Hyundai National Surfing Championships 2006

Surfing New Zealand
The Bluff, Ninety Mile Beach, Northland
7 - 14 January 2006

Final Four Determined At the Hyundai National Surfing Championships

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 12 January, 2006 : - - The final four surfers were determined earlier today (Thursday) in the Open Men’s Division of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships.  Daniel Kereopa lead the way into the finals and was followed closely by four Gisborne surfers in Damon Gunness, Dane Simpson and Maz Quinn. 

Kereopa who surfed his Open Longboard heat only minutes before his Open Men’s semi final absolutely blitzed his rivals scoring 15.75 to win his heat.  Fast right handers at Ninety Mile Beaches Bluff were obviously to Kereopa’s liking as he flew across waves making the impossible sections seem relatively easy to navigate. 

Dane Simpson progressed in second place bringing to an end the run of Issac Peterson (Tara).  This will be Simpson’s first finals berth in the Open Men’s of the Nationals and considering it is the first event he has contested in several years he will go into the final as the underdog. As the tide continued to drop the waves appeared to lose their form for the second semi final. 

Damon Gunness only surfed two waves but that was enough to win with a heat score of 12.0 including one excellent backhand ride of 7.0.  Gunness was the 2002 National Champion and also contested the 2003 finals so is in very familiar territory.  Maz Quinn left his run late in the semi final slipping to third at one point behind Luke Hughes (Rag). 

Quinn appeared to know exactly what was required to progress after scoring a late 6.0 point ride to move to second.  No doubt he will be hoping to lift his game for the finals and produce the goods where it counts. Michael Fitzharris (Gis) continued his onslaught in the Hyundai Open Longboard Division scoring 14.75 to win the first semi final. 

Michael Fitzharris : photo courtesy NZ Surfing Magazine

His progression completed the first part of the match up with Daniel Kereopa completing the second part.  Many longboarders will take great interest in this encounter as will many of the shortboarders who will want to see if Kereopa can make the transition.  However there are two further finalists that cannot be discounted in the equation. 

Wellsford’s Tony Baker and Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) will have a point to prove and they would love nothing more than to ‘take down’ one of the more fancied surfers. The Billabong Junior Men’s semi finalists made the most of the glassy early morning conditions.  Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag) scored 14.25 surfing both the left and right handers that were on offer. 

Van Der Helder was the clear winner ahead of a tight tussle for second between Lyndon Hutton (Dun) and Gauranga Ormond (WGM).  The two surfers moved back and forward throughout the heat with Ormond having one last throw at the dice on his last wave requiring a 6.9 but came up short scoring 6.5.

In the second semi final Dean Amess (WGM) looked in control of the heat scoring 13.75 for the win.  Gisborne’s Bodhi Whitaker also progressed looking like he had a tonne of energy and surfing very well heading into the finals. 

The Rip Curl Under 16’s semi finals was laden with talent and both semi finals could have gone to any of the eight surfers involved.  Ryan Hawker (Piha) stepped it up a notch in the first semi to progress to the finals.  He will look to add an Under 16 Boys title to his Under 14 title that he won in 2005. 

The remaining three surfers in the heat battled it out until the final hooter sounded at which point Whangarei surfer Oliver Bone emerged the victor.  Bone’s tight surfing gave him the nod over Braedon Williams and Stefan White both of Whangamata. 

In the second semi final Paco Divers (Whan) progressed to the final and will want to go one better than his second placing that he achieved last year.  Divers scored 12.25 for the win ahead of Keone Campbell (Tara) who pipped Ryan Heath (WGM) for second with a wave starved Johnny Hicks (Gis) in fourth. 

Two days remain in the Hyundai National Surfing Championships.  With the option of utilising both coasts and a rising swell on the eastside, orgnaisers will have plenty of homework to do before making a decision on the venue for the last few days. 

The decision will be made at 6.30 on Friday morning.  See below for a full list of results from the divisions contested today.  The Bodyboard divisions were contested late this afternoon and results will be available tomorrow.  

Hyundai Open Men’s Semi Finals 

Heat one
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Dane Simpson (Gis), 2, Issac Petterson (Tara), 3 

Heat two
Damon Gunness (Gis), 1, Maz Quinn (Gis), 2, Luke Hughes (Rag), 3  

Hyundai Open Men’s Finals (To be surfed) 

Heat one
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Dane Simpson (Gis), Damon Gunness (Gis), Maz Quinn (Gis)

Hyundai Open Women Semi Finals 

Heat one
Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), 2, Daisy Thomas (Can), 3 

Heat two
Lisa Hurunui (Gis), 1, Jessica Welch (Gis), 2, Jessica Santorik, (Rag), 3

Hyundai Open Women Finals (To be surfed) 

Paige Hareb (Tara), Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), Lisa Hurunui (Gis), Jessica Welch (Gis)

Hyundai Open Longboard Semi Finals 

Heat one
Michael Fitzharris, (Gis), 1, Tony Baker (Wellsford), 2, David Ivory (Mgwhai), 3, Emanuele Lai (Auck), 4 

Heat two
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Thomas Kibblewhite (Akl), 2, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 3, Matt Gillespie (Akl), 4

Hyundai Open Longboard Finals (To be surfed) 

Michael Fitzharris, (Gis), Tony Baker (Wellsford), Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Thomas Kibblewhite (Akl)

Billabong Junior Men’s Semi Finals 

Heat one
Kieran Van Der Helder (Rag), 1, Lyndon Hutton (Dun), 2, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 3, Luke Hughes (Rag), 4 

Heat two
Dean Amess (Whmata), 1, Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 2, Billy Stairmand, (Rag), 3, David Crofoot (Castle Pt), 4

Billabong Junior Men’s Finals (To be surfed)

Kieran Van Der Helder (Rag), Lyndon Hutton (Dun), Dean Amess (Whmata), Bodhi Whitaker (Gis) 

Rip Curl Under 16 Boys Semi Finals 

Heat one
Ryan Hawker (Piha), 1, Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay), 2, Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Stefan White (Whmata), 4 

Heat two
Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Ryan Heath (WGM), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4

Rip Curl Under 16 Boys Finals (To be surfed) 

Ryan Hawker (Piha), Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay), Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), Keone Campbell (Tara)

Senior Over 28 Semi Finals 

Heat one
Scott Casey (Auck), 1, Ben Kennings (WGM), 2, Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 3   

Heat two
Matt Hishon (Rag), 1, Mark Dovey (Mnt), 2, Dean Hishon (Rag), 3

Senior Over 28 Finals (To be surfed) 

Scott Casey (Auck), Ben Kennings (WGM), Matt Hishon (Rag), Mark Dovey (Mnt)

Previous reports:
# 1 : Hyundai Surfing Championships draws top NZ surfers 
# 2 : Pines turns it on for Hyundai National Surfing Champs  
# 3 : Jay Quinn leads hot round 2 action at NZ Nat'l Champs
# 4 : Fitzharris pushes boundaries at Hyundai Longboards.. 
# 5 : Hyundai NZ Nat'l Surfing Champs as good as it gets...
# 6 : Kereopa and Quinn showdown ontrack at NZ Champs
# 7 : Coming soon  

Complete lists of all National Champions are lavailable at;– www.surfingnz.co.nz/history.htm. 

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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