New Zealand Nat'l Scholastic Champs fire up

New Zealand National Scholastic Champs

Surfing New Zealand
Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth New Zealand
1 - 5 October 2012

Boys Battle Blustery Fitzroy Beach Waves At Scholastic Champs

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 1 October, 2012 : - - Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth turned on challenging conditions for the start of the 2012 National Scholastic Surfing Championships today (Monday 1st October) with the Under 18 Boys and Under 16 Boys surfing through their first rounds before storm fronts marched up the coast putting a halt to proceedings. The swell built throughout the day to 1.5m and was affected by a blustery westerly wind. However conditions were significantly better than forecasted paving the way for some great performances led by Taranaki Team member Sean Kettle in the opening heat of the day.

Kettle posted 15.0 out of a possible 20 points to claim an easy victory for his Taranaki Team - the highest heat score of the shortened day. Obviously familiar with the break, Kettle blitzed the waves with precision surfing and power turns. On his last scoring wave he also completed a critical forehand air reverse to score 7.67 highlighting to everyone the commitment required to get the big scores.

Kettle led his team alongside Adam Clegg the other Taranaki team member to win his first heat. Four additional surfers also progressed through to the next round in second place avoiding the repecharge round.  Taranaki are searching for their first team title in 24 years of competing at the event. Team Coach, Jamie Andrews, is confident that the training and preparation of the team leading into the event combined with surfing the event at their local surf spot will have them in a good position to challenge for a teams title and breakthrough performance.

The stand out team performance on day one came from Bay of Plenty who had eight surfers competing and all moving through to the second round. Surfing in the Under 18 Boys Division, Josh Taylor had a heat win as did Luca Cressy, Matt Hansen and Jordan Griffin in the Under 16 Boys, Griffin posting 11.47 being one of the highest heat scores of the day.

The Bay of Plenty Team have won the event four of the last six years and will be looking to take the title back from Gisborne who claimed the victory in 2011 when the event was held at Ahipara in Northland. The defending champion Gisborne Team produced some solid results with only the one surfer, Duncan Milne, dropping into the repecharge rounds. Team captain and finalist in the 2011, Jules Craft, looked comfortable in the sizable conditions scoring 10.67 points to win his heat over New Zealand representative Mackenzie Christie.

The Auckland team also posted a great performance on day one with all but one surfer progressing through to the second round. Waretini Wano posted 11.93 points to win his heat in the Under 18s while Tom Mason looked strong in the Under 16 Boys surfing to a second placing. All surfers remain in the event with the second chance format giving surfers the opportunity to get back into the main draw if they progress through the repecharge round.

The New Zealand Junior Surfing Squad is announced shortly after the event making performances in front of selectors and team management vital for those with an eye on selection in the New Zealand Team. The team will travel to Nicaragua for the ISA World Championships in July 2013 and comprises four Under 18 Boys, four Under 16 Boys, two Under 18 Girls and two Under 16 Girls.

Competition will resume tomorrow at 8:00am with a decision on the location and order of events determined once conditions are assessed. The surf is expected to double overnight with strong winds forecasted on Tuesday.

Everyone can keep up with the action via the Surfing New Zealand website and social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on your mobile. The WWF Maui's Trial will take place on Wednesday and Thursday of the event and will highlight the plight of the endangered Maui Dolphins. Please see below for results from day one of the 2012 National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth today (Monday 1st October).

Under 18 Boys Round 1
Heat 1 Sean Kettle (Tara), 15, 1, Niwa Ututaonga (Chch), 6.93, 2, Jared Crawford (Chch), 6.43, 3
Heat 2 Levi Stewart (Coro), 12.83, 1, Callum Mepsted (Coro), 6.37, 2, Justin Moir (Wai), 4, 3, Wiremu Ormsby
Heat 3 Ben Poulter (Wai), 12.33, 1, Josh Kettle (Tara), 5.97, 2, William Bowden (Nrthld), 3.63, 3
Heat 4 Jules Craft (Gis), 10.67, 1, Mackenzie Christie (BOP), 9.73, 2, Flynn Hart (Nrthld), 5.5, 3
Heat 5 Paul Moretti (Nrthld) , 9.43, 1, Brodie Arbuckle (Tara), 6.93, 2, Duncan Milne (Gis), 2.47, 3
Heat 6 Josh Taylor (BOP), 8.9, 1, Eli McDonald (Tara), 8.5, 2, Fraser Seymour (Nrthld), 6.23, 3
Heat 7 Corey Asplin (Wai), 7.2, 1, Wade Kindred (Auck), 6.57, 2, Dillon Tarrant (Wai), 6.33, 3
Heat 8 Ware Wano (Auck), 11.93, 1, Max Cooke (Chch), 6.93, 2, Drew Dunfoy (Chch), 1.9, 3

Under 16 Boys Round 1
Heat 1 McKenzie Bowden (Coro), 11.33, 1, Max Marshall (Chch), 9.6, 2, Campbell Ivory (Coro), 4.8, 3
Heat 2 Luca Cresssy (BOP), 8.67, 1, Mahorahora McCloud (Tara), Nick Tuhikarama 3, Te Rapai Barbarich - Love
Heat 3 Luciano Harth (Wai), 6.7, 1, Quin Matenga (BOP), 6.07, 2, Matt McGregor (Nrthld), 4.77, 3, Blake Haven
Heat 4 Adam Clegg (Tara), 8.57, 1, Tom Mason (Auck), 8.13, 2, Joe Palmer (Nrthld), 7.27, 3
Heat 5 Matt Hansen (BOP), 10.17, 1, Caleb Braithwaite (BOP), 4, 2, Russell Keenan (Coro), 4.67, 3
Heat 6 Harrison Whiteside (Chch), 11.77, 1, Ryan Renall (Nrthld), 6.2, 2, Ben Wallis (Wai), 3.47, 3, Rhys Whitaker
Heat 7 Taylor Hutchison (Wai), 9.07, 1, Jack Virtue (Gis), 6.7, 2, Rory Edmonds (Chch), 4.27, 3, Toa McDonald
Heat 8 Jordan Griffin (BOP), 11.47, 1, Kayden Mayes (BOP), 9.9, 2, Zane Hicks (Nrthld), 4.3, 3

www.surfingnz.co.nz

Source: Surfing NZ

Author: Ben Kennings

Tags: Primary School Champs, New Zealand, School Titles

Events: Surfersvillage