Australia Wraps Up Surf Test Series In Japan

 
Surf Life Saving Australia, September 21, 2013: Onjuku, Japan: Australia has wrapped up the International Surf Rescue Challenge and the Trans Tasman Surf Life Saving trophies with a resounding victory in Saturday’s second Test at Onjuku Beach in Japan. 

 

The Australians won the second Test 156 to New Zealand’s 141 but National Head Coach Danny Short will send his troops into Sunday’s third Test with the instructions to show no mercy.

And despite the presence of team stalwarts Shannon Eckstein, Kristyl Smith, Naomi Flood and Melissa Howard it has been some of the new faces who have shone as Short begins to build his team for next year’s World Championships – Rescue 2014.

Eckstein and Smith started the day rolling, as they did in the first Test on Thursday with successive victories in their respective Ironman and Ironwoman Events.

And it set the stage for a water and beach onslaught that saw the Australians win their first seven events.

Powerful swimmers Dev Lahey and Miranda Bell continued the onslaught winni9ng their respective surf races before beach sprinters Howard and Dean Scarff won the sprint double.

The Mixed Board Relay saw champion pair Kristyl Smith and Shannon Eckstein get the money and in the Mixed Ski Relay there was no stopping Flood and paddling powerhouse Lachlan Tame.

Howard then clinched the beach double, again lowering Kiwi rival Chanel Hickman’s colours and in the afternoon it was Tim Schofield who shone, combining with Eckstein to win the board rescue before a huge swim and a wave to steer Australia to victory in the rescue tube rescue.

He then joined Lahey, Tame and Scarff to win the beach relay after Lahey, Tame, Scarff and Eckstein won the Ocean Man Relay.

Howard, Eliza Smith and Kristyl Smith also combined with Flood to win the Ocean Woman and the Beach Relay double for the second time.

It has left coach Short with an exciting prospect for the next 12 months in the lead up to the World Championships.

“The first two Test matches have given us the opportunity to assert a level of dominance over New Zealand,” said Short.

“Our plan has been to set the tone in the first two races each day - the Ironman and Ironwoman and we’re going to do that again on Sunday and then we’re going to tighten the screws…when that gun goes it’s business as usual.

“As well as the experienced campaigners like Shannon, Kristyl and Naomi we have seen a few new comers come through like Lachlan Tame who is just so explosive off the beach on the ski and who has dominated.

“Then there is swimmer Eliza Smith who has gone really well and has been a great addition to the team on the beach as well.

“Our two beachies Jake Lynch and Dean Scarff have just dominated and Melissa Howard is an absolute true professional and just seems to be getting all the time.

“Tim Schofield has really come to the fore over the last three months. He is someone who is leading in the pool and is now leading in the surf.

“He is swimming really well and he is someone we are probably going to build this team around next year.

“We’ve seen Rachelle King., who is a good pool athlete come out and win the board today. We saw Tim Schofield come out and win the rescue board with Shannon and then we saw Lachlan Tame have a sensational run in the beach relay – that’s actually outstanding.

“But we’ve got a long way to go there is no doubt about that. We have won 39 of 46 races so far – losing over seven races is outstanding.

“We did expect New Zealand to come out a lot stronger and I’m sure they will come out stronger on Sunday but from our team’s perspective I think we have got a sense of spirit starting to emerge.”

International Surf Rescue Challenge, Onjuku Beach, Japan, 2nd Test:
OPEN
Women
Ocean Woman K Smith (AUS) N Peat (NZL) Y Mitsui (JPN) Surf Race M Bell (AUS) N Peat (NZL) K Want ton (NZL)
Beach sprint M Howard (AUS) C Hickman (NZL) E Brady (CAN) Beach flags M Howard (AUS) C Hickman (NZL) E Brady (CAN) Board R King (AUS) K Smith (AUS) D McKenzie (NZL) Board Rescue NZL AUS JPN Rescue Tube Rescue AUS NZL JPN Board Rescue NZL AUS JPNBeach Flags M Howard AUS) C Hickman (NZL)A Tadano (JPN) Ocean Man Relay AUS NZL CAN Beach Relay AUS NZL CAN

Men
Ocean Man S Eckstein (AUS) K Louis (AUS) M Beattie (NZL)Surf race D Lahey (AUS) T Schofield (AUS) A McMillan (NZL) Beach sprint D Scarff (AUS) P Cracroft-Wilson (NZL) K Takezawa (JPN) Rescue Tube Rescue AUS NZL USA Board N Malcolm (NZL) S Eckstein (AUS) K Louis (AUS)Beach Flags P Cracoft Wilson (NZL) S Odagiri (JPN) D Kreps/CAN Beach Relay AUS NZL JPN

YOUTH
Women
Oceanwoman E Dick (AUS) K Wilson (NZL) T Raymond (AUS)Surf race E Dick (AUS) C Doyle (NZL) G Miller (NZL)Beach sprint G Murphy (AUS) O Eaton (NZL) S Peloquin (CAN) Board E Dick (AUS) J Smith (NZL) K Wilson (NZL) Rescue Tube Rescue NZL AUS JPN Board Rescue AUS NZL JPNBeach flags G Murphy (AUS) O Eaton (NZL) S Bernier (CAN) Ocean Man Relay AUS NZL Beach Relay AUS NZL

Men
Ocean Man L Cuff (AUS) B Cochrane (NZL) S Demopolous (AUS) Surf Race I Costello (AUS) A Trembath (NZL) B Johnston (NZL) Beach sprint J Symmonds (AUS) J Hurley (NZL) T Tomizawa (JPN) Board L Cuff (AUS) S Demopolous (AUS) D Hart (NZL) Rescue Tube Rescue AUS NZL JPN Board Rescue NZL AUSOcean Man Relay AUS NZL JPN Beach Flags J Symmonds (AUS) J Hurley (NZL) T Morino (JPN) Ocean Man Relay AUS NZL JPN Beach Relay AUS NZL JPN

MIXED
Open Surf Teams AUS NZL USA Board Relay AUS NZL USA Ski Relay AUS NZL USA
Youth Surf Teams NZL AUS JPN Board Relay NZL AUS JPN Ski Relay AUS NZL JPN

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia...

Ian Hanson

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