New Zealand National Surfing Championships

Surfing New Zealand
Opunake, South Taranaki, NZ
8 - 15 January 2005

Day 8: Richard Christie blows apart the record books.

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 15 January 2005: - - Richard Christie (Mahia) has today (Saturday) completed the double by winning the Open Men’s and Under 18 Junior Men’s titles at the National Surfing Championships held at Opunake. Christie is the youngest ever winner of the Open Men’s Title after having only turned 16 in October last year. He is also only the second surfer to win the Open Men’s and Junior Men’s title in the same year.

Christie surfed back to back finals in challenging conditions at Opunake’s ‘The Dump’ a righthand point break that today produced good quality waves in the 1.5m-2.0m conditions. A challenge for a single final alone, Christie surfed four heats in total over the day with the Open Men’s final being the last and the sweetest.

Christie showed the commitment required for the title as midway through the heat he launched into a blazing series of turns in the pocket and then finished the wave off with a big end manoeuvre to score 8.5. With only small scores for a second ride, Christie was chopping between second and third position until the final minute when he rode the last wave of the final for a 4.5. Christie required a 4.18 on that wave to secure the win.

It’s the first ever Open final for Christie and when talked to after the heat he could hardly believe it while standing speechless. With many words that cannot be repeated he did manage to say that “it was the most nervous that I have ever been at the start of that final”. With the likes of Maz Quinn coming up to him and conceding defeat after the final, the truly historical effort was starting to sink in. On top of the ‘double’, Christie also becomes the only surfer to have won all four of the age group titles at the National Champs – Open and Junior U/18 Mens in 2005, Under 16 Men in 2003 and 2004 and the Under 14s in 2001 and 2002.

Raglan surfer Leon Santorik had lead through much of the final with scores of 6.67 and 6.00. It was looking like the title was there for the taking but Santorik could not find that one high scoring ride required to seal the victory and had to settle for runner up. It was the best placing Santorik has ever secured but one that he may well look back on and say ‘what if’. A late entry into the event, Justin Souter from Mount Maunganui looked the goods for much of the day. His end of the final tally read much the same as Christies with a 7.4 and a lower scoring second ride of 4.43. Again the chances were there for the title but Souter could not find a final wave and had to settle for third. A dejected looking Maz Quinn searching for his fourth National Title had to settle for fourth in the final after not being able to ‘buy a wave’. Quinn ended the final with a total score of 7.0 but was one of the first to come and congratulate Christie on his win.

Earlier in the semifinals Justin Souter and Richard Christie stormed home with huge carving re-entries to beat Damon Gunness (Gis) and Maaru Pou (Riverton), Pou being the last standing South Island surfer and more than stoked with his performance. In the second Semi final Maz Quinn (Gis) and Leon Santorik (Rag) beat Luke Cederman and Jason Zimmerman (Tara). Zimmerman was the highest place local surfer in the event at 7th equal.

Earlier, signs of Christies form were more than obvious to the huge cliff top crowd as he stormed home to a win in the Under 18s. The Under 18 Men’s final got off to a flyer with Christie scoring an excellent 8.0 point ride to open the 25 minute final. His next wave he powered to a 6.0 point ride and then never looked back holding the lead for the remainder of the final. It was a convincing victory over his fellow NZ Junior Team members Morehu Roberts (Rag) and Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag). The two surfers had at times challenged Christie both scoring excellent waves. However the two Raglan surfers looked to be a little lost on the righthanders and could not get a good second scoring wave finishing in second and third respectively with scores of 13.33 and 10.07. Fourteen year old Ryan Hawker, a dual finalist at this event finished fourth with a total heat score of 8.17 but will be more than happy after surfing with competitors more than two years his senior.

The Open Women battled the big conditions with all of the girls managing to catch only a few waves. Local girl Jess Terrill took the early lead after scoring a 5.00. Terrill’s lead stood strong until the dying stages of the final when Jessica Santorik (Rag) scored a heat high 6.0 after two big turns and a heat total of 9.33. Santorik’s win comes after playing bridesmaid in the 2004 National Championships but she will now add the coveted national title to her three age group titles that she has won over the past four years. Terrill was eventually pipped for second by Sophie Moore (Auck) and Jessica Welch (Gis) ended the final in fourth.

The Longboard final was highlighted by defending and four times champion Michael Fitzharris (Gis) who easily won the final with the remaining three surfers requiring in excess of 9 point rides to win. Fitzharris’s progressive style suited the righthand waves over the fuller tide and he managed to perform huge turns over the oncoming sections.

The Kneeboarding final was taken out by Coromandels Kent Osmond who with his performance, surfed his way into the New Zealand Kneeboard Team. Kenton was the sole surfer from outside the Taranaki Region with Hamish Christophers in second and the Stanley brothers, Shaun and Cameron finishing in third and fourth. The Kneeboard Team is as follows: Hamish Christophers (Tara), Kelvin Weir (Tara), Shaun Stanley (Tara), Kenton Osmond (Coro), Greg Bell (Otago), Josh Christophers (Tara). The team will be contesting the Bendalong Pro Am in Australia during March.

