Athletes from Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services have returned from the Aon New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Championships with strong performances, securing podium finishes and gaining valuable experience after four days of intense competition at Midway Beach, Gisborne, from March 6-9.
Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services has been protecting the local community and training highly skilled lifeguards for over 90 years. The club’s athletes are not only competitors but also dedicated volunteer lifeguards, committed to ensuring beachgoers’ safety year-round.
The club fielded a 14-strong Senior team, two Masters competitors, and an Under-23 Male Surf Boat crew consisting of six athletes. The surf boat team delivered an outstanding result, earning a bronze medal in the Short Course event and finishing third overall in the New Zealand Surf Boat Series.
The crew included a strong local presence, featuring Aidan and Luke Butler, both current students at Waihī College, alongside Rian Butler (Waihī College alumni), Will Murphy (from Waikino), Jack Harray (Head Boy at Katikati College), and Nick Wagstaff (Katikati College alumni). Their success capped off a consistent season, with the bronze medal awarded based on their top three performances across the four-event series.
The Senior team also impressed, with multiple athletes reaching semi-finals and finals against some of the nation’s best lifeguards. Meanwhile, the Masters competitors demonstrated their expertise, securing individual national titles.
Many of the club’s athletes are either current students or alumni of Waihī College and Katikati College, reflecting the strength of Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services’ youth development programme.
“We’re incredibly proud of how our athletes performed,” said Aron May, Senior Sport Squad Team Manager and Masters competitor. “They showed grit, resilience, and sportsmanship across all four days of racing. Every athlete represented the club with pride, and our blue and white colours were a familiar sight in finals arenas throughout the weekend.”
With the competition season now concluding, the club’s focus shifts to off-season training and continued beach patrols to ensure the safety of the Waihī Beach community.
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