Champions continue surf boat reign

Titahi Bay maintained their faultless start to the surf boat season with a double win at the second round of the season in Whangamata yesterday.

The Wellington crew, steered by veteran sweep Paul McVicar, won both the open men's final and the 2km Dash for Cash around Hauturu Island in the middle of the bay.

It comes after a dominant performance on home waters in the first round of the series in November, with the defending series champions building towards their national championship defence later in the season.

Their main rivals Piha, swept by former rugby league international Mark Bourneville, finished second in the men's final with Mount Maunganui third.

Whakatane's good recent form in the open women's division helped them see off defending national title-holders Mount Maunganui A, who were also upset by their `B' crew in the final and had to settle for third.

Mount A didn't drop a race in the first round but Whakatane picked up from their win last week at the Omanu Classic to come home in style.

Orewa crews dominated the under-23 men's grade, grabbing the top two spots with Whangamata third on their home beach, while the local under-21 women's crew won their division, beating two other Bay of Plenty clubs in Waihi and Papamoa in the final.

The series now heads to Waihi Beach for the North Island championships in early February, followed by the Piha Big Wave Classic on February 20.




Results:

Open Men. Titahi Bay A (Dean Ellis/Tim Marsden/Chris Martin/Ben Ashby/Paul McVicor) 1, Piha A (Chirs Morris/Joshua Payne/Wayne Simeon/Hayden Smith/Mark Bourneville) 2, Mt Maunganui A (Clayton Kellett/Steve Rush/Richard Saunders/Brad Thomsen/Andrew Parker) 3, Whangamata 4, Midway 5, Lyall Bay 6.

Open Women. Whakatane (Monty McGougan/Annette Haihapene/Chrissy Douglas/Whytnee Rio/Karla Linton) 1, Mt Maunganui B (Nicole Downey/Charlotte Grant/Mare Haitsma/Cara Kellett/Hazel Manson/Daniel Matuschka) 2, Mt Maunganui A (Justine Brennan/Donna Brodie/Chelan Garnham/Isabella Obermiller/Megan Scott/Wayne Urbahn) 3, Titahi Bay A 4, Waihi A 5, Mairangi Bay 6.

Under 23 Men. Orewa White (Stuart Handford/Jake Griffiths/Jed Franich/Wayne Van Den Burgd/Jonny McCarthny) 1, Orewa Blue (Mark McCarthny/Kevin McClatchie/Andrew Miekkejohn/Fraser Angus/Will Seedhouse) 2, Whangamata A (Javiel Duncan/Michael Pepper/Rob McCraig/Jordan Te Wharau/Steve Pipe) 3, Paekakariki 4, Piha Pistols 5, Lyall Bay 6, Waihi 7.

Under 21 Women. Whangamata (Kathryn Harris/Hannah White/Courtney McKain/Honor Young/Steve Pipe) 1, Waihi Blue (Elizabeth Burrows/Meghan Cook/Rebecca Wotton/Petra Fransen/Collin Laurie) 2, Papamoa (Rebecca Casey/Bridget McCarty/Courtney Thomson/Ashleigh Parkes) 3.

Dash for Cash.
Open. Titahi Bay A 1, Whangamata 2, Lyall Bay 3. Division 2 Age Group. Whakatane Masters 1, Mairangi Bay Masters 2, Papamoa Under 19 3.