Surf Life Saving Waimairi Makes Clean Sweep At Canterbury Championships

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 5

Surf Life Saving Waimairi Makes Clean Sweep At Canterbury Championships

A sensational performance by members of the Waimairi club in the Canterbury surf-Life-saving Association’s first championship carnival, held yesterday at New Brighton, has already made it a firm favourite for this season’s championship pennant. The club, which won the Canterbury cliampionship pennant last season, had an unprecedented lead of 18 points over its closest rival when the carnival ended. Almost every main event on the comprehensive programme was won by a Waimairi member or a Waimairi team.

However, there are still three championship carnivals to be contested this season, and although Waimairi has a vast lead the straggle for provincial surfing supremacy is by no means decided. Provincial points for the Canterbury championship pennant are:—Waimairi 21, North Beach 3, Sumner 3, Taylor’s Mistake 3, New Brighton 0, South Brighton 0. Conditions were fairly moderate for the carnival, and, in spite of a slight drift southwards in the afternoon, few of the swimmers misjudged their courses. Surf ski, paddle board, boat and canoe exponents, on the other hand, had numerous unexpected spills, many of them caused by the sea breaking right on the line of buoys. In the main event on the programme, the senior-four-mian alarm championship for the Sumner Cup, Waimairi B scared a very convincing win with a deduction - of only 3.95 points. The club, which has never before won this event, also gained third place with its A team. Taylor’s Mistake was second with a deduction of 4.7 points. South Brighton, which won the event last season, was not placed. Waimairi again dominated the junior four-man al aim championship, taking both first and second places. Waimairi A won with a deduction of 5.5 points, and Waimairi B was second with a deduction of 6.15 points. North Beach was third. Surprise of the day was the brilliant performance of N. Stevens (Waimairi), in the senior surf ski rescue championship. Stevens, racing against several former titleholders, including D. Quane (Sumner), who won the event last season, took the lead almost right from the start, and after an exciting tussle with R. Dalton (North Beach) ait the buoys, won by 20 yards. Dalton was second, and K. McDonald (Sumner) was third. The junior surf ski championship was one of the closest and most exciting events of the day. H. McDowell (Waimairi) capsized his ski four times, but managed to cross the finishing line inches ahead of G. Marshall (Sumner). Marshall and McDowell changed positions numerous times and even when they had finished spectators were unable to decide who had won until the

official announcement was made. As usual, the march-past of teams was the spectacle of the programme. Fifteen teams competed in the championship, which will be decided over four marches held at the championship carnivals. Yesterday New Brighton was placed first in both the senior and junior sections. The women's section was won by South Brighton B. South Brighton A very comfortably won the women’s four-man alarm championship for the Te Onopoto Shield, held by Taylor’s Mistake last seas n. The South Brighton team’s drill was practically perfect, and it had the extremely low deduction of 2.85 points. Waimairi A was second with a deduction of 4.7 points. New Brighton launched its new surf boat for the first time at the carnival, and later in the day club members rowed it in the senior and junior boat race championships, but with only moderate success. In the junior race, the new boat, which was completed on Saturday and replaces Jamaica Joe, overturned. throwing the five-man crew out. It finished second in the senior event, but with only four of its five-man crew left on board. The senior boat race was won by New Brighton’s other surf boat, Nu Soy. Taylor’s Mistake's Steinie was third. Taylor’s Mistake won the junior event, with Nu Soy taking second place. Both races for the junior and senior canoe race championship were won by Waimairi. The junior crew won as it liked, but the senior crew had to fight all the way with Sumner, and won by about five yards. Waimairi is the present holder of the E. C. Gough Cup for the senior canoe title. Results were:— Senior Event! Four-man Alarm Championship (Sumner Cup).—First heat: Taylor's Mistake A. 3.9 points lost, 1; South Brighton C, 6.4, 2; Waimairi A. 7.65 3. Second heat: Waimairi B, 3.95, 1; South Brighton B. 4.1, 2; New Brighton, 5.3, 3. Final: Waimairi B, 3.95, 1; Taylor's Mistake A. 4.7, 2; Waimairi A, 5.25. 3. Six-man Rescue and Resuscitation (non-championship). South Brighton A. 4.15 points lost, 1; Taylor’s Mistake B. 10.85, 2; Waimairi 11, 3. Surf Ski Rescue Championship.—First heat: P. Sutherland (Sumner) 1, R. Ealam (Waimairi) 2, I. Graham (Waimairi) 3. Second heat: R. Dalton (North 1 1 IVf (Snmnprl 2

D. Quane (Sumner) 3. Third heat: K. McDonald (Sumner) L M. Stevens (Waimairi) 2. Fourth heat: T. Stephens (Waimairi) I P. Breach (New Brighton) 2. Final: M. Stevens (Waimairi), 1, R. Dalton (North Beach) 2. K. McDonald (Sumner) 3. March-past Championship (Walker and Hall Trophy).— New Brighton. 1.03 points lost, .1; South Brighton, 1.13 2; Waimairi, 1.3. 3. Canoe Race Championship (first race). —Waimairi 1, Sumner 2, South Brighton 3. Boat Race Championship (first race).—New Brighton’s Nu-Soy 1 New Brighton B 2, Taylor's Mistake Steinie 3. Paddle Board Race (nonchampionship for senior and juniors combined).—K. McDonald (Sumner 1. D. Quane (Sumner) 2. Junior Events Four-man Alarm Championship (Wallace Cup).—First neat: Waimairi B, 5.85 points lost, 1; North Beach B, 7.5. 2; Taylor’s Mistake C 8.75, 3. Second heat: Taylor’s Mistake B. 5.2, 1; Taylor's Mistake A, 6,2; Waimairi A. 7.1, 3. Final: Waimairi A. 5.5, 1; Waimairi B. 6.15. 2; North Beach B, 6.9, 3. Surf Ski Championship.—First heat: R. McDowell (Waimairi) 1. T. Clews (Sumner) 2, L. McIntosh (North Beach) 3. Second heat: P. Stephens (Waimairi) 1, T. Jay (Waimairi) 2. G. Marshall (Sumner) 3. Final: R. McDowell (Waimairi) 1 G. Marshall (Sumner) 2, P. Stephens (Waimairi) 3. March-past Championship (first march for New Brighton Jubilee Cup).—New Brighton, lk3 points lost, 1; Waimairi, 1.44, 2; Sumner and North Beach, 1.61, (equal) 3. Surf Race (non-champlonshlp) —G. Stringer (Waimairi) 1, L. Mclntosh (North Beach) 2. A. Harrow (Taylor’s Mistake) 3. Canoe Race Championship (first race) .—Waimairi 1 North Beach 2, Taylor's Mistake 3. Boat Race Championship (first race).—Taylor's Mistake 1, New Brighton’s Nu-Soy 2 New Brighton B 3. Women’s Events Four-man alarm championship (Te Onopoto Shield).— Final: South Brighton A, 2.85 points lost, 1; Waimairi A, 4.7, 2; Taylor’s Mistake A and South Brighton B, 6.8. (equal) 3. March-past Championship (first match).—South Brighton B, 1.25 points lost, 1: Waimairi, 1.42, 2; Taylor’s Mistake, 1.55. 3.