Mum wins South Island champs

Napier mum Marguerite Vujcich won the South Island Bodyboarding Championships at the weekend but came up short on her goal of achieving enough overall season points to claim the sport's national title.

The South Island champs were held in Dunedin and it was the last event in the sport's calendar for the 2012 season.

Vujcich, 53, finished the year ranked second in the country in the open women's bodyboarding division and fifth in the open women's surfing division.

Her sons also competed in Dunedin.

Charles, 14, claimed the Under-18 South Island Bodyboarding Championship title, Alan, 12, came third and Christopher, 10, came second in their divisions.

Vujcich was a high-profile lawyer but finished practising after she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, and took up surfing, a sport she excelled in as a teenager, as part of her rehabilitation.

She plans a celebration in Napier next week to thank the community which had helped sponsor her campaign to the South Island and has pledged to continue training towards winning the 2013 title.