St Clair surf life-savers celebrate their overall win at
the southern region championships in Christchurch at the
weekend. Photo supplied.
The St Clair club celebrated a breakthrough achievement
at Christchurch's New Brighton Beach at the weekend.
St Clair won the overall club title in the southern regional
championships, attended by 10 teams.
The 36-strong team won the title with a record points score
of 299, well ahead of defending champion Waimairi (108) and
Taylors Mistake (73).
St Clair swimmers dominated from the first event, winning all
but the open age group for the tube rescue. National title
holders Steph and Carla Laughton were convincing in their
wins, while Jessie Schneiders teamed with sister Lulu to
claim the under-16 title. Jessie returned to the water
straight away to patient for national champion Carina Doyle
to win the under-19 event.
Jamie Mowat and Andrew Trembath won the under 16-tube by a
comfortable margin, and Hamish McCulloch and Garth Fulton
completed the tube rescue success by winning the under-19
event.
Carina Doyle did her national selection prospects no harm by
winning both the open and under-19 run-swim-run and the
under-19 surf race.
Another St Clair athlete in the New Zealand selectors' sights
is Jessie Schneiders. Schneiders again proved her outstanding
potential by the winning the ski and board races and the
under-16 diamond race, which combines both swimming and board
paddling.
Trembath (under-16) won the surf race, ski race and board
race but was unable to combine all three disciplines, having
to settle for second to team-mate Jamie Mowat in the ironman.
The St Clair open women won all of the individual and team
swimming and craft events, finishing second in the beach
events.
Monique Francois won the ironwoman and board race, Carla
Laughton claimed the surf ski, Steph Laughton won the surf
race and Hannah Cullen won the board rescue. The four also
teamed up to win the double-hulled canoe races.
The St Clair men were too strong in the board and ski-relay
events, winning the open and under-19 titles.
"To finally have a win over all the Christchurch clubs in
this event is great. To win by that margin is outstanding,"
club manager Antony Mason said.
The St Clair athletes have the Otago championships at their
home beach this Saturday. The national championships are in
Gisborne in mid-March.
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