Surf Lifesaving: Beattie wins third NZ title

The Waipu Cove under-19 girls canoe team battle waves while competing in Gisborne.

Max Beattie claimed his third national ironman title in familiar style at the AquaPick New Zealand surf lifesaving championships in Gisborne yesterday.

The Gold Coast-based Omanu star edged his New Zealand teammate and defending champion Cory Taylor by mere inches after a dramatic final sprint on Midway Beach, continuing a growing trend of tight finishes between the pair.

Beattie, the cousin of New Zealand 100m track star Joseph Millar, won his first title in 2012 in exactly the same fashion, then pipped Taylor in the 25km Mount Monster endurance race just before Christmas.

"I guess I've got some aunts and uncles to thank for my speed because Cory and I have definitely got into the habit of sprint-finishes lately," a jubilant Beattie said.

"He's an phenomenal ironman and probably nearly deserved the win today but I jumped on to a runner on that final ski leg and tried to slow my breathing and heart rate down a little because I knew it was going to end up in a foot-race."

Despite the looming threat of the remnants of Cyclone Pam, there was little in the way of wave assistance for competitors on the final day, with Taylor, Beattie and Australian Tanyn Lyndon locked in a battle throughout the opening board leg and into the swim.

Taylor appeared to make his decisive move in the ski leg, before Beattie summoned one last burst to draw level heading into the beach.

"I didn't know if it was Max or Tanyn coming for me at the end but then I saw the yellow tip of Max's ski edge into view and just thought 'here we go again'." Waipu Cove was represented at the event but failed to progress past the initial rounds.