat race involving 100 surf boats manned by Australian and New Zealand lifesavers. Surf boats are to be shipped to Turkey for the event which will feature 100 surf boat crews racing over a 100km distance with the location being the Dardanelles, Aegaen Sea and Gallipoli Peninsula. The crews will proceed to a beach near where the ANZAC’s landed 100 years before.
Back in 1915 there were many lifesavers and future lifesavers who fought at Gallipoli, however, a number of the pre-war lifesavers did not return home.
To check out the Gallipoli 100 website and watch a short video on the event, click here.
Boats land at ANZAC Cove in April 1915.
196 National Titles
29th March 2011
Red Beach Surf Club has garnered 196 National titles during its 58 year history. The club's first title was won in 1958 at South Brighton, Christchurch when the Senior 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation team took out the Nelson Shield, the blue riband event of the NZ Championships.
The greatest number of gold medals collected by the club at a national event was in 2006 at New Plymouth when 17 titles were won.
At the Centenary Nationals held at Mt Maunganui in March 2011, Red Beach picked up a further nine titles.
The club has won the Allan Gardner Memorial Trophy for overall points at the NZ Championships on four occasions. The wins came in 1991 (Gisborne), 1992 (New Plymouth), 1993 (Mt Maunganui) and 2006 (New Plymouth).
The Allan Gardner Memorial Trophy which has been won by Red Beach on four occasions.
Looking ahead 4 yrs
 28th March 2011
We take a diary look at some major events coming up during the next four years …
2011 Collaroy SLSC Centenary (sister club). Celebrations 28,29,30 October 2011.
2012 Australian Surf Life Saving Championships, 27 March-1 April, Kurrawa, Gold Coast
2012 Rescue 2012 : Lifesaving World Champs, Adelaide, 7-18 November.
2013 Red Beach SLSC 60th Jubilee plus 40th Anniversary of Red Beach SLSC Nippers & JuniorSurf
2015 'The Gallipoli 100' surf boat event, April 2015. Anniversary of Gallipoli landing.
Flashbacks …
22nd November 2010
Series 18 … photographs from yesteryear.
March 1981: Every one an Iron Man! Two well-known father-son combinations … the Kennys of Australia and the Harkers of New Zealand, each one of them an Iron Man in surf lifesaving. From left ...
Hayden Kenny – Australia’s first national Iron Man champion when he won the title in 1966.
Grant Kenny – The first Australian to win both the Junior and Open Iron Man Championships at the same Australian Nationals. While in New Zealand in 1981, Grant also won the Senior and Junior Iron Man titles at New Plymouth.
Kim Harker – An Otago Iron Man representative at the 1981 Nationals at Oakura Beach.
Reg Harker – Regarded in surfing circles as the Iron Man of surf lifesaving in New Zealand during his era. Photo by Ross Malyon.
November 1972: The Red Beach surf boat crew of the day in its brand new “Schweppesmanship” craft, competing in a boat race from Muriwai to North Piha. The crew, from left: Jack Young, Colin Brady, Paul Ranby, Terry Marsh, Paul Von Zalinski.
Days after the event, the boat was signwritten and given an official launch at Westhaven by the Mayor of Auckland Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson on 14.11.72.
November 1972: Following the official launch ceremony, the crew of “Schweppesmanship” took the new boat for a row through the Westhaven breakwater.
January 1975: Red Beach club members who attended the Piha Lifeguard Training School held over four days, from left: Ted Taylor, Geoff Small, Ross Malyon. All are current Life Members of the Red Beach club; Geoff is also a Life Member of sister-club Collaroy in Australia.
Club Cap Colours
3rd August 2010
Click on the chart to enlarge it.
Flashbacks …
15th June 2010
Series 17 … photographs from yesteryear.
1973: Red Beach club members during a lighter moment at the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships, Oakura Beach, New Plymouth.
1976: NZ Championships, Paekakariki. Mandy Glover became Red Beach's first female competitor to win a National title. She was presented with a new rescue tube by Reg Harker for winning the open women's tube rescue event. Standing alongside her is the rescue 'patient' Carol Harker who also received a gold medal.
1982/83: A Red Beach surf boat crew competing on the west coast. The wearing of life jackets during racing was compulsory. Ted Taylor is sweeping the boat.
Flashbacks …
16th May 2010
Series 16 … photographs from yesteryear.
