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The Omaha boys team that smashed a New Zealand record, from left, Nicholas Cowen, Luke Gibson, Jack Dempsey and Finlay Walker.
Three golds at the New Zealand Junior Pool Championships got things off to a good start for the Omaha Surf Life Saving Club (OSLSC) this season.
The event was held at the Sir Owen G Glenn National Aquatic Centre, AUT Millennium from October 13 to 15.
The U12 boys 4x25m brick relay team claimed gold, smashing the national record by 10 seconds with a
Two more U12 boys teams grabbed gold in the 4x50m medal relay and 4x50m obstacle relay, and one team silver in the 2x50m patient tow.
Two bronze medals were also picked up in the U11 boys 50m obstacles and one Omaha junior competed with a Mairangi Bay team, winning bronze in the U14 mixed 4x50m obstacles relay.
The club’s seniors also found a place on the podium at the champs with Mike Fitzgerald and Mike Gibson winning gold in the line throw.
Jillian Walker and Ruth Tanner took silver in the 100m obstacles, while Gibson took bronze in the same event and the Omaha masters team won bronze in the obstacle relay.
OSLSC Surf sports manager Ruth Tanner says finishing ninth overall was a great achievement for one of the smaller clubs at the event.
“The club was well represented at the competition with 12 juniors and eight seniors competing,” Ruth says.
Weekend patrols at Omaha Beach started on Labour Weekend and the Sunday junior programme will start on November 5.
Omaha junior surf coordinator Ross Syminton says 170 juniors registered last season.
“We’ve already had 40 juniors sign up online and we are on track to reach similar numbers again,” Ross says.
He says parent volunteer numbers have also increased and this season they will be coached by North Harbour Sport to improve the programme they deliver.
The next big competitive event for juniors will be the Northern Region Junior Champs, which potentially will be held at Omaha on February 3 and 4.
Juniors who won medals at the pool champs were Luke Gibson, Finlay Walker, Nicholas Cowen, Jack Dempsey, Tobey Sykes and Jackson Whitaker.
