Life-saving family to the rescue

Press, 12 February 1986, Page 1

Life-saving family to the rescue

GRANT BRADLEY

Bv

Rescuing five swimmers from a treacherous rip and a deep hole was a family affair for the Lanes of Taylors Mistake yesterday afternoon. Jacob Lane, aged 14, hauled three swimmers from the rip, while his parents, Jan and Paul Lane, saved one each. For Jacob the rescue was nothing new — as a junior member of the Taylors Mistake Surf Lifesaving Club he is a veteran of four mass rescues. Mrs Lane said that up to 20 swimmers were caught in the dangerous hole, to the right of the surf clubhouse. “The rip was ferocious and the waves were enormous,” she said. Many people walked straight out into the most

dangerous part of the beach without assessing the surf conditions. It was lucky that people able to make the rescues were on the beach at the time, she said. Taylors Mistake residents often made “unofficial” rescues when there was no voluntary patrol or paid lifeguard at the beach. “We need a paid lifeguard right throughout February,” said Mrs Lane. Conditions at all Christchurch beaches are extremely dangerous with the present heavy surf, especially on the outgoing tide. A shark was seen off New Brighton beach at 8 p.m. yesterday and 50 swimmers were quickly cleared from the water. The shark was last seen heading out to sea.

Martin Hass and Andrea Steudte, the 1985 world amateur rollerskating dance champions from Germany, who charmed an appreciative audience at the Rollerland Rink last evening as they performed their routines of original set patterns, compulsory and free dances, and exhibition skating. Hass, aged 24, and Steudte, aged 21, have teamed together for five years and the confidence and understanding developed between them showed in their elegant, precise movements. They have had a hectic tour of New Zealand, previously performing at Auckland, Napier, Palmerston North, Upper Hutt and Dunedin, but if they felt pressured it never showed. They were at ease, ever smiling.