1958 Nationals: Red Beach’s March Past team at South Brighton Beach, Christchurch for the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships. Standing, from left: Fred Dennerly, Doug Ellis, Gary Chapman, Roy Woodall, Ross Warman, Tony Marsh, Graham Wolf, Paul Ranby. In front: Allan Anderson, Reg Harker.
NRC's Carnival 1980: Red Beach's U-18 Taplin relay team at Mt Maunganui. From left: Bryce Brown, Tony Olsen, John Alderman, Andrew Olsen, David Ross, Eamonn Murphy.
Clubrooms 1983: The Red Beach Surf Club just prior to its official opening in March 1983 by Prime Minister Robert Muldoon. The sandy area became the tarsealed car park during the summer which followed.
Flashbacks …
4th August 2009
Series 15 … photographs from yesteryear.
1963 Nationals: The legendary Reg Harker heads off Maranui's Brian Crowder to win the final of the open men's surf race at the NZ Championships held at Westshore Beach, Napier in 1963. Harker was aged 25 at the time. Brian Crowder passed away June 2009. Photo from the Westshore SLSC collection.
Flashbacks …
18th June 2009
Series 14 … photographs from yesteryear.
1985 Touring Team: In December 1985, Red Beach sent a team of 16 junior lifeguards – all aged 14-18 years – on a 12-day tour to Queensland.
Primarily an educational visit, the team members were able to check out lifeguarding operations and compete against their counterparts on the Gold Coast.
Training for the team began in April 1985 with regular sessions at Red Beach and pool swimming at Auckland’s Tepid Baths.
Fundraising got under way at the same time to raise the $25,000 required to fully finance the tour.
The team managers were Geoff Small and Ted Taylor. The team was coached by Chris Gurr, Lance Richards and Paul Kayes.
The touring party was hosted by the Southport Surf Life Saving Club and used the Southport Nippers surf headquarters as their base and for accommodation.
Flashbacks …
10th June 2009
Series 13 … photographs from yesteryear.
November 1980: Red Beach Surf Club's original clubrooms in a dilapidated state, two years before the building was demolished. The premises were opened in 1959 and served as the club's headquarters for 24 years.
Early-December 1982: The old surf clubrooms just before the demolition team moved in.
7th December 1982: Demolition of the building is well under way. It was put out to tender and went for $1,800. The new clubrooms, nearing completion, can be seen in the background.
December 1982: A week prior to Christmas, the old surf club was completely gone. At left is the old toilet block which has since been replaced by a more modern convenience. Landscaping along the beachfront took place in the years that followed.
The land occupied by the old surf club is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve on which the Owen Chapman carnival prize giving takes place each January.
Club’s first 50 years available on DVD
9th April 2009
 A DVD on the Red Beach Surf Club’s first 50 years is available for purchase.
This is the presentation which won acclaim when shown at the club’s 50th Jubilee celebration banquet in May 2003. It’s a memorable combination of film and photos spanning 50 great years of club activities and competition.
The response from people wanting to purchase the DVD as a keepsake resulted in good sales, to the point that remaining stocks are low and there won’t be a production repeat.
The DVD is now back on sale, available for the low price of $15.00 plus packing & postage. To print out an order form, click here.
Flashbacks …
10th March 2009
Series 12 … photographs from yesteryear.
1992: Winning the NZ Championships for the second time. Red Beach club members on Oakura Beach, New Plymouth after winning the prestigious Allan Gardner Trophy for overall points at the championships.
Early 1900's: Red Beach, surrounded by farmland, at the turn of the century. The leaning pohutukawa tree in the centre of the picture has become a Red Beach landmark and thrives to this day.
Flashbacks …
24th February 2009
Series 11 … photographs from yesteryear.
1991: Winning the NZ Championships for the first time. Red Beach club members on the dais at Midway Beach, Gisborne after winning the prestigious Allan Gardner Trophy for overall points at the championships.
1975: Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach. The legendary Reg Harker (centre) with son Kim and daughter Carol, limbering up before the start of the events.
Flashbacks …
5th February 2009
Series 10 … photographs from yesteryear.
1959: The opening of the Red Beach clubrooms. The building served as the surf club’s headquarters for 24 years before being demolished in 1983 when the club’s existing clubrooms were opened. This building was situated on the land which is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve.
1989: The Red Beach Masters March Past team competing in the NZ Surf Life Saving Championships at Mt Maunganui.
Flashbacks …
20th January 2009
Series 9 … photographs from yesteryear.
