Surf livesaving: Splash, dash and crash

Drenched in salt water, lungs crying out for air, surf boat rower Craig Dillon admits extracting himself from the boat at the finish line often requires the most effort on a typical race day.

Dillon and his Red Beach crew, which include former transatlantic rower Steve Westlake, Nick Laurie, Matt Kirke and Mike Smith, are hoping to win the right to represent New Zealand in an International Surf Lifesaving series on Australia's Gold Coast next month.

Red Beach will battle it out with Orewa, Mt Maunganui, Paekakariki and Titahi Bay in a five-race series at Waihi today.

Crews start in knee-deep water and depending on the conditions it can be a bruising climb aboard

On the other hand "if it is flat and you don't get a good start you are behind the eight ball", Dillon says.

The teams' row out about 400m-450m, round a buoy, then head home.

"It is quite taxing especially if it is big surf. You are talking about a 26ft surf boat doing what a surf board does so it gets quite hairy. Sometimes the waves roll over you, sometimes you get smashed."

As sweep Dillon is both tactician and director.

He alerts the crew to approaching waves and encourages them to get their skates on when there is a possibility of a ride in.

"When you are coming back and row onto a wave, we do a call "come up" which means when they take their stroke they lie down in their seat and their oars go over their heads. They then run down and get in the back of the boat with me and you zoom down the wave.

"Hopefully when the wave breaks you are still all in the boat and still going straight ahead.

"It is imperative though that the crew work is perfect."

And like any ocean sport an element of luck is involved.

"Not necessarily the best crew will win ... there is the saying, 'That is the surf'. Last year Orewa caught a good wave and pipped Titahi Bay on the line.

"You are trying to put yourself in a position not to get hit going out but you want to find a wave to ride home on so you don't have to row."

Dillon reckons Titahi Bay will be the toughest opposition today.

The two crews have only met once this season and Titahi Bay emerged victors.

"Titahi did pretty well about four seasons ago. They went over to the Australian Championships and ended up getting second which I think is the best a New Zealand crew has done."

It was.

"Whangamata were always the sort of crew that everyone tried to keep up with, about ten years ago, now it is sort of Titahi Bay ... We are trying to break into that."

In preparation for the trials and the New Zealand championships this month, Red Beach have travelled to Australia to compete in the VB Series - Australia's premier club competition.

They partly fund the trips themselves but most of the cost is paid by long-time club member Bryan Heron, who in his 25 years at the club has donated well over $100,000.

"It is good because you get races against the likes of Moloolaba and all the top Aussies boats on a regular basis.

"Last year we didn't do too bad, we made a final one week and a semi and quarter-final."

Competing in such events aren't exactly for the faint hearted.

"The first race starts at 8am ... the events are usually finished by 12.30 which means if you make the final you would have rowed seven races.

"After one race I am totally knackered and can hardly get out of the boat."

But despite the physical exertion - Dillon and his crew have their hearts set on representing New Zealand at next year's world championships in Australia.

"The last world champs were in Italy, New Zealand didn't send boat crews possibly because of the cost. The next world champs are being held just out of Melbourne and that is what we are aiming for.

"Surf lifesaving has got a lot more professional than what it was 10-15 years ago.

"Our guys are in the gym four times a week plus they are on the water four to five times a week.

"We are trying to leave no stone unturned and give it our best shot."

Key Dates

Today : New Zealand trials at Waihi

Tomorrow/Sunday: North Island Championships at Waihi

February 13: Auckland Championships.

March 10- 13: New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships.

March 18-20: Australian Surf Lifesaving Championships.

March 21-25: International Surf Lifesaving Series