Red Beach has revenge on 90 Mile

COMING HOME: The Far North crew - Owen Peters, Mana Taylor and Tyler Harrison - race ashore to secure third place in this year's classic.

If the 90 Mile Beach Classic is the mother of all IRB boat races, then this year's one wore combat boots.

The 27 crews representing surf lifesaving clubs from all over the North Island who arrived to take on the notoriously gruelling 88km parallel run from Scott Point to Ahipara on Saturday were greeted with particularly tough conditions: racing straight into the teeth of bitterly stiff southerly squalls and a large and messy swell left over from a series of cold fronts which had flailed the country last week.

Still, it was certainly comforting to know those in charge of protecting beachgoers' lives are prepared to put themselves and their equipment through such a rigorous and demanding workout. Summer bathers can consider themselves in safe hands.

The odyssey began from Scott Point around 10am, where the fleet headed into a stroppy 3 metre swell with the objective to to arrive at Ahipara with four ribbons obtained from having to completed a variety of tasks along the way.

The first pit/ ribbon-stop was ashore from Motupia Island, the next at the Bluff, where the crews had to carry their boat - weighing an estimated 150kg - across the strip of sand separating the north side of the Bluff from the south, apply a mandatory 2l refuel and take-off.

The third stop was a beach landing at Hukatere for another obligatory 2l refuel by one crew member while the other two raced to the top of the hill to grab the stage ribbon and return for relaunch. The fourth and final ribbon was secured at Waipap - where the goal was to beach, undertake a 2l refuel (whether necessary or not) then detach the outboard motor, carry it around a flag and reattach - before jetting off on the home run to Ahipara.

The prized classic title was eventually secured by the Red Beach SLS crew from east Auckland who took 2 hours, 37 minutes and 36s to complete, just over a minute ahead of last year's winners, Sunset A, finishing in 2h38m53s, while the local team zoomed in in 2h44m19s to take third place. It was revenge of sorts for Red Beach, first home in last year's event only to be given a 3 minute time penalty - because one wasn't wearing a lifejacket at one stage or something - which gave the title to the Sunset Beach A team.

They say revenge is a dish best served cold and, as the case was on the 90 Mile on Saturday, it was served very cold this year. It was the fifth Classic for all three of the Red Beach crew (albeit not together) of Jared Pouwhare aged 21, Jack Readman 20 and Dylan French, 21. The latter as team spokesman said conditions meant this year's race was one of the toughest they had ever endured.

"Quite choppy seas. Probably the roughest we have had. Close between us and Sunset this year, was a bit of a battle, we led most of the way but in this race, you can't relax for two seconds," he said, adding, "this triumph is just as much our parents' as it is ours," in reference to the trio's dads, all stalwarts of the Red Beach Club: "They put more work into it than us."

Deservedly beaming at the prize giving later that night were the Far North Surf Rescue club trio of Tyler Harrison, Mana Taylor and Owen Peters in securing the best ever finish by the host club in this event (although local participation has, it should be noted, historically been pretty minimal), rocking onto the foreshore at Ahipara to win a huge arm wrestle for third place against Muriwai. The effort was later honoured with a haka whilst club supporters claimed the result - against opposition of far greater experience and professionalism - was proof FNSR guards could hold their own amongst the big players of New Zealand surf lifesaving.

The trio gave much credit for the result to a gruelling training regime leading into the race and delivered - no doubt with relish - by drill sergeant Grant Robinson. "Made them carry the boat all day," said a grinning Robinson at the prizegiving. He also noted he had helped the lads strategically by placing them in better individual positions in the boat, "in a really sweet spot" to achieve maximum penetration and minium wind resistance.

"If conditions had been a little bit different, and if they had got their start right ..."

On behalf of the crew, Tyler Harrison agreed, noting an unexpectedly slow start had "ruined it for us" but also aware this was something which could be rectified easily enough in the future. He added conditions were particularly rough on the trip south to Ahipara.

"Sweep was sending waves sideways into us."

Of the 28 crews who registered for the 2013 90 Mile Classic IRB Challenge, there was one last minute withdrawal, a DNF on the day after a team's motor "disintegrated" completely and unexpectedly, and an all women's crew. All the participants and their respective entourages celebrated a wild day out on the waves in traditional fashion at the event prizegiving held at the local camping grounds that night while the All Black test against South Africa played in the background.

The camaraderie and hospitality between the different factions, all united by a common goal, was clearly evident amongst the large crowd crammed into the hall, enjoying a fine supper - trays full of spit roasted meat, roast potatoes and kumara, crayfish and salads prepared by Mat Radich - then a show as each of the 27 crews are required to perform a song or skit and the results kept a well refreshed audience in stitches.

The host club thanked local businesses for supplying items for the prize table with each team receiving a prize. As for anyone who managed to keep going until the wee hours of the next morning, that really would have been a true display of stamina.