Papamoa capped an emphatic IRB campaign at the New Zealand Surf Rescue Championships near Dunedin yesterday, the Bay of Plenty club retaining the overall points trophy in style.
The club's 32 point victory over East End was bolstered in the event ending open teams race, as Papamoa crews finished first and second, ahead of the Taranaki club's top team.
It was the first time Papamoa had won the teams race, although coach Justin Martin won with Wainui in 2007, and premier driver Kirby Wheeler sprinted to victory despite a heavily strapped ankle.
''It's so hard to win the teams race but to finish one and two is just such a sweet feeling,'' Wheeler said.
''Justin has worked us really hard this year and it's all paid off.''
Papamoa dedicated its victory to 5 year old Tauranga boy Jack Dixon, who was swept off rocks near Mount Maunganui six months ago. Martin was one of the first IRB drivers on the scene, helping with the ultimately unsuccessful search efforts.
The final day of the championships saw a mid event venue switch from Warrington to Waikouaiti Beach. Surf conditions were friendlier further north.
It enabled Fitzroy's top women's crew of Katie Watts and Jamie Lee Reynolds to clean sweep the female division, adding the single rescue title to their tube rescue, assembly and mass rescue crowns. Reynolds is a former New Zealand ironwoman champion.
Watts has won national beach flags titles in the past and put those skills to good use in a frantic finish to the single rescue.
''I needed every bit of speed up the beach to get there,'' Watts said.
''It's nice to know that all that beach sprint training has paid off.''
Sumner's Steven Parrat and George Thomas finished third in the premier single rescue, behind Paekakariki's Dwight Garton and Tyler Mills and Papamoa's Liam Smith and Tomee Berthelsen, but that was enough to secure the top overall premier crew title.
''Getting the title was one of our goals for the season but coming in on limited training, we were a bit unsure and it was anyone's game'' Parrat said.
Westshore's Taylor Dick and Ryan Ennor confirmed their status as the nation's top under 21 crew, winning the single rescue title and taking overall honours, while Mitch Brady and Yannis Kokkosis (Papamoa) were the best senior team overall, despite clubmates Simon Malu and Nathan Smith winning the single rescue.
