Janes grabs early bronze in Australian surf champs
Thursday 18 March 2010, 5:45PM
By Surf Life Saving New Zealand
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Mike Janes has collected the first medal by a New Zealander at the Australian surf lifesaving championships in Queensland, winning bronze in the event-opening 2km beach run.
Midway’s Janes, competing for Australian club Kurrawa, finished just behind David Rowell (Portsea) and winner Stephen Madden (Tugun) in the gruelling race over the soft sands of the Gold Coast.
The 25-year-old, who last week won the New Zealand board race title, backed up again later in the day by comfortably winning his heat in the board.
“I’m still blowing a bit – that was a pretty tough run,” Janes said. “It was a pretty good way to start the championships though.”
Janes is one of more than 90 New Zealanders taking part in the four-day championships.
Other Kiwis to feature on the first day were beach sprinters Chelsea Maples and Ben Willis, who progressed easily through their heats and quarterfinals, and Mairangi Bay’s Kevin Morrison, who featured in both the ski and board heats.
The 2m Kurrawa Beach waves continued to pound the 8100 competitors, with organisers carefully monitoring the progress of Tropical Cyclone Ului as it heads towards the Queensland coast.
Swells are forecast to peak at 5m on Saturday and alternative venues are being investigated.