Three New Zealand club surf boat crews travelled to Newcastle's
Stockton beach in Australia to take part in the Australian Surf
Rowers League (ASRL) Open, Piha A (Open Men), Mairangi Magic
(Ladies) and Mt Maunganui (Ladies).
The ASRL Open is the world's biggest dedicated surf boat event
and the New Zealand contingent went with only one thing in mind, to
win.
Both Piha and Mairangi Magic were also selected as New Zealand's
top open crews to take part in a trans-tasman club race coined the
"Battle of the Ditch", they would face Lorne and South Curl Curl
respectively.
Mairangi Magic had a late injury to one of their crew members
which saw them take a replacement rower Australia. The change in
crew member coupled with unfamiliar and inadequate equipment saw
Mairangi Magic come off second best in their one of race with
Australians South Curl Curl.
In the open men's "Battle of the Ditch", Piha A blasted off the
start and held a good lead of a boat length at the buoy turn with
Lorne chasing hard.
Piha A hit the afterburners coming home to pull another length
on Lorne in the small surf. A lucky runner for Lorne saw
Australia's top club come up even with Piha A, with the race coming
down to a sprint at the line.
The race finish saw both crews wondering who got the result, a
few minutes passed before the silence was broken with the
announcement that Piha A had claimed the spoils of the day.
New Zealand crews in the open men's division have now been
successful in the last four trans-tasman clashes, dominating their
Australian counterparts since 2005.
Celebrations for the Piha A crew had to wait as they continued
to move their way through the ASRL Open making the final with some
superb sweeping in the semi final by Mark 'Horse' Bourneville
holding the wave of the day.
The open men's final didn't disappoint for quality as all six
finalists finished the race on the same wave.
Again crews and spectators were made to wait as the results were
decided from video reply, and again Piha A were victorious becoming
the first New Zealand Surf boat crew to win the ASRL Open.
Mairangi Magic produced some fantastic results in the face of
adversity with a first and second in their round robin races to
make the quarter finals.
Mairangi's Magic ran out as they were pipped on line in their
quarter final, the crew is pleased with their result, coming in the
top 24 of 72 crews, fantastic considering the cards they were
dealt. Mt Maunganui ladies showed promise but were knocked out
after the three round robin races.
Horse had the following to say about the weekend "Piha A Crew
boys did all this in a trip they organised themselves with
fantastic support and sponsorship from Bill and David - from Autex
" Greenstuff " and used a borrowed boat (Thanks Scotty from Jan Juc
and Westpac) borrowed Oars and hired a car for the drive up and
back.. and it's not a bad effort. Hard to repeat that weekend."
Piha A will again attempt to beat the Australians when they
attend the Australian Surf Life Saving Nationals at the end of the
season. All the best to Horse and his crew!
