Humer rules waves

Press, 9 February 1989, Page 25

Humer rules waves

When a surf is running, there is not a great deal certain about surf lifesaving. But the one certainty of the Lion Red Canterbury championships, which are at South Brighton this week-end, is that the host club will wind up the champion club. South Brighton has run a vigorous recruiting programme in the past year or two and the latest catch, as its coaching director, is the New Zealand captain, Lars Humer. As well as those obvious benefits, Humer should also gather a rich haul of wins and placings, especially in the iron man and malibu board, and a variety of swimming events. That is not to say the variously-talented Humer will not be without opposition. In the multi-discipline events, his club-mates, John Creighton, especially, Paul Bethell and Geoff Barry, will throw out respectable challenges, and in the swimming area, Aaron Davis and Andrew Hamilton will join Bethell as leading contenders. South Brighton has also had a morale-boosting win this season over Taylor’s Mistake in six-man rescue and resuscitation, but it is a strange fact of life that while South Brighton frequently has the beating of the other in South Island competition, it is Taylor’s Mistake which triumphs at the national level. Another area in which South Brighton has exercised a useful dominance this season is in the surf boat, and

it has a marked edge on North Beach A, which has ruled that arena for most of the 1980 s.

For several seasons too, South Brighton has been able to look confidently to its Anthony Dorreen winning the open beach sprint. But that particular reign is under serious threat from the outstanding Waimairi junior, Craig Beecroft, also the national champion, who is seeking a double hat-trick in the various beach events.

The seriousness with which Geoff Walker, of Waimairi, is approaching the task of defending his three national titles was reflected in his programme on “K” Day. Walker was busy racing in iron man, malibu board and swimming events that day — events he has long discarded from his usual programme, but obviously designed to supplement his fitness. The Canterbury representative, Andrew Bell (Taylor’s Mistake), will start the favourite in the junior swimming events, especially with the valuable experience he gained against Victoria, but Glen Schrader (New Brighton) should be a serious challenger, as should Jason Power (South Brighton). Jacob Lane (Taylor’s Mistake) has a sound background on craft and in iron man competition, but given his relative weakness in swimming, will be casting a worried eye in the direction of the 15-year-old James Worthington (South Brighton).

South Brighton has a marked edge over Taylor’s Mistake and an all-girls Waikuku Beach team in sixplace competition, while Beecroft will probably be threatened only by Leigh Jenkins (South Brighton) in the junior beach events.

The most difficult of all areas to predict in the junor ranks is the surf boat racing. North Beach, South Brighton and New Brighton, in no particular order, have all had their moments this season. The same cannot be said of the canoe events, where Waimairi has been some distance ahead of all other competition. So has Lisa Smith (South Brighton) in the women’s beach sprints, but even she might have problems anchoring South Brighton to keep in touch with North Beach in the beach relay. Day in, day out, Joanne Stevens (Waimairi) has been the most consistent of the women surf ski paddlers, but Sue Stowell, also of Waimairi, has been closing the gap all the time and Melanie Burchett (North Beach) cannot be overlooked, nor can Megan Waru (Taylor’s Mistake). While Nick! Chambers (Waimairi) was the national representative in the surf race last month, she will not want for competition, especially from a club-mate, Jan Bone, the national champion, and Julianne Dalton (South Brighton). Competition starts both days at 8.30 a.m.