SCHOOL SURFING CHAMPS
Near neighbours and fierce rivals Fitzroy and East End battled it out once again for top place at the Taranaki Surf Lifesaving Championships held over three days earlier this month.
Going into the canoe and boat racing section of the contest on February 7, either club had the potential to secure top place but in the end a feast of points from its canoe teams saw Fitzroy take the 2018 bragging rights plus the Roebuck Shield for best overall club with 400 points. East End finished with 373 points in second and NPOB third on 63 points.
Earlier, all three New Plymouth clubs plus a small contingent from Opunake had contested a full programme of individual and team races on the weekend of February 3-4.
Star performers for Fitzroy at the weekend in individual events were Joe Collins (6 gold, 3 silver, 3 bonze medals), Zac Reid (4 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze), Sasha Reid (3 golds, 2 silvers), Tom Cole (3 golds, 2 silvers, 2 bronzes), Ben McCallum ( 3 golds, 1 silver), Julia Padrutt (1 gold, 3 silvers, I bronze), Ryan Clough (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), Cathal Codrye (1 silver, 1 bronze), Callum Sutherland (2 silvers), Ariana Kereopa (1 silver, 1 bronze), Meghan Riddick (2 bronzes), Erin Metcalf (2 bronzes), Ian McCallum (1 gold), Natalie Walsh (1 silver), Max McCallum (1 silver), Finn Brimelow (1 bronze) and Drew Fraser (1 bronze).
Individual medallists for East End were Lucy North (3 golds, 1 silver, 1 bronze), Hannah Baker (5 golds, 1 silver and 2 bronzes), Joel Meuli (2 golds, 2 silvers, 1 bronze), Aimee Daniels (1 gold, 4 silvers, 1 bronze), Nicola Godwin (1 gold, 2 silvers, 4 bronzes), Lachlan Moles (2 silvers, 3 bronzes), Reebekaa Robinson (1 silver, 3 bronzes), Niwa Barlow (2 golds), Trent Clarkson (2 golds), Isabella Kelly (2 golds), Sophia Taylor (2 silvers), Molly Baker (1 gold, 1 bronze), Fletcher Moles (1 silver, 2 bronzes), Scarlet Old (1 silver, 2 bronzes), Charlie Godwin (3 silvers), Robson Old (2 silvers), Toby Larsen (2 bronzes), Flo Lundon Moore (1 silver), Claudia Harrop (1 bronze), Jacinda McCallum (1 bronze) and Moritz Padrutt (1 bronze).
For NPOB the individual medal winners were Jordan Grylls (5 golds), Ollie Spicer (2 silvers, 3 bronzes), Casey Stevens (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), Yanika Harrop (1 gold, 1 silver), and Jack Cleland (1 silver).
Sole medallist for Opunake was Jack Hartley who won silver in the under 19 men’s beach flags. Coming up next for Taranaki surf clubs is the Under 14 National Champs at Orewa from March 1-4, followed by the Senior Nationals in Gisborne from March 15-18.