Steven Kent after third world title
Titahi Bay’s Steven Kent will be in the mix once again at the world lifesaving championships this year.
The New Zealand Black Fins team was named on April 29 to contest Rescue 2016 – the lifesaving world championships – in the Netherlands from September 6 till 11. The New Zealanders will be looking to make it three titles in a row.
The members of the Rescue 2014 team rejoining Kent in the New Zealand team are Andrew McMillan (St Clair), Max Beattie (Omanu), Cory Taylor and Chris Dawson (both Midway) and Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy).
The world champs, held every second year, are the largest coming together of athletes in lifesaving, attracting competitors from more than 40 countries.
Athletes can compete in separate disciplines, including rescue simulations, Ironman and Ironwoman, beach sprints, surf ski and swimming events.
Black Fins coach Jason Pocock said the pressure would be on for a New Zealand three-peat.
He said the team knew each other’s strengths, but the coming months would involve intense training and team-building.
‘‘Our athletes worked really hard to create history in 2014 by winning the first back-to-back world titles,’’ he said.