All cut and dried at Taylors Mistake?

Press, 11 February 1983, Page 17

All cut and dried at Taylors Mistake?

BY

RAY CAIRNS

It's that time of the summer again, when the various surf lifesaving clubs who consider they still have chances of winning the overall championship pennant, sit down with pen and paper and prognosticate on likely events at Taylors Mistake.

The Jim Beam carnival on Sunday, known far and wide as "K" Day, presents that opportunity again, but just as it was last season, the result does seem fairly clearcut. New Brighton was the winner from Waimairi last season, by a handsome 33 points, and Taylors Mistake was only fourth, behind also South Brighton. But the host club for the final carnival is set to return to the top of the pile and perhaps by as much as 40 points, with Waimairi and South Brighton again in close contention for second and third. And the answers for these rather dramatic reversals of form and results lie squarely in the court of the juniors. Last season. New Brighton scored a walloping 138 points, the indications are that it will be something around 90 fewer this season with so many of those outstanding juniors now seniors. Taylors Mistake, conversely, seems sure to score 70 points or more better than last season, with South Brighton also dropping away to the tune of about 40 points.

There is also an interesting state of affairs in the women's grade. where

Waimairi is sure to be top club. It has scored a shade better than last season, while South Brighton will gain 30■odd points from New Brighton.

Not all this means that travelling over the hill to Taylors Mistake will be a waste of time, of course, for some of the most soughtafter titles are those at stake in the final championship carnival. The surf races always loom large in the public eye, for the sport,after all, is all about an ability to swim in the surf. And predictions are perhaps even more difficult than usual. In the senior race, for example there is the titleholder, Chris Ellis (Waikuku Beach), on one hand, and the former junior champion, Lachie Marshall (New Brighton), on the other. Ellis has rich current form; but Marshall has an equally sparkling record when it comes to the surf race finals. Challenging them are the two former champions. John Dimick (Taylors Mistake) and Geoff Walker (Waimairi), and the likes of Grant Gillard (Waikuku Beach) and Nigel Ward (New Brighton). Gary Connor (Waikuku Beach), third last year, faces a very strong challenge from lan MacDonald (Taylors Mistake), who chased him home

on that occasion. And that is no way he can ignore either Martin or Antony Beks (South Brighton), and Peter Alexander (North Beach) always commands respect. the women's surf race situation is even more complicated. Janice Murdoch (the title-holder), Melanie Jones. Gill Smeith — all of Waimairi — and Teresa Stanley (Taylors Mistake) have ’ all won individual qualifying races this season, and Stanley added the South Island title. It is rather easier to suggest • that Sonia O'Connell (Waimairi) and Andrea McKendry (New Brighton) should be among the placings; they have been the most consistent of all. That strength in depth points to Waimairi winning the surf relay race, but it did so last year as well, and then New Brighton came through on the waves. They will be the leading contenders again; South Brighton's juniors will face their main challenges from North Beach and Taylors Mistake; and everything points to New Brighton and Waikuku Beach battling out the senior relay. But Waimairi often responds with a decent performance, and so does South Brighton. The other key finals are the canoe races and ski races, senior and junior.

Waimairi won both canoe finals last season, but North Beach has generally been the master this season, with New Brighton (juniors) and Taylors Mistake (seniors) most likely to chase them along. Walker is not likely to be beaten in the senior ski except by a wave, but there is a more interesting situation among the juniors, with David Hill commanding new respect after'his South Island title win. The boat races series are taken to their logical conclusions. with North Beach A having already won both the senior and junior grades. North Beach B holds a decisive lead over South Brighton in the senior grade, while Waikuku Beach will be second in the junior grade. Though Taylors Mistake has already won the junior march past series, almost certainly from North Beach and New Brighton in that order, things are much more interesting in the senior and women’s grades. Taylors Mistake and South Brigthon lead the senior grade, but only by two points from North Beach with New Brighton another five points back. South Brighton leads Waimairi A in the women's grade by a point and a half; New Brighton will be third. Finally, for the sake of the record, a speculation on the final leading points. - Taylors Mistake. 208, Waimairi 168, South Brighton 162. North Beach 117. New Brighton 108. Waikuku Beach 89.