New Zealand surf lifesavers have come away with four gold medals from a lifesaving challenge in Japan over the weekend.
An eight-strong Kiwi contingent - competing as a national development team - also finished second behind Australia in the overall standings.
Christchurch sprinter Chanel Hickman led the charge in her first international competition, winning the beach sprint at the Nanki Shirihama venue, about an hour from Tokyo, and backing up later in the day with a win in the beach flags.
Mount Maunganui's Katrina Madill joined in the gold rush by winning the female board race, heading home top Australian ironwoman Bonnie Hancock.
Dylan Dunlop-Barrett (New Plymouth), Wainui's Toby Harris and Midway pair Mike Janes and Cory Taylor then teamed up to capture a fourth win in the mens tube rescue.
Co-coach Carl Newman said the New Zealand team faced huge hurdles but they competed superbly.
"It got up to 40 degrees here today and was bloody hot," Newman said.
"It was a really tough environment for our athletes with the heat but each of the team members really fronted up. Other teams had 12 athletes competing so to achieve these results with only an eight-strong team was remarkable."
As well as the gold haul, New Zealand picked up seven silver medals and four bronze, finishing on 384 points, 19 behind Australia. Hosts Japan were third on 326.
Madison Boon finished second in the ironwoman race, ahead of her attempts to qualify for the lucrative Kellogg's Ironman series in Australia later this month, while Janes was second in the board race and in the ironman.
The full New Zealand surf lifesaving team is heading to the world championships in Alexandria, Egypt, next month, while the development athletes will have the chance to trial for the International Surf Rescue Challenge in Mount Maunganui in January.
NZ results:
Men:
Beach sprint: Toby Harris 3; Surf teams race: Dunlop-Barrett, Janes, Taylor 2; Board race: Mike Janes 2, Cory Taylor 6; Beach relay Janes, Dunlop-Barrett, Taylor, Harris 6; Ironman: Mike Janes 2; Taplin: Janes, Dunlop-Barrett, Taylor, Harris 2; Beach flags: Toby Harris 3; Cory Taylor 14; Board rescue: 2; Tube rescue: Janes, Dunlop-Barrett, Taylor, Harris 1.
Women:
Beach sprint: Chanel Hickman 1; Surf teams race: Wannan, Boon, Madill 3; Board race: Katrina Madill 1, Madison Boon 4; Beach relay: Boon, Wannan, Hickman, Madill 2; Ironman: Madison Boon 2; Taplin: Boon, Wannan, Hickman, Madill 2; Beach flags: Chanel Hickman 1, Katrina Madill 12; Board rescue: 3; Tube rescue: Boon, Wannan, Hickman, Madill 4.
Overall: Australia 403, New Zealand A 384, Japan 326, USA 315, Great Britain 296, Japan B 229, Canada 180, Hong Kong/China 171.
