Lifesavers bag gold at world champs

BOP Patrol Captain of the Year Danielle Shepherd (Mount Maunganui) won gold in the Masters division at the Lifesaving World Champs in France. Photo / George Novak

Western Bay has two more world champions after day one of the Lifesaving World Championships in the South of France yesterday.

Papamoa club's outstanding teenager Natalie Peat won gold in the Women's 4 x 50m Obstacles Relay alongside teammates Samantha Lee (Lyall Bay), Natasha Hind (Lyall Bay) and Laura Quilter (Wainui). Their time of 1m 51.87s was slightly behind the world record time of 1m 50.39s set by the Kiwis at Rescue 2012 in Adelaide.

Peat and her crew then added a silver medal to the mix in the Women's 4 x 25m Manikin Relay, beaten by Italy in first, with Germany coming in third.

Mount Maunganui's Danielle Shepherd also became a world champion, winning gold in the Masters Competition in the women's 30-34 Beach Flags. She won a bronze in the beach sprint and finished fifth in the 30-35 Board Race.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service clubbie Garry King took out two medals in the Masters competition, grabbing a bronze in the 100m Obstacles as well as in the 100m Manikin Carry. He added to his wins with a further two medals in the pool, silver in the 50m Carry and bronze in the 100m Tow with Fins.

New Zealand's world champions the Black Fins made a record-breaking entrance, setting two new world records and winning four gold, three silver and two bronze medals to lie second behind hosts France, with Australia third.

Lyall Bay's Samantha Lee grabbed three of the four golds, while Titahi Bay's Steven Kent set a new world record in the Men's 200m Obstacles.

Team captain Andrew McMillan won silver in the Men's 100m Rescue Medley, followed by Kent with a bronze.

The men's relay team of Kent, McMillan, Max Beattie (Omanu) and Chris Dawson (Midway) made the finals in the Men's 4 x 50m Obstacles finishing in sixth.

For the full results go here.