Brighton has a bright future.
The surf life-saving club starred at the New Zealand senior championships, winning three gold medals and one silver at New Brighton Beach, in Christchurch, last weekend.
It was part of a 12-medal haul from the four Dunedin clubs.
Brighton’s Charlotte Aburn had a golden run, picking up national under-15 diamond and run-swim-run titles, and silver in the surf race.
Jessica Hannah also secured gold in the under-15 female beach flags.
Warrington won five silvers in the canoe events.
The female Warrington A team came second in the surf canoe short and long course events, and the men’s side placed second in the surf canoe short course.
The under-19 female canoe team showed it is one to watch, also coming second in its surf canoe short and long course events.
William Laws was impressive for St Clair, winning silver in the under-15 male beach flags and beach sprints.
St Kilda’s Jackson Boyd picked up bronze in the under-17 male beach sprints.
Otago-Southland club development officer Brent Matehaere was proud of all of the clubs’ results.
"A few standouts, obviously, but all the clubs to get up there and compete with basically against New Zealand’s best is really awesome.
"The results, while [some] show out on paper as silvers, I think the vibing was probably one of the . . . most important parts, because the waves on some of the days were well over 2m," Matehaere said.
Matehaere, who was "head down, bum up" commentating, believed the event highlighted how well the South Island could host surf sport events.
"The numbers that were there, the feeling and the vibe of the whole competition was ‘this is awesome’.
"Amazing to get back on the beach after two years of Covid halting, basically, our surf sports.
"It was a real positive feeling about the whole weekend."
