Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service Clinches Top Club At New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships

For the 10th consecutive year, the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service (LS) has won the prestigious title of Top Club at the country’s premier lifesaving sports event.

Held from 14 – 17 March on Tauranga’s Mount Maunganui Beach, the 2024 New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships saw over 1,370 athletes competing from 47 Surf Life Saving clubs.

With dominate performances on their home turf, the Mount Maunganui LS team secured the Allan Gardner Memorial Trophy with 133 points. Gisborne’s Midway Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC) claimed second place with 102 points, while Mount Maunganui’s Omanu SLSC claimed third place with 96 points.

Matt Cairns, Surf Life Saving New Zealand (SLSNZ) National Events Manager, said, “This year, we saw fantastic racing across all age groups, but there can only be one winner. Mount Maunganui LS consistently proves to be a force to be reckoned with, and this year was no exception.”

The emergence of young talent within the Mount Maunganui LS team was particularly noteworthy this year. India-Rose Scholes won the U15 Female age group with gold medals in the Diamond Race and Run Swim Run, while Jayden Murphy won his first Open Ironman title, staging a remarkable upset by heading off a contingent of Australia-based Kiwis to claim the top spot.

Cairns said, “It’s great to see these young guns coming through. There is some real talent coming through all clubs and that showed with some close racing and more athletes rising to the standards of the biggest names in our sport. The future of lifesaving sport looks to be in good hands.”

Joe Collins of New Plymouth’s Fitzroy SLSC won the Open Male Trophy, while Olivia Corrin of Gisborne’s Midway SLSC won the Open Female Trophy with an impressive tally of five gold medals.

Cairns said, “With the Lifesaving World Championships coming up later this year in Australia, athletes were undoubtedly eager to impress, and they turned it on, treating spectators to a captivating display of skill and athleticism.”

The event wouldn’t have been made possible without the support of local event partners, especially Tauranga City Council and the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund.

Cairns said, “This year we were lucky enough to hold three of our major sporting events in Tauranga and both times Mount Maunganui Beach proved to be a fantastic location. Tauranga City Council were also fantastic to work alongside, and the community welcomed our athletes and volunteers with open arms.

“We must also thank all the volunteers, coaches, and families who made the event what it was. They spent hours making sure things ran smoothly and also created an incredible atmosphere for the athletes to compete in.”

With the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships wrapped up for another year, attention is now turning to the bp Surf Rescue New Zealand IRB Championships which will be held in Waikouaiti, North Dunedin, from 23 – 24 March.

Full Results:

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

SLSNZ would like to thank the following event partners who make the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships possible: Tauranga City Council, Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, NZ Uniforms, Race One Surf Craft, Sonic Surf Craft, Just Sheds, PTS Logistics, Brandt, NES Hire, and McLeod Cranes, Hiab and Transport Services.

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