BEST IN N.Z. COMPETE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 58, Issue 4106, 28 February 1949, Page 5

BEST IN N.Z. COMPETE

SPLENDID SIGHT

LIFE SAVING EVENTS CHAMPIONS OF THE SURF HUGH CROWD AT WAIHI BEACH Waihi Beach was the venue for probably the largest crowd ever steen there when the finals of the 1949 national championships of the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Association were held on Sunday afternoon. Some 400 competitors, representing life saving teams from nearly every surf beach in New Zealand, took part in this three-day programme which commenced on Friday, February 25, and concluded on Sunday afternoon. The weather for the whole time was perfect—perhaps even a little too perfect, as the surf was not quite up to standard.

On Friday afternoon a warm welcome was extended to teams, officials and spectators, by the mayor of Waihi, Mr H. J. Pickett, who paid a tribute to the constant vigilance and training of Waihi and other surf club members and officials.

Mr F. Doidge, M.P., who was introduced on Saturday by the president <rf the Waihi club, Mr‘S. Bonnici, congratulated the surf clubs on their fine display and spoke highly of the physique of the competitors. He said he bad been in conversation with some visiting Australians who had declared that they had not seen anything in Australia to equal this week-end' performance at Waihi beach.

Mr Pickett endorsed his previous remarks of ■welcome on Sunday afternoon and added a special “ thank you ” to the St. John Ambulance Association members who had been on constant duty throughout the three days, having treated some 26 patients dur4ng that time. He apologised for the absence of Hon. W. E. Parry and Mr Doidge.

The dominion president, Mr A. Gardner,’ said that the humanitarian and self-appointed job which the life savers were endeavouring to carry out was both for the benefit of the public and for their own pleasure. 4i If, by carrying out this job, we are making our beaches safer and our country happier, we are amply repaid for our toil long hours we put into our training,” he said. Particular mention was made of the many club members who had been left behind to keep the beaches of New Zealand patrolled while the championships were being held.

The fact that the championships actually cost about £2600 and that each individual competitor paid his or her own expenses, were points made by Mr Bonnici. Contributions were called for from the public and altogether a record sum of £250 was raised.

A feature of the Sunday afternoon programme was the combined march past for which the Waihi Federal Band supplied the music. With flags flying, and clad in their colourful costxAnes, the members of 23 teams paraded before the public, while camera* clicked and the spectators responded with loud applause. Later in the afternoon the trophies were presented by Mr Gardner.

Dances were held in the Waihi Beach Cabaret on both Friday and Saturday nights, while on Sunday a social was held in the clubhouse and a colour film of the swimming and diving events at the recent Olympic games was shown on the beach.

The officials for the championship were: Referee, Mr B. J. Mclvor; marshal, Mr W. V. Griffen; assistant marshal, Mr A. Faulkner; starter, Mr C Coleman; assistant starter, Mr A. Veart; computing steward, Mr J. Roberts; chief timekeeper, Mr W. J. Mowtell; judges’ steward, Mr N. A. Ingram; judges, appointed by national board; announcer, Mr E. Stevens; re- , ferees’ steward, Mr F. Langley; mar- ) shals’ steward, Mr E. G. Brown; check starter, Mr N. Galbraith; peg stewards, one appointed by Auckland and Mr J. Cornthwaite; cap stewards, Messrs Rosborough and Bigwood; call stewards, Messrs D. Hunter, J. O’Shea snr., S. Bonnici and Mrs J. Veart; judges’ boat stewards, Messrs A. Leach and H. A. Pipe; beach events controller, Mr H. Way; beach events judges, Messrs O. Pettit and G. Bonnici; timekeepers, Messrs D. Thomson, G. Pennell, J. R. Berryman, K. Gardiner; timekeepers’ steward, Mr D. Bonnici; arena supervisor, Mr E. D. McLeay; programme check official, Mr H. L. Boughton; championship secretary, A. H. Valentine (Waihi Surf i-and. Life Saving Club).

Detailed results of the various events were as follow:— New Zealand four man alarm championship, senior (total points 70) — First heat: Island Bay, 64.66, 1; Takapuna, 64.35, 2; North Beach, 63.70, 3. Second heat: New Brighton, 64.48, 1; Maranui, 63.73, 2; Lyall Bay, 63.15, 3. Third heat: New Plymouth Old Boys, 62.16, 1; Paekakariki, 61.51, 2; Mt. Maunganui, 60.90, 3. Fourth heat: Waitemata, 62.80, 1; Eastern United, 61.83, 2; East Epd, 57.65. Final: Waitemata, 64.50, 1; New Brighton, 63.48, 2; Island Bay. 61.11, 3. Junior—First heat: New Brighton, 62.73, 1; East End and North Beach, 61.30, equal 2. Secopd heat: Maranui, 62.01, 1; Lyall Bay, 59.45, 2, Opunake, 58.78, 3. Final: Lyall Bay, 66.20, 1; New Brighton, 32.03, 2; North Beach, 61.85, 3.

