Moors scores career-best surf win

Chris Moors stunned his more illustrious rivals and capped a magnificent surf lifesaving season by winning the open ironman race at the State national championships in Mount Maunganui today.

The 26-year-old Red Beach athlete, who is based in Queensland, ended the five-year reign of Westshore’s Daniel Moodie, who came home third behind clubmate Hamish Beattie.

It ended a long season for Moors, who in September finished ninth in the Coolangatta Gold in Australia, the best-ever finish by a Kiwi.  It was that base fitness which carried him to the line today.

“It’s been a long season but this is the one I really wanted to win and anything else was just a bonus,” Moors said. “I’m pretty stoked and for it to be the 100th year of surf lifesaving in New Zealand makes it even more special.”

The ironwoman race also had a brand new champion, with Mount Maunganui’s Aimee Berridge holding off a strong charge from defending champion Nikki Cox.

“I just can’t believe it - earlier this season, I actually quit the sport and I’ve only been back racing for the last six weeks,” the 20-year-old Berridge said. “I just needed to freshen up a bit and without that break and getting away and putting things in perspective, it wouldn’t have happened today.”

Moors and Berridge’s efforts capped a dramatic three-day carnival, with an exhausting schedule on the final day after all water events were cancelled yesterday because of the Japanese tsunami scare.

There was still time for veteran Glenn Anderson to extend his remarkable record of surf race wins, outsprinting Midway’s Mike Janes for his seventh victory in the discipline. It gave Anderson 33 open titles over all disciplines in his illustrious career, after he earlier won the run-swim-run on Friday.

The Titahi Bay boat crew couldn’t add to their three consecutive long-course titles, however, beaten in a thrilling finish by arch-rivals Piha.

It was especially sweet for two retiring members of the Piha crew, Craig Knox and Bruce O’Brien, who have been rowing the Piha boat for 20 and 19 years respectively.

“We haven’t had that bloody trophy for decades,” Piha sweep Mark Bourneville said. “Until today, that was the only medal those guys hadn’t won and we managed to get it for them today.  We’re just delighted.”

Piha also grabbed the short-course title, the under-21 Piha Pirates had a clean-sweep in their division, while two silvers and two bronze medals in other divisions gave them the top-club trophy.

Overall, a rampant Mount Maunganui easily defending the Alan Gardner Trophy, awarded to the top club, collecting 129 points to finish 46 points in front of Papamoa.

Mount’s efforts were anchored by strong performances in the taplin relays and individual wins to the likes of Andrew Newton (men’s board) and Lisa Carrington (women’s ski).

Christchurch clubs also performed well, despite the championship being relocated away from their earthquake-ravaged city just two weeks ago.

Taylors Mistake took out the men’s canoe race and double ski titles, with South Brighton finishing third in both those events.