The official organisation promoting and advocating for safe & sustainable use of our natural fisheries resources by Recreational Spearfishers
The selection trials for the national team were held before the National Champs
because the Tripartite, as it was then known, clashed with the Nationals at Easter, so the team had to be selected before that date.
Great Barrier Island
1981 Tripartite - Whitianga
Day 1 -
Australia
NZ
New Caledonia
Day2
NZ
Australia
New Caledonia
which was also the final placing
NZ by 1 fish!
1982
Successful Australian team:
Paul Riordan, Andy Ruddock, H Nivala, flanked by the three team Managers from left Jean Vudinh, George Davies, Dave Mundell
NZ Team (+1) Port Stevens NSW 1982
1983
1983
Day 1 - Inside Stevenson's Island
Day 2 Inner Cavallis
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Looking serious about winning!
Ulladulla, 2005.
NZ Team weigh-in 1984
Watched closely by Aussie team member Dean Ackland with Greg Pickering, Rob Torelli
Noumea 1986
Arrival at Tantouta airport, Noumea.
Suitably primed for action!
Not so serious but still very obedient!
Winners are grinners!
Slim Ward the Australian team manager being presented with a prize T shirt.
1985 was the first time that any team in the Tripartite had won the trophy in another country.
The day before the event at right
The boat featured on the right was lent to the NZ team by a local doctor to go diving with some of the locals. We had a great day out and left the boat moored and safe. The next morning this was the sight that greeted Francois Levionnois a local commercial diver and spearo/friend of the team. He had the gear to refloat the boat as seen above. He and Richard stripped the motors, re-assembled and got them running by 4pm, in itself a considerable feat. The electrics was another story that continued long after we had left!
The owner was not pleased but soon found out that the seal on the propellor shaft had not been replaced properly during a recent service and insurance would cover it. We were thereby freed from blame.
Headline the next day in the local paper :
"Kiwis Sink French Boat" with a mention given to the French sinking of the Rainbow Warrior the year before!
Footnote: The yacht Ouvea in which some of the French saboteurs escaped Auckland originally came from Noumea. DM.
This is the premiere local competition that preceded the Tripartite - NZ and Australia were invited to take part.
!986 Noumea
!987 Tripartite - Whitianga.
The first 'Pairs' Competition
1988
1988 Interpacific participants
!988 Interpacific Wilsons Prom, Victoria Australia.
Paul Spence, Darren Shields, Ian Warnock, Grant Ward
Chris Browne, Bruce Grimwood (Manager)
From left: Slim Ward (Australian Manager), Mrs Ward, Ian Warnock, Chris Browne, Grant Ward, Dave Turley,Richard Clelland ,...?
1988 Swimoff Mayor Island
1988 Team that resulted
Mark Roxborough, Ian Warnock, Chris Browne, Grant Ward, Paul Spence