Surf Lifesaving: Impressive results at Surf Club Nationals

Paul Meuli

More than 1400 senior level athletes from 44 surf clubs around the country contested this season’s Aon Insurance 2026 Surf Lifesaving Nationals at Ohope Beach, near Whakatane, over four days ending on Sunday 8 March.

Title holders Omanu (Bay of Plenty), took out first place once more, amassing 550 competition points followed again by Taranaki’s top club East End in second place with 346 points.

Mairangi Bay secured third place with 328 points, pushing Mount Maunganui into fourth place on 269 points. 

Midway (Gisborne) were fifth with 165 points.

For East End, their second placing is the third occasion in the last four seasons that the club has finished as runner-up, which reflects well on the efforts of Head Coach Joel Meuli, who last year won the Surf Lifesaving NZ coach of the year award.

Of the other Taranaki clubs, Fitzroy claimed ninth place (up from 13th in 2025 and 17th in 2024) with 83 competition points while Opunake finished 23rd with 17 points.

A very young NPOB team, back at the Nationals for the first time since 2024, secured three competition points to claim 37th place. Fitzroy’s return to the top ten is a credit to their Head Coach Zac Reid for the successful rebuilding programme he has overseen in recent years.

Leading the way again for Fitzroy was Joe Collins, whose substantial collection of medals saw him claim the top performer award for the open men’s category. His biggest highlight was beating his fierce rival, and defending champion, Cory Taylor (Midway) in the blue ribband open men’s ironman final in a thrilling finish.

Amongst all his other successes, Joe combined with under 19 male competitor Asher Hales to secure a dominant win in the open men’s board relay final. Beach event specialist Charlize Duncan was Fitzroy’s other star performer.

Top female performers for East End across individual and team events were multiple medallists Claudia Kelly, Tara Shotter, Freya Stolte, Vivienne Hale and Julia Padrutt. 

Among East End’s male competitors, the leading medallists were Jackson Rowlands, Chris Callebaut and Max Cave with Rowlands being awarded the top performer prize for the under 15 male category.

Opunake’s strength in the beach events was once more reflected in their medals where Bella Pivac was the outstanding performer.