Gisborne athletes on global stage

New Zealand Black Fin Christy Tate from Waikanae pictured with her mum Vicki, has performed very well in the ski at the International Surf Rescue Challenge in Texas. Pictures supplied

Individual wins to Midway’s Cory Taylor and Olivia Corrin and Waikanae’s Briana Irving and Michael Hanna highlighted the Kiwi effort on days 1 and 2 of the International Surf Rescue Challenge in the United States.

The event is being held at South Padre Island in Texas.

The Australians narrowly won the first test on Wednesday with 120 points to New Zealand’s 112.

In the second test on Thursday, Australia won again — 126 to 112.

Going into the third and final test today, Australia led overall on 246, New Zealand were on 224, South Africa 134, the United States 134, Japan 125 and Canada 61.

Black Fins team captain Taylor won the men’s oceanperson event (ironman) in the first and second tests.

He teamed with Joe Collins to win the board rescue in the second test.

In a terrific performance, Corrin won the women’s oceanperson race in the second test.

She was third in that event on Day 1.

Corrin teamed with Molly Shivnan for second in the women’s board rescue on Day 2, and was second with Joe Collins in the mixed board relay.

Irving won the women’s beach sprint and was second in the beach flags on Wednesday. She was second and third respectively in those events in the second test.

Hanna won the men’s beach sprint in both tests.

Christy Tate, from Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae, finished second in the women’s ski on Day 1, teamed with Taylor for second in the mixed ski relay that day as well, and was third in the ski on Thursday.

She and James Scott placed second in the mixed ski relay on Day 2.

The Kiwi women won the beach relay in both tests. Tate and Irving were part of that team.

Dawson Building Midway’s Chris Dawson finished third in the surf race in the second test.

The ISRC is based around a comprehensive competition programme conducted over three tests featuring surf swim, surf board, surf ski and beach events.

The event was first conducted in 1999.