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The Owen Chapman surf life saving carnival marked its 70th anniversary at Red Beach on January 17, with 164 athletes from 16 clubs competing in near-ideal conditions.
Clubs travelled from across the country, including South Brighton in Christchurch, to take part in the long-running event, which has been held at Red Beach every year since it began.
Mairangi Bay Surf Life Saving Club claimed the Owen Chapman Cup by a margin of six points, ending a 25-year wait for the trophy. The North Shore club last won the cup in 2001. Host club Red Beach lifted the trophy on the previous eight occasions.
The Owen Chapman Cup is contested by Northern Region clubs and awarded on overall points. Mairangi Bay also won the Jubilee Trophy, which is open to all participating clubs.
Light surf conditions helped the programme run smoothly and produced a series of tight finishes throughout the day.
One of the highlights was the Candy Stripes Eliminator, a multi-discipline event raced against the clock. First held in 2016, the Eliminator is unique to Red Beach and is not hosted by any other club worldwide. The event again proved popular, with 32 female and 43 male athletes taking part.
The Owen Chapman carnival signals the start of the business end of the surf sports season, with athletes now turning their attention to the Eastern Region, Northern Region and New Zealand Championships.
Owen Chapman Cup Points: Mairangi Bay (176) 1, Red Beach (170) 2, Piha (53) 3, Ōrewa (35) 4, Muriwai (8) 5, Omaha Beach (2) 6, Mangawhai Heads (0) 7.
Overall Points (Top 11 Clubs) – Jubilee Trophy: Mairangi Bay (119) 1, Red Beach (98) 2, Mt Maunganui (92) 3,Papamoa (51) 4, Omanu (50) 5, Piha (25) 6, Ōrewa (15) 7, Whakatane (10) 8, Waihi Beach (4) 9, Muriwai (2) 10, Taylors Mistake (1) 11.