1976 : Red Beach club member Andrew Olsen receives the Cath & Eddie Millar Cup from cup donor Eddie Millar following the club's overall points win in 1976. The trophy was first contested in 1975.
1991 : 1st World Masters Surf Life Saving Championships. Red Beach Surf Club hosted this inaugural event which drew a very large turnout of New Zealand and overseas competitors for three days of masters competition.
Held from 29 November to 1 December 1991, it was an outstanding event conducted in fine, warm weather. Red Beach fielded the second largest team of competitors, 43 in total.
The organising committee was made up entirely of Red Beach club members and drew high praise for the event which is still talked about to this day. One of the highlights was the erection of a viewing stand capable of seating 600 people which extended out over the water. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Red Beach landmark
20th January 2009
The big leaning pohutukawa on Red Beach is one tree which has to be measured by its length rather than by its height.
If it hadn’t been for a stiff south easterly one January day in 1918, the old tree would be much taller today.
A man who lived at Red Beach probably longer than anyone else, the late Mr Stan Bayes, remembered the day the tree went over.
He and his older brother, Arthur, had been down at the beach watching Auckland holiday makers working on their boats. They left the beach just five minutes before the tree went over.
The Bayes family owned a farmhouse, which is still standing, and tended most of the land which is now in the Red Beach suburb.
When the boys returned to the beach from the house they were amazed to see the tree nearly on its side. The pohutukawa was then nearly 30 years old and it did not occur to anyone that it should be removed. Just as well.
Gradually over the years the tree, still bound by its roots to the bank, appeared to right itself by continuing to grow upward.
Stan Bayes regarded the tree as a great landmark and a really important part of the beachfront scene. Click on the photo to enlarge it.
Flashbacks …
6th January 2009
Series 8 … photographs from yesteryear.
1988: Heron surf boat launch. The very first surf boat provided by Bryan Heron to the Red Beach Surf Club was given a champagne launch at Red Beach in October 1988. It was part of a sponsorship package from B H Heron Plumbing which included a new double ski, sponsored shirts and other club gear.
1988: 6-Man team. Red Beach's 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation drill team competing in a surf carnival at North Piha on Auckland's west coast in December 1988.
1914: Red Beach, surrounded by farmland, in a photo believed to have been taken around 1914.
Flashbacks …
29th December 2008
Series 7 … photographs from yesteryear.
1975: The launch of Red Beach Surf Club’s new surf canoe “Big Rooster” by Robert Muldoon, seated in the canoe, just days after he was elected Prime Minister of New Zealand in November 1975.
1957: Owen Chapman, the donor of the cup to foster surf lifesaving competition amongst the four Auckland east coast clubs of Red Beach, Orewa, Mairangi Bay and Eastern United who patrolled at Browns Bay.
The inaugural event was held in early-January 1957 to entertain the campers and holiday-makers from Pinewoods Motor Park. The Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival now spans more than 50 years.
To read the history of the Owen Chapman Cup, click here.
Late 1950’s: The 4-Man Alarm drill event being contested by a Red Beach team at an Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival. The spectators were holiday-makers from Pinewoods Motor Park and the surrounding areas.
Flashbacks …
22nd December 2008
Series 6 … photographs from yesteryear.
1958: NZ Championships, Christchurch. The fledgling Red Beach club, just five years old, was competing at the National Championships for the very first time. The venue was South Brighton and the club was there to compete in a number of events including the 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation drill event.
The sea conditions were turbulent and most event finals were cancelled. However, the 6-Man R & R final went ahead and Reg Harker, an outstanding surf swimmer, drew the marble to swim as the beltman. There was a massive rip running and it was very cold. Harker reached his buoy long before any of the other beltmen; two of the finalists did not make it to the buoys.
The time difference gave the Red Beach team a distinct advantage when converted into points. When all drill points were calculated, Red Beach emerged as the winner of surf lifesaving's blue riband event to take out the coveted Nelson Shield.
1958: NZ Championships, Christchurch. Red Beach's Reg Harker (right) has just completed a remarkable swim through turbulent seas to reach the marker buoys in the final of the 6-Man R & R event. He prepares to step out of his belt and hand it to reelman Graham Wolf.
1958: Red Beach's first New Zealand title. Winners of the Nelson Shield for the Senior 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation event at South Brighton, Christchurch.
