Lifeguard success

Press, 9 March 1987, Page 26

Lifeguard success

PA New Plymouth South Brighton women snatched their fifth successive sixth-place rescue and resuscitation title at the national inter-club lifeguard championships at Oakura Beach on Saturday., The South Brighton A team took the gold medal with 4.00 deductions ahead of Taranaki’s East End A (5.16) and New Plymouth Old Boys’ (7.30). The Canterbury Club has won the title seven times out of the last eight years and in the 1960 s held the championship for six years in a row. The six-jjlace was one of the first finals contested at the Westpac championships yesterday and emphasised Taranaki and Canterbury women lifeguards’ strengths.

East End’s Sheryl George won her first medal of the championships in the women’s board race final. She took the silver behind United’s Kara Webber who retained the title she won at Gisborne last year. A national representative to Australia, Janene Southgate (Otaki), finished third. George then drew the belt in the East End six-place team and finished with another silver medal from the morning competition. Waikanae’s Liz Blencowe blitzed the women’s ski field to win her fifth title. On the last leg returning to the beach, the former Australian kayak representative was 40 metres ahead of Lisa Armitage (Sunset Beach) and Otaki’s Kathy Tracey.

East End women’s success continued with a silver medal in the tube rescue for Philippa Fairclough and Sonia O’Connell. The event was won by South Brighton’s Joan Bishop and Shelley Pemberton with United’s Teresa Stanley and Andrea McKendry third.