What’s the story, Cory?

NEW Zealand and Midway surf lifesaving legend Cory Hutchings has a new coaching role . . . wait for it . . . at Waikanae.
But before Midway stalwarts start burning effigies of Hutchings and denouncing their favourite son a traitor, Hutchings is not jumping ship and abandoning his red, white and green cap.
“We have a new head coach at Midway — Carl Newman — and we’re working together,” Hutchings said yesterday.
“I’m concentrating more on the club’s elite competitors while Carl is coaching the club’s younger members.
“At Waikanae I’m primarily coaching the club’s cadets (under-14s), under-16s and under-19s. The club has a lot of talented young athletes in those age groups and I am keen to see them progress.
“My main priority at both clubs is identifying talent and then helping them make it into the New Zealand team.
“I’ve been coaching at Waikanae for about three weeks. We have sessions every day after school from 3.30 to 4.30, then I head to Midway from 4.45 to 6. On Saturday we have one session at each club, with Sunday off.
“I know in the past there has been intense rivalry between the two main clubs and that rivalry has to continue . . . when competing for the respective clubs. But at Midway, Waikanae and Wainui the bigger picture is working together to produce athletes for the good of the district, and who can compete at international level.
“Wainui have a good coach in Dion Williams and we all get on well together.”
Hutchings also has support from his father Ben — a life member of Midway and former national kayaking coach.
“Make no mistake, Dad is Midway through and through and always will be but he fully supports me. Blood is thicker than water.
“In fact, just as he has done at Midway, if I am not available, he said he would help out at Waikanae.
“Like a lot of sports these days it is also about getting more numbers into clubs and retaining them, particularly after they leave school and head off to university.
“Surf lifesaving is not just a sport, it is a lifestyle from which the community benefits.”
Waikanae club manager Gary Stevens said the club was delighted to have him on board.
“With Cory on board the club feels confident it can build on the very solid base that the current coaching team have built up in the junior ranks in the last few years.”
“We have great potential in the younger age groups (10-18 years) and his expertise and experience will be hugely beneficial in their development.”
The club’s future was bright, said Stevens, having finished second at the Surf Life Saving NZ winter pool champs for the past four years, and in the top three at the junior nationals in three of the last four years.
Hutchings returned to New Zealand in 2000 after a successful competitive career in Australia.
“I spent a couple of years at Mount Maunganui but I love Gisborne and it was always my intention to come home and coach here.
“I have had some good offers to go back to Australia where I could be a fulltime coach at a surf club — something you couldn’t do in New Zealand — but I love the Gisborne lifestyle and I love my new job with Bayleys Real Estate.”