NZ Race News 

Muriwai 21^st of October Surf-cross 2004

BRING IT ON! Welcome to the Wild West Coast high winds 1-2 metre waves that always seemed to come in pairs causing plenty of bone jarring landings. 

We know there must be a word for these kind of conditions, but me being to polite to put it down in print you fellas will just have to use whatever word comes to mind.  The wind coming from the South West gusting over 30km per hour created havoc on more than one occasion lifting boats and spinning them on both B & C buoys, making it quite spectacular to watch from the beach. 

Out of the eleven crews to come to Mighty Muriwai only one, Reaction Screen Print looked comfortable taking every thing in their stride.  On the other hand Waikato Finance was trying very hard to get the flipper of the year award all sown up before the Nationals begin, good on yer Paul. 

Another two crews had trouble staying in there boats Radio Pacific being the first to fall foul of a double wave and both Cam and James were catapulted ten metres from the boat.  The other unfortunate boat Takapuna Panel Beaters lost a crewmember after hitting a big double wave.   Hydraulinks Brent Howard with his new crew man showed huge signs of improvement from last year getting a Second on the day beating several of the more experienced boats.

 The new sandbags instead of anchors worked great on the out going tide but moved on the incoming tide causing the race day to be shortened.  So a bit more work to be done to make the bags hold in rough conditions.

The Club Points results for the day.

1^st        Reaction Screen Print              300

2^nd       Hydraulink                              234

3^rd        Hydraulink Racing                  232

4^th        Radio Pacific                          182

5^th        Bark Distributors                    172

6^th        Jungle Coffee                          164

7^th        Cow                                        156

8^th        Waikato Finance                     148

8^th        Takapuna Panel Beaters          148

10^th      Nail It                                      52

11^th      Blue Boat                                40

Thanks to Alfie, Judi, Macka, Mal and Rod for all their help on the day.      

Alan Astrop: Race Director