Please see below for final results of all divisions surfed today:

Open Men Finals
Richard Christie, Mah, 1, Leon Santorik, Rag, 2, Justin Souter, Mnt, 3, Maz Quinn, Gis, 4

Under 18 Men Final
Morehu Roberts, Rag, 2, Kieran Van Der Helder, Rag, 3, Richard Christie, Mahia, 1, Ryan Hawker, Piha, 4



Open Women Final
Jessica Santorik, Rag, 1, Sophie Moore, Muri, 2, Jessica Terrill, Tara, 3, Jessica Welch, Gis, 4

Under 18 Junior Women Final
Jessica Santorik, Rag, 1, Jessica Welch, Gis, 2, Paige Hareb, Tara, 3, Claire Thompson, Gis, 4

Under 16 Girls Finals
Paige Hareb, Tara, 1, Pae Pou, Riverton, 2, Jess Welch, Gis, 3, Wini Paul, Sandy Bay, 4



Over 28s – Seniors Finals
Ben Kennings, WGM, 1, Hamish Bowling, Tara, 2, Chris Millett, Muriwai, 3, Larry Fisher, Piha, 4

Over 35s – Masters – Finals
Craig Sheriff, ChCh, 1, Seth Matthews, Tara, 2, Glenn Shuker, ChCh, 3, John Lovell, Tara, 4

Over 40s Men – Veterans Finals
Robert Hale, Tara, 1 Glenn Shuker, Chch, 2, Peter Bramble, 3, Waihi Bch, Rod Welch, Gis, 4,

Over 45s Men – Grandmasters Finals
John Gisby, Gis, 1, Greg Paige, Tara, 2, Rod Welch, Gis, 3, Alistair Goodwin, Piha, 4

Over 50s Men - Legends Final
John Gisby, Gis, 1, Warwick Thomsen, Gis, 2, Tony Ogilvy, Whakatane, 3, Chris Davies, Tara, 4



Open Longboard Finals
Michael Fitzharris, Gis, 1, Jamie Andrews, Tara, 2, Daniel Procter, Gis, 3, Kelly Ryan, Gis, 4

Kneeboard Finals
Kenton Osmond, Coro, 1, Hamish Christophers, Tara, 2, Cameron Stanley, Tara, 3, Shaun Stanley, Tara, 4

Open Bodyboard Round Finals
Graham Reid, 1, Robert Barnfield, 2, Floyd Smith, Piha, 3, Levi Turner, 4

Please see below for final results of all divisions surfed yesterday:

Under 16 Boys – Finals
Tim O'Connor, Mnt, 1, Paco Divers, Sndy Bay, 2, Billy Stairmand, Rag, 3, Bhodi Whitaker, Ohope, 4

Under 14 Boys – Grommets Final
Ryan Hawker, Piha, 1, Karne Pitcher, WGM, 2, Adam Cranston, Gis, 3, Stefan White, WGM, 4



Under 18 Junior Men Bodyboard Final
Flloyd Smith, Piha, 1, Wesley Sayer, Tara, 2, Simon Bennett, Tara, 3, Thomas Smith, Piha, 4

Women Bodyboard Final
Mihi Wells, Otara, 1, Francios Lewis, Auck, 2, Andrea Willets, 3, Joella, McOwie, 4

Dropknee Bodyboard Final
Simon Caley, Piha, 1, Graham Reid, 2, Kyle Adams, Tara, 3, Mihi Wells, Otara, 4



Junior Longboard Final
Matt Cockayne, 1, Daniel Procter, Gis, 2, Kirk Beyer, 3, Dylan Barnfield, Ohope, 4



Previous reports:
# 1 : Lay day called for first day of NZ National Surfing Champs
# 2 : Open men kick NZ National Surfing Champs into action...
# 3 : Open quarter-finalists determined at NZ National champs
# 4 : First finalists determined at NZ National Surfing Champs
# 5 : Jess Terrill dominates Womens Round 1 at NZ Champs
# 6 : Results and finals line up from Day 6 of NZ Surf Champs
# 7 : Young surfers shine at National Surfing Championships

The 2005 National Surfing Championships is sponsored by Endeavour Charitable Trust , 93.2 Energy FM, South Taranaki District Council, Opunake Surf Inn, Sonia Clyne House of Travel, Billabong, Rip Curl, Bodyline, Roxy, Quiksilver, Globe, Gallaz, New Wave, Sticky Bumps, Oakley, Surf Tubes, Hareb Deken Motors and Seasons Surfboards.

More Australasian Surfing News available here
Check the latest Australasian Surf Reports and Forecasts

Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz  

SNZ Contests - Surfersvillage

- CNS Portugal -o- Worldwide Surforecasts -o- Euro Camper Rentals -

---

---