Toby Hill - National Champion

By Elaine Kelly | Posted: Thursday March 20, 2025

Toby's dedication to Surf Lifesaving has paid off.

On top of completing 32 hrs of volunteer patrolling at his home beach of St Clair this summer, Toby has been training and competing in SLSNZ racing events across the Sth Island and more recently Gisbourne for the Aon SLSNZ National Championship. 

Toby trains swimming four afternoons a week, and 2x board and 2x surf ski training sessions a week.  

His most recent trip to Gisbourne for the SLSNZ Championships resulted in Toby making all individual finals of the water events for the 4th time in a row at national level - this is not a common feat at any age grade!  This backs up his four times winning all these titles at South Island level. 

Toby latest Nationals results are as follows:

U15 Male Board Race 16th

U15 Male Run Swim Run Race 6th

U15 Male Surf Race 6th

U15 Male Surf Ski  Race 4th

U15 Male Diamond Race  1st

The Diamond is a combination race of the Board Race, and Run Swim Run encompassing the highest level of fitness and multi discipline skills, and is considered the premier event of the U15 grade!

Toby also teamed up with Year 12 student,  Max McCaul to make the semi finals of the board rescue, and the pair placed 8th in the final of the surf teams swim race with two boys from King's High School.

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