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The Bay of Plenty open team is expected to be the ‘dark horse’ in this week’s Lion Foundation New Zealand Surf League event at Mount Maunganui.
The team’s coach, Kurt Wilson, is expecting the team to make it to the top two in the team final on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
Bay of Plenty coach Kurt Wilson.
“We definitely have the goods to win it – I have chosen a very young team and we have some real superstars in that team.”
One open team star is Jessica Miller, who is also competing in the under-16 and under-19 teams.
Kurt says another star is Natalie Peat, 17, who will compete for the second year in the open team.
“She has also stepped up to be the open ironwoman.
“Her form in the season has been great; she is second equal in the Sonic Ironman Series, and leading the Sonic Swim Series.”
With the likes of top sprinter Kodi Harman, Kurt says the Bay of Plenty will be consistent across all legs of the competition.
“We don’t really have a real weak leg. We have the ability to earn points, and earn good points across all of the events.”
Kurt expects the biggest challenges to come from Gisborne, Auckland and Taranaki.
“They all have pretty unique strengths and weaknesses.
“Gisborne has four Australian based athletes racing for them, which makes them very strong in the woman’s section.”
The event started this morning with hundreds packing out the three grandstands that have been erected on the main beach.
Kurt says calm conditions and a sunny sky are the perfect start to the competition, which attracts more than 300 athletes from New Zealand, and two teams from New South Wales.
The Bay of Plenty team is made up of athletes from Mount Maunganui, Papamoa, Omanu, Whangamata and Whakatane surf clubs.
Competition on Thursday and Friday features the under-14 and under-16 individual and team events.
Kurt says the BOP under-14 has a “pretty big” girl’s contingent from the Papamoa Surf Club.
“All those girls are actually under 13-years-old so they have another year to compete after this.
“They are already national champion ocean athletes and are all eligible next year.”
The under-16 BOP team has won the national title three years in a row, so Kurt says this year the team has some “big shoes to fill”.
“They are looking really good – they would probably be my pick to win it.”
The under-19 squad is coming off a two-year winning streak and Kurt says it is likely to come down to the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne in the final on Sunday.
With calm surf predicted for the weekend, Kurt says the open team will have a good chance at dominating the surf league as they have the hometown advantage.
“They train at the Mount Maunganui Main Beach in conditions that they will race in at some stage.
“It won’t be too much surf challenges, but the team are fit and fast anyway, so if there is a wave or not I don’t think it will affect us that much.”
