Big surf brings out skills at Eastern Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships in Gisborne

Mount Maunganui's Libby Bradley sprints to victory in the open women's board race at the Eastern Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships in Gisborne. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services

The rising tide of young talent had their moments, but it was the salty old sea dogs who barked loudest at the Eastern Regional Surf Lifesaving Championships.

Gisborne's Midway Beach hosted the championships for the first time in its 57-year history at the weekend and put on an enthralling show, with scorching temperatures and 2m swells for most of the Tairāwhiti Gisborne-sponsored carnival.

It proved a massive test for most of the 530 competitors but not for two of the oldest competitors, 37-year-old French international Julien Lalanne, of Mount Maunganui, and 36-year-old Mairangi Bay ski paddler Travis Mitchell.

A full 23 years after first competing at the event, Mitchell nearly took a clean sweep of ski titles, combining with 39-year-old clubmate Danny Morrison to collect silver in the men's double ski, joining 19-year-old Samalulu Clifton to win the mixed double ski and then blazing home to win yet another ski race crown on the closing afternoon.

Lalanne, who has been a member of the Mount Maunganui club for much of the past decade, was similarly dominant with wins in the men's surf race, the surf teams final and the open ironman.

The latter was particularly impressive, hobbling through the lengthy transitions with a knee injury but picking his way carefully through the waves, before out sprinting 20-year-old Piha rival Jamie Peterson up the beach, with Red Beach's Daniel Cairns third.

"It's hard to believe - I wasn't even sure I should race and it was so hard running but the waves just made it so much fun," Lalanne said.

"When we caught the wave on the ski, it was just so hard to hold on and I went a bit sideways and I had to run a lot further than I wanted to."

Mount Maunganui's Matthew Wagstaff comes unstuck in the under-16 ski race. Photo / Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media

His efforts inspired young clubmate Libby Bradley, who took out the surf race, board race and ironman in her first year of open competition.

Bradley needed a sprint finish in the board race but hooked a monster wave in her surf race, riding it most of the way into the beach. Her ironman victory was even more impressive, given she took a vastly longer course in the board leg, which allowed Midway's Danielle Scott back into the race.

The 19-year-old Bradley was delighted with her success.

"It's been pretty tough this season so I just came down here wanting to enjoy it. Having these waves was fantastic - it's why we do this sport. I just love the added dimension of using those extra skills and that really got me going, seeing Julien gritting his teeth and coming through in the surf race and ironman."

Sheer weight of numbers and consistency across the age groups helped Mount Maunganui to their ninth consecutive overall club title, though they were pushed all the way by Gisborne's Waikanae.