On Saturday 10th September Sunset Beach Lifeguards competed in the 90 Mile Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) Classic. For the third year in a row they were the top club out of 14 from all over New Zealand. This is a really hard, physically challenging and gruelling race.
Starting at Scott’s point the boats travel parallel to the shore and within the surf break, to the first rally point, Matapia Island. Usually the teams drive out and around the Island but the seas were too big this year, so they did a loop back to the start then travelled to the second rally point at the Bluff.
At the Bluff, they have to pick up their boats and carry them across the sand spit, 500m, refuel and then travel to the third rally point, Huketere. Here, two of the crew run 2km to the top of the hill, the third refuels then they travel to the 4th rally point, Waipapakauri. While one crew member refuels for the third time, the other two carry the motor (in some cases just one person carries it) around a check point and then back to the boat. The teams then travel to the finish.
Following the teams along the beach are the support crews with the petrol for refuelling, tools in case they break down and in some cases a spare motor.
The teams would like to thank all of the support crews, the Sunset Beach Lifesaving Club for their support and the coach and team captain Shane Edwards. “The crews have trained all winter and have got the rewards for their hard work. With the volunteer lifeguard season starting Labour weekend, our crews are well ready to face the upcoming summer, saving lives on the beach”, Shane Edwards
Sunset Beach Results
1st The Milk Men - Lewis Powell, Josh Andrews and Finbar Culley 2:32:13 2nd Sunset A - Shane Edwards, Mark Edwards and Hogan Shrimpton 2:32:32 4th Wet Wedges - Taylor Shrimpton, Jacob Pullen and Mikey Waldegrave 2:50:46 13th Are We There Yet - Glen Richards, Anton Baptist and Flynn Avery 3:14:52
Club Points
Sunset Beach 431
Bethels Beach 224
Mairangi Bay 160
St Clair 126
Brighton 116
Omaha 86
Kariaotahi 85
Far North 80
Worser Bay 75
United North Piha 60
Otaki 58
New Plymoth Old Boys 52
Piha 34
Opunake 3