Gisborne’s Midway deliver big despite small team at ERC surf life-saving carnival

By Murray Robertson

Gisborne Herald·

29 Jan, 2025 11:53 PM2 mins to read

Midway's Tyron Evans won a hotly contested under-19 men's board race, with clubmate Jack Lepper placing second, at the Eastern Regional Championships surf life-saving carnival at Mount Maunganui. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media Services

Midway’s small crew of surf life-saving athletes punched well above their weight at the weather-shortened Eastern Regional Championships over the weekend.

Dawson Building Midway finished in fifth place overall on 118 points at the Mount Maunganui-hosted carnival.

Bay of Plenty club Omanu was first on 207.

Midway had a crew of 16 at the championships.

“We had plenty of double appearances on the podium and some triple appearances in the top six, which now contribute points,” Midway head coach Jack Gavin said.

“One of our newest senior [aged 14-plus] members, Lila Hain, was impressive on the beach – winning her sprint and coming fourth in the beach flags.

“A big thanks goes to Arna Mastrovich, who coaches our young sprinters.”

The Sunday events, apart from the surf teams, were cancelled due to weather and surf conditions.

“It was pretty disappointing not to race the majority of team events, as we were looking very strong across the under-17 and under-19 age groups,” Gavin said.

“In the two team events that did run – board rescue and surf teams – we featured and made the podium in every age group we competed in.

“Big thanks go to my managers, our legend official Greg Akroyd and first-aider Kate Petro, without [whom] we could not compete.”