New Zealand Rescue and Resuscitation Championship, senior (total points 80) —First heat: South Brighton, 72.81, 1; Waitemata, 67.80, 2; Eastern United, 63.90, 3. Second heat: New Brighton, 73.33, 1; New Plymouth Old Boys, 66.36, 2; Lyall Bay, 66.30, 3. Third heat: Maranui, 71.90, 1; Paekakariki,- 67.53, 2; Takapuna, 67.43, 3. Final: New Brighton, 72.25, 1; Maranui, 72.20, 2; Paekakariki, 70.31, 3. Junior —First heat: South New Brighton, 71.90, 1; Maranui, 71.70, 2; New Brighton, 67.70, 3. Second heat: North Beach, 68.53, 1; Opunake, 68.08, 2; East End, 61.35, 3. Final: South Brighton, 69.20, 1; Opunake, 65.06, 2; North Beach, 61.88, 3.

New Zealand beltman’s championship (senior) —First heat: J. Clark (Maranui), 3min. 18sec., 1; D. Evans (Maranui), 3min. 27sec., 2; J. Watt (Lyall Bay), 3min. 30sec., 3. Second heat: H. Goldsmith (Taylor’s Mistake), 3min. 40sec., 1; I. Russell (New Plymouth Old Boys), 3min. 52sec., 2; M. C. Fearon (South New Brighton), 3min. 58sec., 3. Third heat: B. C. Chambers (New Brighton), 3min. 14 sec. 1; 0. Smith (Paekakariki), 3min. 32sec., 2; R. Kennedy (North Beach), 3min. 33sec., 3. Fourth heat: A. N. Chambers (New Brighton), 3min. 16 1- 1; J. Cameron (Taylor’s Mistake), 3min. 24sec., 2; S. Savage (Waitemata), 3min. .33 2-ssec., 3. Final: J. Clark, 2min. 27 2-ssec., 1; A. N. Chambers, 2min. 29sec., 2; C. Chambers, y2min, 48sec., 3. Junior— First heat: M. Haxton (Maranui), 3 min. 24 4-ssec., 1; D. Laing (Waitara), 2; M. Tait (Waitemata), 3. Second heat: J. Ryan (Lyall Bay, 3min. 26 21; A. Bates (Mt. Maunganui), 2; P. Burtt (Maranui), 3. Third heat: D. McLeay (Waihi), 3min, 22 l-ssec., 1; J. Mazzoleni (Waitemata), 2; J. Powell (Fitzroy), 3. Fourth heat: P. Bevan (Piha), 3min. 7 1-5 sec., 1; N. Schou (South New Brighton), 2; A. Moore (North Beach), 3. Final: J. Clark (Lyall Bay), 1; D. McLeay (Waihi), 2; M. Haxton (Maranui), 3.

New Zealand surf teams championship and individual surf race champion, senior, individuals: N. C. Chambers (New Brighton), 1; C. Chambers (New Brighton), 2; J. T. Clark (Maranui), 3. Teams: New Brighton 1, Karekare, 2; Lyall Bay, 3. Junior: F. Lucas (Piha), 1; P. McNally (South New Brighton), 2; P. Bevan (Piha), 3. Teams: Piha, 1; South New Brighton, 2; Maranui, 3.

New Zealand march past championships, senior: Maranui 1, South New Brighton 2, Lyall Bay 3. Junior: Maranui 1, Opunake 2, Island Bay 3. New Zealand teams surf ski, championship—First heat: Maranui 1, Piha and North Beach equal 2. Second heat: Waihi A 1; North Beach B 2. Final: Maranui 1; North Beach 2; Piha 3.

New Zealand individual surf ski championship—First heat: D. McLeay (Waihi), 1; J. Walsh (Waitemata), 2. Second heat: J. Thompson (North Beach), 1; T. Magee (Mount Maunganui), 2. Third heat: D. Wright XPiha), 1. Fourth heat: P. Bevan (Piha), 1. Final: D. Wright (Pi>.a), 1; J. Thompson (North Beach). 2; D. McLeay (Waihi), 3.

* Beach relay championship — First heat: Eastern United, 1; Takapuna, 2. Second heat: Maranui 1, New Plymouth Old Boys 2. Third heat: Paekakariki, 1; New Brighton, 2. Final: Maranui 1-

One hundred yards, beach championship—First heat: I. Davison (North Beach), 11 2-ssec., 1; J. Hulme (New Brighton), 2. Second heat: J. Morwood (East end), 12sec., 1; G. Edwards (Takapuna), 2. Third heat: S. Bright (Maranui), 12sec., 1; R. Evans (Foxton), 2. Fourth heat: L. Jackson (Maranui), 11 l-ssec., 1; G. Brown (New Plymouth Old Boys), 2. Final: I. Davison. North Beach, 1. Resuscitation championship (best

resuscitator in all events): M. Fearon (South New Brighton), 1. New Zealand ladies’ four-man alarm championship: Wellington ladies, 63.68, 1; Milford girls, 60.55, 2; Fitzroy, 5?.91, 3,