Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service has once again dominated the Eastern Region Pool Championships, defending their position for another year as top club overall.

The region's first surf sport event for the season was held over the weekend at Waterworld in Te Rapa, Hamilton and saw just over 200 athletes taking part.

Individual and team points were accumulated across the events for the purpose of awarding top club honours.

This year, Masters points also counted towards the overall top clubs points which saw a marked increase in the number of entries with 30 Masters taking part.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service finished on top with 305 points, well clear of Papamoa on 228 with Whakatane in third on 89.

Rounding out the top five was Omanu (50) and Waihi Beach (45).

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Eastern Region Sport Manager Mark Inglis says it was a fantastic start to the new season with some outstanding performances by the athletes taking part.

Of special mention were seven athletes who placed first in every individual event in their age group including Papamoa's Ben Johnston and Ariana Moffatt in the open men and women's divisions; Astaria Te Aukura (Mairangi Bay) in the under 16 women; Tarquin Magner (Mount Maunganui) in the under 14 men's; Marley Orr (Whakatane) in the under 13 men's; and Christiaan Maarhuis (Waihi Beach) in the 40-49 masters men and Wayne Campbell (Mount Maunganui) in the 50-59 masters men.

'This is an impressive result and it will put them in a great position heading into the New Zealand Pool Championships which will take place in Auckland next month,” says Mark.

Club points

Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service 305. 50

Papamoa Slsc 228

Whakatane Slsc 89

Omanu Slsc 67. 50

Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services 45

Red Beach Slsc 37

Orewa Slsc 34

Mairangi Bay Slsc 33

Whangamata Slsc 18

Piha Slsc 10

East End Slsc 10

Whiritoa Lifeguard Service 3

Age Group Champions

Open Male

1^st - JOHNSTON, Ben- Papamoa SLSC

2^nd - HART, Daniel- Papamoa SLSC

3^rd - BASSETT-FOSS, Bertie- Papamoa SLSC

Open Female

1^st - MOFFATT, Ariana- Papamoa SLSC

2^nd - HAYDEN, Melanie- Papamoa SLSC

Under 19 Male

1^st - O'CONNOR, Lochlainn- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - STINSON, Callum- Orewa SLSC

3^rd - DEMPSTER, Declan- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Under 19 Female

1^st - BRADLEY, Tessa- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - KELLY, Claudia- East End SLSC

3^rd - ELISARA, Grace- Omanu SLSC

Under 16 Male

1^st - SHANAHAN, Daniel- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - FULTON, Callum- Whangamata SLSC

3^rd - MILLINGTON, Max- Papamoa SLSC

Under 16 Female

1^st - TE AUKURA, Astaria- Mairangi Bay SLSC

2^nd - SU'A, Lyric Logotaeao- Orewa SLSC

3^rd equal - PEARCE, Olive- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

3^rd equal - SUTHERLAND, Emma- Orewa SLSC

3^rd equal - STINSON, Kendra- Orewa SLSC

Under 14 Boys

1^st - MAGNER, Tarquin- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - IGGULDEN, Kel- Omanu SLSC

3^rd equal - REEDER, Zachary- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

3^rd equal - FITZJOHN, Louis- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Under 14 Girls

1^st - GARDINER, Mia- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - ANCELL, Edie- Whangamata SLSC

3^rd equal - RICHARDSON, Hannah- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

3^rd equal - MCGIRR, Grace- Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services Inc

3^rd equal - FUENTES, Nathalie- Red Beach SLSC

Under 13 Boys

1^st - ORR, Marley- Whakatane SLSC

2^nd equal - HERRING, Tyrone- Whakatane SLSC

2^nd equal - BARK RIKI, Mitchell- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Under 13 Girls

1^st - BARTLETT, Lucy- Omanu SLSC

2^nd - PEARCE, Lily- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

3^rd - WILSON, Poppy- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Under 12 Boys

1^st - CORNISH, Jasper- Red Beach SLSC

2^nd equal - RICHARDSON, Thomas- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd equal - JULIAN, Jamie- Whakatane SLSC

Under 12 Girls

1^st - MIDDLETON, Millie- Red Beach SLSC

2^nd - MCEWAN, Talitha- Papamoa SLSC

3^rd - FOWLER, Danielle- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

Under 11 Boys

1^st equal - SWANBERG, Braith- Omanu SLSC

1^st equal - THOMPSON, Luke- Papamoa SLSC

2^nd - CHRISTIE, Xavier- Whakatane SLSC

Under 11 Girls

1^st - ROWLAND, Layla- Whakatane SLSC

2^nd - PILBROW, Jessica- Papamoa SLSC

3^rd - CHOTE, Trelise- Papamoa SLSC

30-39yrs - Masters Female

1^st - ROWLAND, Cathryn- Whakatane SLSC

2^nd - ASSINK, Lauren- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

40-49yrs - Masters Male

1^st - MAARHUIS, Christiaan- Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services Inc

2^nd equal - JULIAN, Craig- Whakatane SLSC

2^nd equal - AKROYD, Greg- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

40-49yrs - Masters Female

1^st - DAVOREN, Naomi- Papamoa SLSC

2^nd - BOUBEE, Sandra- Papamoa SLSC

3^rd - MANNING, Catriona- Whakatane SLSC

50-59yrs - Masters Male

1^st - CAMPBELL, Wayne- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

2^nd - BRADDING, Ross- Whangamata SLSC

3^rd - HUMPHERSON, Rex- Whakatane SLSC

50-59yrs - Masters Female

1^st - LAFFERTY, Fiona- Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services Inc

2^nd - BARRON, Jill- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service

3^rd - OSBORNE, Heather- Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services Inc

60+yrs - Masters Male

1^st - KING, Garry- Mt Maunganui Lifeguard Service