BLACK FINS FINEST MOMENT IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIUMPH

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PHOTOS BY HARV PIX AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

RESCUE 2012, Adelaide, November 12, 2012: The New Zealand Black Fins have lowered Australia’s surf lifesaving colours for the first time in 14 years, taking the Rescue 2012 World Championship National Teams pointscore after five intense days of competition in Adelaide.

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ON THE FLY: Surf Life Saving New Zealand’s Jamie Troughton (dscribe.co.nz) captured one of the best images of the Rescue 2012 World Life Saving Championships at Glenelg Beach yesterday of New Zealand’s vice-captain Kevin Morrison on the fly in the men’s board race.

The Kiwis, who last won the Alan Whelpton Trophy, in Auckland in 1998, opened up a commanding lead in the pool rescue competition earlier in the week and were never headed when the competition moved to Glenelg Beach yesterday.

In the end it was the Kiwis who triumphed on 846 from Australia 766 and the much improved France on 566.

Then followed Italy 503 Germany 448 South Africa 418 Netherlands 351 Canada 303 Spain 217 and Japan 216.

TIME TO CELEBRATE: The Kiwis win the Oceanwoman Relay at Glenelg, knowing it is time to celebrate their first National Teams Title since 1998. Photo: Harvpix.

There was success for Australia (1061) in the Youth title, with the young Aussies proving too strong for New Zealand 991 with Spain third on 800

But it was the Kiwis who came to Adelaide with a spirited, determined open squad, led by National Head Coach, former Australian swimmer and Manly Life Saver Scott Bartlett and an experienced, enthusiastic team, who are the toast of international lifesaving.

They were led in the pool by their Olympic foursome team captain Andrew McMillan, Natasha Hind, Steve Kent and Steven Ferguson who were all well supported by the likes of Devon Halligan, Kevin Morrison, Max Beattie, Natasha Hind and Chanel Hickman when they arrived onto the beach.

As hard as they tried Australia, led superbly by Ironman Shannon Eckstein and Ironwoman Kristyl Smith, couldn’t peg the Kiwis back.

Eckstein collected the quadrella – winning the Oceanman, surf race, single ski and board race – for only the second time in major international competition – the only four events won by the Aussie men – and he had to beat Olympians in the swim and ski to keep his clean slate.

New Zealand, Iran and South Africa all won two events each – the Kiwis take the board rescue to Kevin Morrison and Max Beattie and the Rescue Tube Rescue; the South Africans the coveted Oceanman Relay and the beach flags to Ryle De Morny and Iran the open beach sprint to their London Olympian Reza Ghasemi and the beach relay.

In the women’s events the gold medals were evenly shared between New Zealand (Devon Halligan in the single ski; Halligan and Nikki Cox in the board rescue; Hickman in the flags and the Oceanwoman Relay) and Australia (Rebecca Creedy in the Oceanwoman; Melissa Howard in the beach sprint; Miranda Bell in the surf race and Kristyl Smith in the board).

Kiwi skipper Andy McMillan, one of four London Olympians in the team summed up the teams win, saying the seeds of their success were sewn long before the team reached Adelaide.

"It's been a huge campaign from our support staff, who have planned for this for many months, if not years,” McMillan said.

“We got the belief in the squad early on that we could pull it off and that has just grown the longer we've been together.

“We came here with a mission and we achieved it and the whole team is jumping out of their skins. This feeling will stay with us for the rest of our lives."

Eckstein admitted he knew the Kiwis would be tough, especially with their pool Olympians and Olympic kayaker Ferguson.

“We knew we would be up against with the Kiwis so strong in the pool and we trained for the flat conditions but they really turned it on and congratulations to them, for an outstanding job,” said Eckstein.

“But full marks to our guys who kept going all week and never stopped trying. We’ll be back in two years time, whether I’m competing or not I want to play a role in getting the team back on top.”

With his team facing a mission impossible task to overhaul the Kiwis lead, Eckstein produced a true captain’s knock with individual victories in the Ski, Swim, Board and Oceanman events - a feat only ever achieved once before by himself back at Rescue 2008 in Germany.

Eckstein arrived on Glenelg beach Sunday as a man on a mission, executing every race from the first starters gun with a steely-eyed precision and determination that for so many summers has seen him labeled with the title of ‘The Surgeon of the Surf’.

After a tactically brilliant win in the Ski race on Saturday afternoon, the 28-year-old arrived on song early Sunday morning to the fifth & final day of competition with a signature start to finish surf race victory.

His swim was made even more impressive in the flat conditions considering the dossier of his more fancied flat water rivals in French National Swimming squad member, Thomas Vilaceca and South African Open Water World Championship bronze medalist and Olympian, Chad Ho.

From surf race to board final where his textbook blistering start & skills in negotiating the endless sandbar set up his third individual victory over 2011 Australian champion & team mate, Hugh Dougherty and Northcliffe club mate Kevin Morrison of New Zealand.

The rare ‘Golden Quaddie’ is the equivalent of throwing a no hitter in baseball or claiming a hat trick in test cricket and Eckstein in the final Oceanman event put that all to one side and just did what he does best – just win.

From the opening swim leg where he built a lead that increased with his career calling card transitions set up a fantastic fourth victory ahead of New Zealander, Max Beattie & Dougherty.

Post race with the Golden Quaddie in the bag, Eckstein was asked if he could do a phone interview prior to the final of the Oceanman Relay in which he was ski paddling

In true Eckstein fashion he politely postponed the phone call to focus on draining the lactic acid out of his arms for one last effort for the day to which the Aussies eventually fell just shy of South Africa after a super human swim leg by Ho.

