Veteran and rising star dominate NRC surf ironman events

New Zealand captain Glenn Anderson showed he's no spent force in surf lifesaving, while teenager Madison Boon proved her rising credentials at the Northern Regional championships in Mt Maunganui today.
The pair took out the glamour ironman titles, adjusting to the flat conditions perfectly in the first major carnival of the summer.
Anderson, who took up a coaching role with New Plymouth Old Boys this season, was careful to balance his team and individual ambitions over the two-day event but showed he'd lost none of his competitive nous, heading home his former teammates at Gisborne's Midway club, Mike Janes and Matt Sutton.
"It was a really short course but while there were no waves, there was a lot of wading and there was a lot of skill work involved," the 29-year-old said. "That's the sort of thing I've been working on with the New Plymouth Old Boys crew and it helps me execute it in my own races."
Anderson took the lead in the initial ski leg with a clever start, held it through the board and eased home despite pressure from Janes in the swim.
Boon came into her own in the swim in her race, with the 18-year-old heading home another teenager, Rachel Clarke (Orewa), and Mairangi Bay's Bailey Elliott.
Clarke and Boon have been based at the Kurrawa club in Queensland this season, where Boon has come under the influence of Australian superstars Hayley Bateup and Terri Sullivan.
"We're training together day in and day out and Hayley and Terri have sort of taken me under their wing - I think Hayley sees a bit of me in her." Australian-born Boon said.
She's now set her sights on the upcoming Lion Foundation Surf League event in Mt Maunganui, followed by twin national championships on both sides of the Tasman in March.
"My big focus is doing the double at the New Zealand nationals in the under-19 and open ironwoman, and possible the board race if I can, and I also want to chase that under-19 ironwoman title at the Aussie nationals as well as the board again."
Boon's performance helped Midway comfortably defend their overall NRC club total, clearing out from hosts Mt Maunganui with a final point's tally of 108.5. Mt Maunganui finished on 73, with Mairangi Bay (64), Orewa (42), Piha (41) and Papamoa (39) rounding out the top six.
Mt Maunganui were very strong in its open and under-19 women, especially in the beach events with Chelsea Maples dominating her sprint races and showing good performances in the board races.
But Midway's dominance in the team events, winning four of the six board rescue and taplin races, proved too much...
Piha took out the men's boat race for the second day in a row, while the Mt Maunganu women improved a spot from yesterday to win the long course today.
The boat crews are in for a big week, with Saturday's Piha Classic set to test the mettle with big West Coast swells again predicted.

Final points: Midway 108.5 1, Mt Maunganui 73 2, Mairangi Bay 64 3, Orewa 42 4, Piha 41 5, Papamoa 39 6, Red Beach 38.5 7, Westshore 28 8, Lyall Bay 23 9, New Plymouth Old Boys 21 10, South Brighton 18 11, Ocean Beach Kiwi 17 12, Wainui 17 13, Waimarama 16 14, Fitzroy 15 15, Omanu 9 16, Muriwai 8 17, East End 7 18, Waikanae 6 19, Paekakariki 6 20, Waimairi 4 21, Waihi 3 22, Whakatane 2 23, Whangamata 1 24.