Ocean Athlete champs attracts surf lifesaving stars

Surf lifesaving superstars Shannon Eckstein and Zane Holmes will make a rare foray onto New Zealand sand this weekend, attending the New Zealand Under-14 Ocean Athlete Championships in Mount Maunganui which starts tomorrow.

Current world ironman champion Eckstein collected a record-equaling fifth Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman title on Sunday, equaling the mark set by Holmes.

They'll join a host of New Zealand stars, including their Northcliffe teammate and four-time New Zealand ironman champion Daniel Moodie, in supporting the 10th annual junior carnival and acting as event ambassadors.

Former world champions Cory Hutchings, Morgan Foster and Julia Toomey will also be present.

Ocean Athletes will attract over 700 athletes from 40 clubs around New Zealand for the four-day carnival, which begins on Thursday and features more than 1000 races.

Since it began, more than 7000 juniors have competed in the event, including Moodie who was a part of Hawke's Bay's Westshore club in 2002.

"I'm really looking forward to heading back to the Mount for the Ocean Athletes and meeting all the new crop of juniors," Moodie said. "It's an amazing event and it was an important start to my career - hopefully we'll uncover some more future ironmen and ironwoman this week."

Westshore won three overall club titles at the event from 2004-2006, a feat emulated by Bay of Plenty club Papamoa last year when they also sealed a three-peat.

Papamoa have also assembled a strong team this year with 51 athletes, although neighbours Omanu will have the biggest contingent with 64.  Omanu finished second to Papamoa last year but the defending champions have lost several of their under-14 stars from 2009.

North Harbour 's Red Beach club has 48 juniors competing, while Gisborne's Midway, Mount Maunganui and Wellington 's Lyall Bay have depth across all four age divisions.

At the other end of the spectrum are Canterbury 's Waikuku club, Northland's Mangawahi Heads, Dunedin 's Brighton and Palmerston North SLC who all have just one or two members attending.

Developed in 2000 by Tauranga's Sensor Promotions, the Ocean Athletes concept revolves around the principle that all athletes who complete the race are winners but those who win are champions.

"We're proud of that stance and that emphasis has meant we're starting to see former Ocean Athlete competitors start to stand out in all walks of life now that they're older," Sensor Promotions' Jo Percy said.  "Youth today strive to be challenged. They seek reward for excelling and excellence.  We want to develop great kids through sport.  The skills, camaraderie and mentoring that these young athletes receive at this event cannot be understated.  It is by providing events like Ocean Athletes that we will create some of our future great New Zealanders.”

Clubs sending Ocean Athlete competitors:

Auckland/Northland:

Mairangi Bay SLSC 22, Mangawhai Heads VLS 2, Muriwai LS 12, Orewa SLSC 27, Piha SC 27, Red Beach SLSC 48, United North Piha LS 9

Bay of Plenty:

Hot Water Beach LS 6, Mt Maunganui LS 43, Omanu Beach SLSC 64, Papamoa SR 51, Waihi Beach LS 12, Whakatane SLSC 20, Whangamata SLSC 23

Gisborne:

Midway SLSC 33, Waikanae SLSC 27, Wainui SLSC 23

Hawke’s Bay:

Ocean Beach Kiwi SP 15, Waimarama SLSC 1, Westshore SLSC 23

Taranaki:

East End SLSC 12, Fitzroy SLSC 25, NPOB SLSC 15, Opunake SLSC 6

Palmerston North/Otaki:

Foxton SLSC 3, Otaki SLSC 13, Palmerston North SLS 2

Wellington:

Lyall Bay SLSC 33, Paekakariki SL 16, Titahi Bay SLSC 10, Worser Bay LSC 8

Canterbury:

North Beach SLSC 3, South Brighton SLSC 7, Spencer Park SLSC 7, Taylors Mistake SLSC 9, Waikuku Beach SLSC 2, Waimairi SLSC 8

Dunedin/Southland:

Brighton SLSC 1, St Clair SLSC 7

Schedule:

Thursday: Under-11, 12, 13 and 14 boys' and girls' beach flags heats and semifinals, tube rescue heats, semis and finals, board race heats.

Friday: Board rescue heats, semifinals and finals, beach sprint/relay heats and semis, board relay heats and semifinals, boys' and girls' diamond race heats and semis.

Saturday: Run-swim-run heats, semis and finals, board race semis, surf race semis, surf race heats and semis, board relay finals, mixed beach relay finals.

Sunday: Surf race finals (all ages), beach sprint finals (all ages), board race finals, beach flags finals, diamond race finals, mixed teams relay (swim-board-run) final.