Back row, from left: Graham Wolf, Ross Warman, Doug Ellis, Roy Woodall. Front row, from left: Allan Anderson, Toby Mitchell (Club President), George Perry (Coach), Reg Harker (Captain).
Footnote - The 6-Man R&R event has ceased to be a competition event in surf lifesaving. It's final appearance was at the NZ Championships in 2001.
Flashbacks …
1st December 2008
Series 5 … photographs from yesteryear.
1966: Club competitors from the 1965-66 season. Two of the group are current Life Members of Red Beach.
1976: Club members at Red Beach prior to a Paddlenduro fundraising stint which raised $5,000 towards the new surf clubrooms.
The surf canoe sponsors at the time were Big Rooster, Jerry Clayton Motors, Orewa Trust and Chrysler Outboards. During the mid-seventies, Red Beach was the dominant club in surf canoe racing with five open men's canoe crews.
1976: Millar Cup Winners. Red Beach Nipper members after winning the Cath & Eddie Millar cup in March 1976. Cherie Dillon, kneeling second from right, was one of the members.
Flashbacks …
18th November 2008
Series 4 … photographs from yesteryear.
1974 : The first female lifeguards. Although the Red Beach Surf Club was founded in 1953, female lifeguards were not part of the club until they were officially accepted as members in 1974.
Pictured above, six of the eight female members who obtained their Surf Medallions in 1974 to become fully qualified lifeguards with Red Beach. From left: Mandy Glover, Carolyn Hogan, Sally Glover, Ruth Mannall, Carol Harker, Carol-anne Clarke.
1950's: Owen Chapman Carnival. The Red Beach 6-Man Rescue & Resuscitation team being judged during an Owen Chapman Cup surf carnival at Red Beach during the late 1950's.
1972: Surf boat launch. The club's new surf boat "Schweppesmanship" being given a lemonade launch by the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson, at a ceremony held at Westhaven on 14.11.72.
The crew, from left: Terry Marsh, Colin Brady, Paul Ranby, Jack Young, Paul Von Zalinski.
Flashbacks …
4th November 2008
Series 3 … photographs from yesteryear.
1973: The first Nipper members. At the start of the 1973/74 season, the Red Beach club introduced Nipper members to its ranks. Initially there were 20 boys aged from seven - 13 years with Gary Faircloth as their instructor.
At the time, the Red Beach Surf Club was an all-male domain. Female lifeguards were not part of the surf club until they were officially accepted as members by way of a change to the club’s constitution at the AGM in July 1974. The Nipper division was re-named the JuniorSurf division in later years.
1981: The demise of a surf boat. Red Beach's surf boat "Blue Bonnet" met with a tragic ending while being rowed at the Auckland Championships at Piha on Auckland's west coast. While charging down the face of a 5m wave and full of water, the boat decided it wanted to be a submarine and kept going until it met the sandy seabed.
The 'Auckland Star' evening newspaper ran the story and it was picked up by the Metropolitan Life Assurance Company who went on to donate a new surf boat to the Red Beach club. It was appropriately named "Metropolitan Life" and its launch coincided with the announcement of a $150,000 sponsorship of the Metropolitan Life Youth Programme. The sponsorship was to support the country's nine surf lifesaving districts with recruitment and training for Nippers.
Flashbacks …
28th October 2008
Series 2 … photographs from yesteryear.
1950’s Red Beach: The beachscape featured on a colour postcard.
1978: The start of the B H Heron sponsorship. Bryan Heron, standing at left, made a presentation of two rescue skis to Red Beach club captain John Glover while surrounded by some of the club’s Nipper members. Thus began a remarkable era of Heron sponsorship which flourishes to this day.
1972: Cyclone fury at Red Beach. In the aftermath of Cyclone Carlotta which struck the country in January 1972, waves pounded the Red Beach foreshore, forcing the lifeguard patrol to close the beach for the period of the high tide. Onlookers stood on the beachfront, watching the surging surf in awe.
The result of Cyclone Carlotta was a huge surf which formed 300m beyond the reef at Red Beach. The club’s surf boat crew launched “Miss Rothmans” and rowed out past the breakers. Rather than risk being smashed against the rocks while returning to the beach, the crew put into Stanmore Bay where the surf was much more subdued.
Flashbacks …
14th October 2008
We bring you our new pictorial series featuring photographs from yesteryear.
Series 1 … black & white pics from the archives.
