NZ withstand Aussie fightback at lifesaving worlds

The expected Australian assault came on the first day of beach events at the world lifesaving championships in Germany, with New Zealand watching their hard-fought pool lead disappear.
But some heroics from Wellington sprinter Ben Willis - who won the beach sprint and beach flags double - meant the green and gold tide didn't completely overrun the New Zealand advantage.
Michael Buck and Nikki Cox also picked up vital points in the flags late in the day as New Zealand edged ahead on 644 points to Australia's 629 with one day to go.
Australia finished first and second in both men’s and women’s ironman races, dominated the ski races and their two-man teams captured both board rescue titles.
Although Hawke’s Bay’s defending world champion Cox picked up bronze in the ski race, she was shut out of the ironman placings by Australian stars Naomi Flood and Alicia Marriott, and France’s Flora Manciet. Tauranga’s Johanna O’Connor finished sixth.
Another Tauranga athlete, teenager Chelsea Maples, picked up bronze in the women’s sprint, with Englishwoman Katy Whear getting a measure of revenge on the Kiwis after she lost to Holly Moczydlowski at the worlds two years ago.
Maples was also disqualified in the beach flags on a technicality after not grounding her body properly at the start.
It was a similar story in the men’s events, where North Shore ski paddler Kevin Morrison was pipped on the line by Australian duo Downie Langthorne and Shannon Eckstein.
Eckstein and compatriot Chris Allum then swept the ironman field, taking the two top sports comfortably, with New Zealand captain Glenn Anderson settling for third.
Willis was in a class of his own in the beach sprint, however, with the Gold Coast-based Kiwi heading home South Africa’s Ryle De Morny and Australian Thomas Nolan.
It's set up a tight finish tomorrow, with New Zealand's tube rescue and surf race performances holding the key.