Surf lifesaving's new breed have their first big chance to
impress at the Eastern Regional championships in Mount Maunganui
this weekend.
The two-day ERCs carnival doubles as the third round of the new
Sonic series, with athletes like 17-year-old Mairangi Bay ironwoman
Danielle Mckenzie eager to capitise on a fast start to her
season.
Mckenzie leads the open women's board series and lies second in
the ironwoman behind clubmate Madison Boon, although the pair face
arguably the strongest ironwoman field assembled in New Zealand for
several seasons this weekend.
"The Sonic series prompted me to enter the open races this year,
which I wouldn't have considered doing previously," Mckenzie, who
is also a New Zealand agegroup triathlon champion, said. "I
surprised myself with my achievements in the first few races and
having had a podium finish previously, I'm keen to do that again
this weekend.
As well as Boon, Mckenzie's competition will come from current
national ironwoman champion Aimee Berridge (Mount Maunganui), as
well as previous national titleholders Nikki Cox (Westshore) and
Orewa's Rachel Clarke, who has just finished a stint at Police
College.
Mckenzie and fellow 17-year-old Natalie Peat (Papamoa) lead the
teenage charge, along with Mount Maunganui's Jess Miller, Lyall
Bay's Brooke Watt and Piha's Kirsty Wannan. Also in the
quality field are current New Zealand team member Ayla
Dunlop-Barrett (New Plymouth Old Boys), French star Emmanuelle
Bescheron and her Mount Maunganui teammate Johanna O'Connor.
Rangitoto College schoolgirl Mckenzie, who will also compete in
the under-19 division, has had a busy schedule ahead too, competing
in the Kinloch sprint triathlon next weekend, followed by the Lion
Foundation New Zealand Surf League the weekend after.
"Luckily triathlon races and surf lifesaving are on alternate
weekends this year - I manage to juggle both and because I have
already qualified for the world agegroup triathlon championships
later this year, I've been able to concentrate more on my surf. My
ultimate goal for the year is to make the New Zealand under-20 team
for the world surf lifesaving championships in November."
The Sonic series features five rounds of racing in iron, board,
ski, swim, sprint and flags, with the top-10 ironmen and women
having a bonus grand final round during the Oceans 12 event in
Mount Maunganui in late February.
The ERCs are the second-biggest carnival of the season, behind
the national championships, with more than 900 athletes expected to
compete in Mount Maunganui, across beach, craft, canoe and surf
boat events.
Another teenager, 17-year-old Midway prodigy Cory Taylor,
currently leads the ironman series after a fourth in Whangamata and
a win at the Central Regional championships in Taranaki a fortnight
ago. New Zealand team veteran Glenn Anderson (NPOB) is
second, although an influx of Australian-based athletes will add
huge interest.
Mike Janes (Midway), Max Beattie (Omanu), Daniel Nelson (East
End) and current national champion Chris Moors (Red Beach) are all
heading back from their Gold Coast bases, with Moors also looking
to defend the ERC ironman title he won last year.
There's also a long-awaited battle on the beach, with national
schoolboy sprint champion Kodi Harman (Papamoa) competing against
current world flags champion Paul Cracroft-Wilson (Fitzroy) and
evergreen South Brighton star Morgan Foster.
The carnival gets underway at 7.45am on Mount Maunganui's Main
Beach tomorrow, with the same start time for Sunday's racing.
Mairangi Bay teenager Danielle
Mckenzie has been juggling surf lifesaving and triathlon
commitments this
season and will look to take another step up at this weekend's
Eastern Regional championships in Mount Maunganui.
Photo taken by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Journalism.