1959: The opening of the Red Beach clubrooms. The building served as the surf club’s headquarters for 24 years before being demolished in 1983 when the club’s existing clubrooms were opened. This building was situated on the land which is now the Red Beach Waterfront Reserve.
1965: The legendary Reg Harker after winning the NZ Belt Race title for the first time. On the same weekend in Christchurch he also won the NZ Surf Race title to achieve the 'double', the most popular success among all lifeguards at the championships. He went on to claim the Belt Race title on four consecutive occasions and he won the Surf Race title four times.
Harker became known as the ‘iron man’ of surf lifesaving in New Zealand during the 1960’s because of his outstanding abilities in competition. He was made a Life Member of the Red Beach club in 1967 and currently lives with his wife Faye in Christchurch.
Red Beach, Peru
3rd September 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Peru, the third largest country in South America, is located on the continent’s west coast bordering the Pacific Ocean.
Paracas is a small fishing village 250km south of the capital of Lima, or three hours by road. It’s at the entrance to the Paracas National Reserve, one of the world’s most valuable and impressive coastal habitats. It’s where the desert and the sea come together in spectacular landscapes.
Red Beach is located on an astonishingly beautiful stretch of coast, surrounded by rugged cliffs, a desert and a lot of sand which make up the National Reserve. It is also known as La Playa Roja (the red beach) with the colour of the sand coming from the granite cliffs. The scenery is beautiful and it was in this rich area that ancient civilizations once flourished.
Paracas is a natural wildlife sanctuary and aquatic life flourishes on the coast. The winds, the sea temperature and other weather factors have created a habitat for more than 200 bird species along with marine life including sea lions, penguins, red and white flamingos and the visiting huge Andean Condor.
Paracas National Reserve also has huge sea lion colonies. Scores of sea lions can be seen lazily basking in the sun while condors and giant sea turtles ease their way through the water. Offshore are islands with a wide range of bird species including penguins, cormoranes, gulls, puffins and many others.
Red Beach, Komodo Island, Indonesia
4th July 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Among the thousands of small islands of Indonesia is one called Komodo, a mountainous stretch of volcanic rock covered with grass, palms and small pockets of jungle. The island, at 35km long, is part of Komodo National Park, 200 nautical miles to the east of Bali. The park is a World Heritage site and encompasses a number of islands, the largest of which are Komodo, Rinca and Padar. The region has around 4,000 inhabitants.
Red Beach, located on the eastern side of Komodo Island, is an exotic white sandy beach tinted pink by fragments of red coral. This popular anchorage is known for its beautiful underwater scenery which ranks it amongst the best in the world for snorkeling which is excellent over a healthy shallow reef. Diving is at the reef edge where the bottom drops down to 25 metres. Above the water, many wood carving and pearl jewellery entrepreneurs ply their wares by boat.
In the sea, the vibrant colours and exotic life enchant divers and snorkelers alike as endless schools of fish ride the waterways rushing up from deep sea vents. Below them the seabed is covered with a thick carpet of fluorescent corals and marine invertebrates - an underwater photographer’s paradise. The island, along with a few others nearby, is the sole habitat of the world’s largest lizard, known as the Komodo Island monitor or more popularly, the Komodo dragon. Red Beach is located just in front of the old dragon feeding station, directly across the bay from Komodo Village.
Komodo dragons can reach 3 metres in length and weigh up to 100kg. They are the top predators in their habitat and feed on wild boar, deer, water buffalo, dogs, goats, rats, snakes, smaller dragons, and once in a while – humans.
They hunt by ambush, hiding in the scrub brush along trails. Despite their lumbering appearance, they can move with alarming speed when they want to. They can’t sustain a long chase, but all they need to subdue their prey is one bite. The Komodo dragons carry poisonous bacteria in their mouths so if they don’t immediately catch their prey, the attack is often fatal. Using their long forked tongues, they track the scent of their prey as the wounded animal slowly weakens from the infected bite, a process that can take several days.
The Komodo dragon is an endangered species and there are approximately 6,000 in existence.
Red Beach, Crete
16th April 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
With its cobalt blue waters, sun-bleached cottages, ancient ruins and red sandstone cliffs, Crete's Red Beach is picturesque to say the least. It’s a famed 'clothing optional' beach located near Matala in the south of Crete, the largest of the Greek islands which lies approximately 160km south of the Greek mainland.
Made famous in 1968 when hippies from across Europe flocked to its shores, the resort at Red Beach has remained a favorite for its rustic charm and its tolerance.
