KEY POINTS:
New Zealand surf lifesaving captain Glenn Anderson faces his first step into a new realm this weekend at the Northern Regional championships in Mt Maunganui.
The 29-year-old, a veteran of four world championship campaigns, took on the coaching role at the New Plymouth Old Boys club in October and is bringing a squad of 20 from Taranaki, including fellow-national team member Ayla Dunlop-Barrett.
The two-day NRC competition represents his first major carnival combining his individual goals with those of his club.
"Ever since I was young, coming up through the Waikanae club in Gisborne, I've always helped out with coaching and continued that on at Midway," Anderson said.
"I guess it's something I always knew I was going to get into eventually and the only tricky part I've found is fitting my own training around the job.
"In saying that, I was out coaching for nearly three hours today so while I'm not actually training myself, I'm still out on the water."
Not that he's given up his competitive streak.
With more than 850 athletes from 32 clubs around New Zealand competing, the NRCs are second only to the national championships in size.
Anderson will face stiff challenges from the likes of Australian-based brothers Mike and Dan Janes and another former Midway teammate, Matt Sutton, in his specialist surf race, as well as others like East End's Daniel Nelson and Mt Maunganui's Andrew Newton in the ironman.
"I did take a good break after the worlds and I've been cruising over summer but in saying that, I'd expect to be pretty competitive in the surf race and ironman this weekend.
"The only problem is I've heard the surf is going to be pretty flat which is a bit disappointing - it's always nice to hide behind a bit of a wave when you're not as fit as you could be."
Other features of the carnival include a white-hot open women's ski race field which includes Beijing Olympic kayaker Erin Taylor and the world's No 1 ranked open ocean ski paddler, Mairangi Bay's Katie Pocock.
Two-time national champion Rochelle Creighton will also line up, alongside national flatwater representatives Lisa Carrington and Jaimee Lovett.
They'll tangle with a cluster of teenagers who returned from last week's Youth Olympics with a haul of kayaking medals, including 500m champion Tenealle Hatton (Orewa) and K4 bronze medallists, Mairangi Bay's Stephanie Parker, Paekakariki's Kayla Imrie and Titahi Bay's Alyssa Blyde.
Two other ski combatants, New Zealand squad members Nikki Cox (Westshore) and Madison Boon (Midway) will also be warm favourites in the women's ironman.
Gisborne's Midway club are the defending title holders at the championships after their superior surf skills helped them to a 14-point win over the second-placed host club Mt Maunganui in heavy 2m swells last year. Piha were third.
- NZPA
