Adrenaline of Inflatable Rescue Boat Race as 200 Race at Waihi Beach

Ryan Butler flies above the waves in a race with the best surf rescue boat operators in the North Island, and he barely needs to use his voice to communicate with driver Thomas Swain.

“It’s muscle memory,” says the former Waihi University student.

Waihi hosted the second largest inflatable rescue boat race on the surf life saving calendar, with local crews Rian, Thomas and Finn Miller recruiting 60 crew members from 20 clubs across the country.

At the North Island IRB Championships at Waihi Beach over the weekend, each time the starting hooters rang out, each contestant showed how years of training to save people from the shoreline have produced incredible athletes. I showed you what you can do.

Inflatable Rescue Boats (IRBs) are used in countless rescue operations on New Zealand beaches each year. Championship races replicate the skills required in real life rescue scenarios. All athletes participating in this event are active surf lifeguards.

The team dragged the inflatable rescue boat into the water, lowered the outboard engine to the rear, activated it, and roared aboard after a brief entry.

For offshore swells, Waihi Beach was a spectacular arena. Because the boat was launched into the sea over rapids and incessant waves.

Here, a team member was dragged onboard in a mock rescue, the boat made a U-turn to return to shore, and the boat launch was reversed and relay-style repeated by the next team member.

On the first day of the event, which resumed after Covid 19 restrictions, the championship was attended by 200 competitors, allowing spectators and surfing rescue volunteers to get close to the action.

“It’s a great sport to be in. You get to travel around the country and it’s a good atmosphere,” says Ryan.

Ryan has been a surf lifesaver since he was five years old. He is from his three generations of surf lifesavers, his father Darren, grandfather Dennis, and grandfather’s brother John are all Waihi his beach surf lifesavers.

He became a rookie lifeguard at age 14 and says IRB racing is his favorite.

“Adrenaline,” he says.

Competitors like Ryan can sprint over shallow water and uneven sand and get off the boat so fast that their feet seem to run before they hit the ground like in the cartoons.

“It’s just hours of practice to get the technique.”

Natalie Lloyd, Waihi Beach SLS Officer, said the club was proud to have Thomas and Ryan on the committee, who volunteered to take care of the ship and learn to repair the equipment themselves. He said he was.

“The Waihi and Pauanui clubs have performed very well, with Waihi 7th overall and Pauanui 9th overall, playing against 20 clubs. It’s a good result, especially considering we’re playing against each other,” said Natalie.

“We were very lucky to get sponsorship from Oakland Vehicles, who are really supportive.”

East Coromandel clubs such as Whangamata, Waihi Beach and Pauanui have moved from time to time to train at Big Surf, which is regularly available on the west coast, Natalie said. However, the Coromandel’s guards are routinely tested in the summer in actual rescues as crowds flock to the Coromandel.

“Beaches are super crowded, especially since Covid, the number of precautions has increased, and the drowning rate is horrific,” says Natalie.

“There are a lot of people who have never been to a New Zealand beach, or haven’t been in a long time, probably because they’ve been vacationing abroad all the time and aren’t used to it.”

Swimming and fishing are the most common sports, with Waikato recording the second highest number of reported drownings, according to ACC figures for drownings over the past decade.

Drowning is the leading cause of recreational death and the third leading cause of accidental death in New Zealand.

Data from Water Safety NZ 2021 show that both Māori and men are overrepresented, with 31% of deaths being Māori (23), but Māori making up only 16.5% of the total population and 84% It was male (62).

The U19 Waihi Beach female U19 crew won a bronze medal for whitewater enthusiasts and 2021 winners at Sunset Beach on Auckland’s west coast, but being young and female means how many years they’ve been. He said he shocked some of the patients he had saved over the years.

17-year-old Chloe Poulter said, “I think some people are embarrassed that I needed a rescue when I picked up my crew.

“I’ve seen people go out to bars in Bowentown, which are very dangerous bars. I had to say something about wearing life jackets. When you’re not wearing it, it’s not always well received.”

Chloe Poulter, Mackenzie Tyrrell and Rose Swain of Waihi Beach U19s won bronze, Waihi Beach U19 Men silver, Pauanui Crew Makaira Rock, Georgina Dodd and Grace Walters of Pauanui Crew U23 Women took bronze in both Assembly and Tube Rescue Races. Earned. Second and third season races.

“There’s an adrenaline rush, a sense of team cohesion, getting to know everyone and a sense of camaraderie,” said Georgina. “All other crew members are very friendly and many volunteer to help when needed.”

Sunset Beach Lifeguard Service is the 2021 champion club and has assembled the largest team with 25 competitors and 9 racing crews.

Surf Life Saving NZ Sporting Events Manager Mark Inglis gives a special mention to Bethell’s Beach U19 Women (Malaea Wiu, Chelsea Wiu, Hohaia Puri Hone Wiu) and Sunset Beach Open Females (Taylor Shrimpton, Abigail Chapman and Vera Parham) did Her four events in age categories.

Beachgoers can visit www.safeswim.org.nz to see which beaches are patrolled and when lifeguards are on duty. The site also provides information on beach hazards, such as strong winds and currents, to help you plan a safe day.

Catch the Rookie Champions at Waihi Beach this weekend. The national championships will be held at Waikanae Beach in Gisborne on his April 9th ​​and 10th.