Beautiful yet secluded, it can be reached only by water or on foot which involves a steep climb followed by a steep descent, in about half an hour from the village of Matala.
Red Beach takes its name from the ochre colour of the sand. While it doesn’t necessarily exude the same stunning red colors of Red Beach Santorini, it is indeed picturesque in its own right, set against golden hills and cliffs which provide a setting for some sparce, green vegetation.
Most often during the busier summer months, you can rent shade umbrellas and beach lounging chairs, but at times there are no rentals and it’s just you, your towel and whatever else you bring.
Matala View, on the hill above Red Beach, looking towards Matala Village. The ascent is steep but the view is worth the trouble and the effort. The tricky hike down to Red Beach affords some sweeping sights of the beach and the water, set against the coast’s cliffs.
At the north side of the beach the rocks are carved into ancient Minoan and Egyptian shapes, carried out a number of years ago by a Belgian man by the name of Gerard.
Red Beach Crete is primarily known for its affiliation as a 'clothing optional' beach. Predominantly, this section of the beach is kept at the northern side, however there is no strict rule against straying from this section without covering yourself.
But, do not think that you have to strip to enjoy Red Beach Crete as there is ample tolerance for all.
Red Beach, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
3rd March 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues …
Red Beach, also known as Playa Caracas or Playa del Corcho is one of the best-loved beaches on the small lush island of Vieques, 6 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico. The beach is a long stretch of powdery white sand, leading into the crystal-clear Caribbean water that turns shades of turquoise and green as it gets deeper.
Vieques Island was once the site of a large US Navy base. It found its freedom in 2003 when the Navy pulled out, creating conservation land where the bases once stood, and the island is just beginning to get its ‘tourism legs’.
Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States and the Navy used Red Beach for recreation before they left, whiling away the time on this stunning beach with soft sand and even softer water.
Snorkeling here is excellent. You won’t get the variety of colours that a coral reef or rocky pier would afford but you will see stingrays, schools of smaller fish and possibly even a dolphin if you go out far enough.
The beach is framed by gently rolling green hills in the near distance. A number of small uninhabited islands and outcroppings can be seen not too far offshore. But while you’re on the beach you can pamper your feet on the soft white sand, get the perfect tan and enjoy life the Caribbean way.
Red Beach, Rio
6th February 2008
Our pictorial beach series continues ...
Praia Vermelha (Red Beach) wins over the tourists with its exotic, luxuriant and strange glamour. Surrounded by coconut and bamboo trees, this place is just another charming oasis of peace and calm in Rio de Janeiro, blessed with cacti, orchids, bromeliads and grassy bushes.
Praia Vermelha, known for its steeply sloping sands, is well sheltered at the foot of the Urca hill. It is found in a predominantly residential neighbourhood with an intimate small-town atmosphere. Boating is popular here.
The beach offers a stunning view of the Sugar Loaf mountain, named for its shape, which rises 396m above sea level. It offers a breathtaking panorama of Rio’s majestic beauty, with built-up areas nestled between magnificent bays and dazzling beaches on one side and abruptly rising mountains from the water, on the other side, in Guanabara Bay.
Red Beach, Greece
24th January 2008
Our new pictorial beach series on Red Beach locations around the world …
Red Beach, found on the Greek island of Santorini, is a mesmerizing stretch of red sand that is set against a stunning backdrop of scaling red cliffs. As if Santorini weren’t beautiful enough, with its volcanic landscape and picturesque caldera, Red Beach adds the extra touch that helps to make the island one of the most desired tourist destinations in the Aegean Sea.
The crystal-clear blue waters contrast the stunning red-coloured sands, all set against a prolific cliff background.
Located on the southern coast of Santorini in the area named Akrotiri, Red Beach is truly majestic and you would be hard-pressed to find a beach anywhere in the world that mixes such a color scheme. Often busy during the peak summer months, beachgoers to Red Beach Santorini may find it a bit crowded, especially due to the fact that the close proximity of the cliffs to the water leaves a fairly thin strip of beach.
Some who visit Red Beach Santorini merely park the car and stand atop the cliffs for a view down, but it is worth it to make the trek down to get the full experience. The beach can also be accessed by boat from the port of Akrotiri and the port at Fira. The sun can be very strong here, and the sand is not the most comfortable to sit on, thus many choose to bask under shade umbrellas and beach lounging chairs. Nearby there are taverns and eateries offering meals and snacks.
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