More than 1500 athletes will have a crack at the national title at this year's Surf Lifesaving Championships being held at Christchurch's New Brighton beach this weekend.
To pull it together in 2023 was no small feat though as Cyclone Gabrielle majorly impacted training preparations with many athletes instead joining recovery efforts.
Nathan Proctor from Waikanae Surf Lifesaving Club said they had all but written off participating this year.
“Leading up to this event we couldn't even train,” Proctor told 1News.
“All the beaches were closed, the water was contaminated with logs on the beach.”
It was a similar deal for Joseph Wilson and Mairangi Bay’s surf lifesavers.
“You're dealing with debris, a lot of undercurrents, floating cars, oils drums,” he recalled.
“We drove an IRB [inflatable rescue boat] over a roundabout!”
Proctor and Wilson said Surf Lifesaving effectively turned into search and rescue in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.
“There was a few of us delivering newspapers because there was no way to let everyone know to conserve water or anything so we'd go through the streets putting a paper in everyone's letter box for daily updates,” Proctor said.
“It was quite unreal – I tell my friends, ‘I drove an IRB down here, pulled 79 people out the water and pulled them to safety in this shopping complex’,” Wilson added.
“It's quite surreal.”
Those efforts didn’t go unnoticed which is why all involved did all they could to ensure this year’s nationals went ahead with everyone included.
“We don't have an event that often where everyone comes to one spot and people make relationships that last a lifetime,” Surf Lifesaving regional manager Stu Boyce said.
“You'll see people only at nationals and you catch up for a beer or catch up in the race.”
This year, the journey down was another opportunity for those bonds to be forged and strengthened.
“We had troubles with ferries, people couldn't get their crafts down here from the North Island so the local clubs landed skis, surfs and boards,” Proctor said.
“We're really lucky.”
Those helped by Auckland’s surf lifesavers during Cyclone Gabrielle probably say the same thing.
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