There is a rest day in the Championships tomorrow before the World Inter-Club Championships and Masters Boat events start up on Tuesday, climaxing with the major finals next weekend at Christies Beach.

CREEDY WINS OCEANWOMAN AFTER DISAPPOINTING WEEK

Creedy said she had a point to prove in yesterday’s Oceanwoman final after believing she “ had let the team down” with her previous performances in the Rescue 2012 World Championships.

Creedy, who finished a disappointing 10th in the surf race final. Stormed home on the final board paddling leg in what was a neck-and-neck battle with team mate Smith, New Zealand’s Under 19 Australian Champion and French Ironwoman champion Flora Manciet.

The Australian pair and Manciet cleared away from Halligan on the paddle back but it was Creedy who jumped off her board first to race away for a determined victory leaving Smith to battle it out wither former Northcliffe team mate Manciet for the minor medals.

Smith edged in front on the line with the French champion third and Halligan fourth.

“I felt pretty bad earlier in the competition and wanted to turn things around in the ironwoman,” said the former Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist.

“Australia leads the world in ironwoman racing and we pride ourselves at being the best and Kristyl and I wanted to come out and show that we are still the best.

“I was determined to give it all after experienced the ups and downs and do my absolute best for the team.

“I knew I had to work hard on the board and it was a matter of just hanging in there for the paddle back to the beach.”

Creedy, after a “wonky start when she got lost on the opening swim leg, got her act together on the ski in un-forgiving flat conditions which saw Manciet challenge her higher profile opponents and the race turned into one of the most exciting of the day.

JORDAN’S TRANSITION TURNS INTO OCEANWOMAN GOLD

Jordan Mercer was one of the stars of the Australian Youth team and she had a plan to “nail her opposition” in the transitions in the final of the Youth Oceanwoman and that’s just what she did, charging onto the beach after the swim, which has improved out of sight, before taking control of the race on the ski and paddling away from the field on the board.

SHOW NO MERCER: Jordan Mercer displays the style that has made her one of the rising stars of Australian Surf Life Saving. Photo: Harvpix.

The 18-year daughter of Australian Ironman legend Darren Mercer showed why she is destined for greatness herself with a clinical almost perfectly executed race, which she described as a “ humbling experience” to race for Australia.

“To wear the green and gold of Australia in Australia is a proud moment for me and to win that race is something I am very proud of and just to be in this team and have so many great lifesavers watching over us is just amazing,” said Mercer.

“I was determined to work my transitions as hard as I could – there was no way anyone can ride your wash while your running on the sand – it is a great way to get ahead of your opposition,” said Mercer.

“I was determined to give it everything I had – everything for the green and gold.”

MASTERS OF THE POOL SET WORLD RECORDS STRAIGHT

It was another exciting day at the pool for Masters today with a number of new world records set at Rescue 2012 – The World Lifesaving Championships at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre.

Terrigal’s’ Paul Lemmon smashed the record for the Men’s 45-49 200m Obstacle by a whopping six seconds, completing the obstacle in an impressive 2:13:60s.

Other world records came courtesy of Northcliffe pair Paul Blackbeard who completed the Men’s 200m Obstacle in 2:20.27 and Stephen Fry who set a new world record of 1:07.47 in the Men’s 55-59 100m Obstacle.

But it wasn’t just the men who were on world record pace.

Bronte SLSC’s Gayle Dundas set a new world record of 1:31.93 shaving almost three seconds off the existing record in the Women’s 60-64 100m Obstacle race.

THIS WEEK’S ACTION

Monday: is a lay-day in proceedings

Tuesday: Competition to resume with World Inter-Club Championships to start in the Pool at the SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre (From 8am)

Wednesday: Inter-club Pool (From 8am) SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre

Thursday: Inter-club Pool (From 9am) SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre; Masters Boats at Christies Beach (From 8am)

Friday: Inter-Club Ocean (From 8am) Christies Beach; Surf Boats (from 8am) at Christies; Inter-Club Beach (from 4pm) Glenelg

Saturday: Inter-Club Ocean (From 8am) Christies Beach; Surf Boats (from 8am) at Christies; Inter-Club Beach (from 4pm) Glenelg

Sunday: Inter-Club Ocean (From 8am) Christies Beach; Surf Boats (from 8am) at Christies; Inter-Club Beach (from 4pm) Glenelg

ABOUT RESCUE 2012
Rescue 2012 will be held in Adelaide, South Australia, from November 7-18, 2012 and will include five separate competitions - World National Team Championships, World Interclub Championships, World Masters Championships, World Surf Boat Championships, and World Inflatable Rescue Boat Championships.

Rescue 2012 is open to all proficient lifesavers. The Masters competition is open to all proficient lifesavers who are 30 years of age or above.

Athletes can compete in nine separate disciplines - swimming, simulated emergency rescue, Ironman / Ironwoman, surf-ski, board, beach sprints, beach flags, surf boats and IRB.

Beach, National Teams and all IRB events will be held at Glenelg Beach.

Christies Beach will be the home of all Masters, Interclub and Surf Boat events.

The South Australian State Aquatic and Leisure Centre will host all Pool events.

PHOTOS BY Harvpix.com AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

MEDIA ACCREDITATION CLICK HERE

Attention all media who intend covering Rescue 2012, that Media Accreditation is for working media only and accreditation forms MUST be signed off by your editor before accreditation will be processed. A reminder also that Rescue 2012 will have its own official photographer in Harvie Allison (Harvpix.com ) who will distribute to all media outlets. Freelance photographers who are uploading for their own websites WILL NOT be accredited. ONLY photographers working for newspapers and registered agencies will receive accreditation.

Issued on behalf of Rescue 2012.