Surf life-saving: Three from St Clair in NZ squad to compete in France

Three St Clair surf life-savers will head to France in September as part of a national squad after a solid effort at the national championships in Ohope last week.

Andrew Trembath, the sole St Clair representative in the youth team, will join open squad members Carina Doyle and Andrew McMillan on the trip to Europe.

McMillan has been focusing on his studies this year, and will travel subject to testing by the national body.

The St Clair club came away from the championships in the eastern Bay of Plenty town with one title, courtesy of brothers Bailey and Lachlan Brandham in the under-16 men's section of the tube rescue competition.

That competition proved to be fruitful for St Clair.

The St Clair White team of Adam Simpson and McMillan finished second in the open men, as did Doyle and Jessie Schneiders in the open women's category .

The under-19 men's pair of Trembath and Jamie Mowat finished third.

Simpson and Doyle featured in the results of the surf race, Simpson finishing third behind Omanu Beach's Max Beattie in the open men, and Doyle claiming second behind Natalie Peat of Papamoa in the open women.

St Clair's Steph Laughton, who claimed two medals with open women team-mates Monique Francis, Carla Laughton, Eilis Doyle, Heather Thompson and Sophie Robb in the canoe short-course and long-course events, said the numbers and quality of athletes at the championships continued to improve.

''We were really happy. There were 1600 athletes this year, so it's getting bigger each year,'' she said.

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