Surf boats set to hit Whangamata

Titahi Bay’s national champion surf boat crew will be the warmest of favourites as the national series heats up in Whangamata on Saturday.

The Coromandel resort hosts the second round of the series – the Whangamata Surf Boat Spectacular – and the predicted benign surf conditions should play right into the hands of the defending champion crew from Wellington.

Whangamata sweep Mike Tames can’t recall a longer period of tiny East Coast swell than the one his home beach is experiencing now and with the forecast for more offshore winds this weekend, he fears Titihi Bay could be unstoppable.

“It’s going to be really tough to beat Titahi Bay – they’re rowing really well at the moment,” Tames said.  “Everyone in the boat seems to know their stroke patterns and drills off by heart and that’s where they’re so strong.”

Whangamata appear to be one of the few crews who could challenge Titahi Bay, along with Piha, Mount Maunganui and Red Beach.

Whangamata warmed up with victory in the Omanu Classic near Mount Maunganui on Sunday but Tames knows his experienced crew will need to put together a perfect day of rowing.

“With big boats like these, all it takes is one moment of inattention from one of the guys and that can ruin your race so we’ve really got to concentrate, especially in the flat surf that’s predicted.”

The Titahi Bay men dominated the first round in Wellington in November, a feat emulated by the Mount Maunganui women’s crew.

The Mount women, who are also defending series and national champions, will be pushed hard by Whakatane and Orewa.

Piha’s depth in the agegroup divisions makes the West Auckland club a hot contender for the under-23 title, while Whangamata’s youthful under-19 crew are also developing steadily...

Tames’ Whangamata crew have one title defence to attend to first, having captured the 2km Dash for Cash around Hauturu Island in the middle of the bay last year.

Nearly 40 crews are competing in Whangamata, with racing beginning at midday.