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Omaha Beach Surf Life Saving Club brought home a haul of medals from the New Zealand Surf Lifesaving National Championships last month, turning in its best performance ever.
Club members claimed six senior medals and 18 masters medals. The competition also saw the club win its first senior national title, with Ben Blair taking out the Under 19 male board race, off the back of wins at the Eastern Regional Champs and Northern Regional Champs earlier in the year.
A team of 22 lifeguards represented Omaha at New Zealand’s premier surf lifesaving sport event held over four days at Mount Maunganui Beach in mid-March. The carnival saw more than 1500 lifeguards, young and old, battle it out in events ranging from canoes and surf boat crews to surf swims, beach sprints, and ski and board paddles.
Fine and calm conditions made for some hotly contested and intense racing, with Omaha lifeguards racing above expectation and progressing into multiple semis, finals and with podium finishes across all age groups in the competition. The results are a massive achievement for the small club. Head Coach Dan Grant, who joined the club four years ago, has been instrumental in growing the clubs surf sport programme and putting Omaha lifeguards on the podium and in the national spotlight.
The club’s junior division is also thriving, with 20 junior competitors participating at Junior Surf Nationals (Oceans), also held at Mount Maunganui. There were challenging conditions and ever-changing logistics, but the juniors all got stuck in and gave it their best.
Many were new to the event, and club officials said it was great to see smiles on their faces and some progressing the rounds. The club also came away with a junior national title, with Kane Wright winning the Under 14 Male Beach Flags.
The club thanked everyone who played a part in making Nationals and Oceans 2024 a success, particularly the sponsors – Bayleys, Javln, DebtManagers, Omaha Holiday Houses, DarkLab, Parklane, Insite Security and Sculptureum, and the local community for its continued support. For sponsorship opportunities or for options to support the club, email mail@omahasurf.co.nz
NZ National Surf Lifesaving Championship 2024 podium results:
Ben Blair – 1st Under 19 Male Board Race; Ruth Tanner – 1st Female Masters Surf Race, 1st Female Masters Board Race, 3rd Female Masters Beach Sprint; Jayden Earley – 2nd Under 19 Male 2km Beach Run; Maia Iversen – 2nd Under 15 2km Beach Run; Grant Whitaker – 2nd Masters Surf Race, 3rd Masters Board Race, 3rd Masters Beach Sprint; Scott Donaldson – 2nd Masters Surf Race; Matt Craig – 2nd Masters Board Race; Rohan Whitaker – 2nd Masters Beach Sprint; Max Matthews – 3rd Under 17 Beach Flags; Charlie Matthews – 3rd Masters Beach Flags; Jason Reid – 3rd Masters Beach Flags; Rob Earley – 3rd Masters Beach Flags.
Team events – 3rd Under 19 Male Board Rescue (Ben Blair, Jayden Earley), 3rd Under 19 Male Board Relay (Ben Blair, Jayden Earley, Ashton Smith), 2nd Masters Surf Teams Race (Scott, Mike Fitzgerald, Matt), 2nd Masters Double Ski (Charlie, Scott), 2nd Masters Beach Relay (Mike, Scott, Rob, Jason), 3rd Masters Taplin Relay (Mike, Matt, Scott), 3rd Masters Beach Relay (Rohan, Matt, Charlie, Grant).
Junior Surf Nationals 2024 Podium Results: Kane Wright – 1st Under 14 Male Beach Flags, 3rd Under 14 Male Beach Sprints.
