East End start IRB nationals with win

East End's world champion IRB crew Andrew Cronin and James Morwood began their search for a perfect BP Surf Rescue national championships with a win in the tube rescue on the first day of the three-day carnival in Whangamata today.
The pair, along with patient Emma Cronin, flew home ahead of Paekakariki's Brent Harvey and Mitchell Logan and Waimarama's Ben Cross and Michael Harman in the premier final, held on easing half-metre swells at the COromandel beach..
The Taranaki club's under-21 crew Jared Gray and Scott Nelson capped a great first day for East End, edging Sunset Beach and New Plymouth Old Boys in their final.
St Clair siblings Carla and Stephanie Laughton also made a great start to the carnival, winning the women's final, ahead of five-time national champions Emma Crofskey and Katie Watts (Fitzroy) and yet another East End crew, Laura Begg and Alannah May.
New Plymouth Old Boys completed a Taranaki clean sweep in the men's ranks, with Michael Melody and Anthony Ander winning the senior title, ahead of Mount Maunganui's James Roy and Jason Watts and Papamoa's Nicolas Oldham and Thomas Berthelsen.
Results:

Tube rescue:
Premier: East End (Andrew Cronin/James Morwood/Emma Cronin) 1, Paekakariki (Brent Harvey/Mitchell Logan/Richard Whinham) 2, Waimarama (Ben Cross/Michael Harman/Leila Cross) 3. Senior: New Plymouth Old Boys (Michael Melody/Anthony Ander/Myken Hurley) 1, Mt Maunganui (James Roy/Jason Watts/Sam Roy) 2, Papamoa (Nicolas Oldham/Thomas Berthelsen/Michael Hoehergen) 3. Under-21: East End (Jared Gray/Scott Nelson/Rebecca Busing) 1, Sunset Beach (Samual Dwen/Shane Edwards/Bryce Nichol) 2, New Plymouth Old Boys (Drew Whitehead/Daniel Charteris/Lisa Zieltjes) 3. Women: St Clair (Carla Laughton/Stephanie Laughton/Arthur Ibbotson) 1, Fitzroy (Emma Crofskey/Katie Watts/Kent Fraser) 2, East End (Laura Begg/Alannah May/Kirsty May) 3.