Surf Life Saving Championships

About once every seven years, the New Zealand Surf Life Saving Championships come to Gisborne. Probably nobody has a record of how often a nasty southerly blows into the bay for the customary three or four days, but in summer it's not that often.

And yet, so unlucky are local surfers that last weekend the improbable happened again. The championships arrived at the same time as the southerly, as they did seven years ago.

Six hundred surfers, girls and young fellows, and scores of devoted officials did their best in the teeth of the gale, while on Sunday several thousand spectators crowded Waikanae Beach in spite of the unpleasant conditions.

They saw a display of grit and determination barely concealing the chattering of teeth and uncontrollable shuddering of contestants as they fought their way through a day-long programme of championship events. Some of the rescue performances had a flavour of the real thing. St. John Ambulance personnel treated nearly 100 cases on Sunday, many for physical and nervous exhaustion.

In March Past, Gisborne Ladies scored second place in Women's Championship.
Bitter Winds Blew On The

The Waikanae A team in the premier event, the Six Man Rescue and Resuscitation Championship. They came third, were in a position to win but for one bad mistake. From left: G. Thompson, R. O'Brien, B. Adams, B. McLean, R. McLean and O. Green.

South Brighton, who dominated the championships. They won the aggregate with 17 points (Lyall Bay J4, Waikanae 13), won the Six-Man R.&R. Championship, and the ladies' Six-Man and Four-Man events, the senior surf teams' race and the senior beltman's race.

The final surf boat race viewed from the pavilion.

Jim McLean (Waikanae) won junior North South Race and was third in Junior Individual Surf Race.

Girls line up for the start of their surf race.

Gisborne Ladies scored a second in the Four-Man Alarm event. Here Pat Mountford, Elaine Watson and Shirley Jones (obscured) carry patient Bev. Timms up the beach.

Pat Mountford, of Gisborne Ladies, working the reel during one of the' women's events on Sunday afternoon. The storm-coated judges at rear are graphic illustration of the grim weather conditions encountered.

The big surf- boats were a novelty for Gisborne watchers, and they provided plenty of thrills on the Sunday afternoon. One of the boats, fully manned, is seen here as it smacks into a breaker on the way out.

A thrilling finish in one of the surf board events.

The canoe section also provided plenty of thrills in the rough conditions. Two competitors in a race are seen here making their way in the general direction of Young Nick's Head.

Last year's winner of the Junior Individual Surf Race Championship, B. Crowder, Maranui, who this year annexed the senior title.

Barry McLean (centre) won third place in Senior Beltman's Race for Waikanae.

What might be termed the second top honour of the contest was won by Waikanae when it annexed the Senior 4-Man Alarm title. Left to right: D. Lament, B. McLean, R. O'Brien, P. Gregory.

One of the lighter moments—a bevy of South Brighton girls hustle an anonymous male (a judge, or a coach, or maybe just a boy-friend) down to the beach for a ducking.

In the premier event, the Six-Man R. & R., contestants had to fight a severe rip, and two or three of the teams had to bring up additional reels to provide beltmen with more rope. Here Barry McLean, a top surfer, who drew the reel position in Waikanae's team, keeps a watchful eye on the complicated position, as the line was fed into the churning surf "down-beach", while the beltmen returned to shore at a 60-degree angle "upbeach".

The McLean brothers hurry on with the new reel.

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The Gisborne Photo News

No 68 : February 25, 1960

Surf Life Saving Championships