Winners: Gracey Monteith and Charlotte Haskell celebrate. The pair are part of the Piha open women’s team that took out the long course boat event at the nationals. Photos: JAMIE TROUGHTON/DSCRIBE MEDIA SERVICES
Three Piha surf lifesavers have been named in the national high performance squads.
Teneale Hatton is selected in the open squad for 2015-16, while Ryan Gilmour and Hannah Williams are named in the development squad. The squad was announced at the end of the New Zealand surf lifesaving championships in Gisborne from March 13 to 15. World champion kayaker Hatton won the board rescue with Williams and they came second in the double ski. She was also in the Piha Black team that took out the team relay.
The club’s open men’s boat team also did well, taking out the final of the short course and coming second in the long course. Crewman Ludovik Bourneville won his first open title as part of the crew. ‘‘They asked me three weeks ago ‘how fit can you get – we need you in the boat’,’’ he says. ‘‘I was overseas for half of the season and missed the New Zealand crew selection but it was such a sweet feeling running through the flags.’’
Piha Surf Lifesaving Club placings at the New Zealand surf lifesaving championship, March 13-15:
Open men: First in the boat short course and 2km run, second in the boat long course, and third in the surf teams race.
Open women: First in the board rescue, ski relay and boat long course, second in the double ski, and third in the tube rescue, surf teams race and boat long course.
U19 men: Third in the beach relay.
U19 women: First in the ironman and second in the surf teams race and board race.
U16 men: First in the beach sprint and beach relay.