Moors takes out NRCs ironman

Chris Moors took advantage of a dropping Mount Maunganui swell to claim the ironman title at the Northern Region surf lifesaving championships today.

With the final remnants of Cyclone Wilma pouring a gentle half-metre wave onto the beach, the 26-year-old Red Beach athlete cleared out from a quality field, showing the benefits of basing himself on the Gold Coast for the past nine months.

Moors was ninth at the iconic Coolangatta Gold long distance race in Australia earlier in the season and admitted the base fitness from that event is still aiding him.

“The base I’ve built up is brilliant and is still keeping me going,” Moors said. “It was the board that really set me up today – I managed to pull down a wave on the first leg and from then on it was just about protecting the lead and keeping that one-wave buffer.”

Moors headed home Hamish Beattie (Westshore) and Glenn Anderson (New Plymouth Old Boys) and his efforts helped his club into third in the overall standings on 78 points.

Hosts Mount Maunganui pipped defending champions Papamoa by a solitary point, 91 to 90, with Mount’s victory aided by an ironwoman win from Johanna O’Connor, who showed she still has much to offer the sport despite pulling back on her racing schedule.

The swim specialist eased home ahead of South Brighton’s Sinead Lomax and Midway’s Leesa Barton..

Papamoa’s junior strength was again evident, dominating the under-16 ranks, while Piha showed their strength in the boat arena.

Red Beach – bolstered by Moors – won the open men’s board relay, the board rescue and taplin relay in a strong display.

Mairangi Bay teenager Danielle McKenzie showed her potential by winning the open women’s board race and helping her club win the board relay, while Lomax anchored South Brighton’s women’s taplin win.

Most of the New Zealand representative team competing in this week’s International Surf Challenge had a light schedule over the weekend, although Australia entered several events to blow out their competitive cobwebs.

The Canadian and Great British teams also took part, preparing for the three-test International Challenge series.