Hyundai Pro Longboards

Surfing New Zealand
Port Waikato
18 - 19 February 2006

CHALLENGERS EMERGE AT DAY ONE OF HYUNDAI PRO LONGBOARD EVENT

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 18 February, 2006 : - - Port Waikato dished up a solid 1.5m swell that unleashed several new challengers for the event title including Tongan Michael Burling and British surfer Lee Ryan.  The two surfers dominated their heats today and will now pose a major threat to the top rated surfers at this event the third of six in the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour. 

The clean swell and light sea breeze winds combined with perfect sand banks to produce awesome waves.  Burling looked to have the match of the ocean as well as any surfer scoring a second round high 17.5 points.  The surfer who is currently studying to become a doctor produced the biggest turns of the day and surfed with a smooth style that has obviously being nurtured on the reefs of his homeland. 

Ryan, another surfer that is currently residing in New Zealand progressed through both of his heats today scoring 14.8 in his second round heat to finish second behind number one seed Michael Fitzharris (Gis).  Unseeded, Ryan encountered the likes of Jay Reeve (Mnt) and Fitzharris in the early rounds.  Ryan last competed in New Zealand at the 2003 Oxbow World Pro Longboard Championships and is now back for more in a country he is looking to call home.  Fitzharris proved that coming from the East Coast was no deterrent in the good sized waves at Port Waikato – the only West Coast stop on the tour.  Fitzharris scored 17.3 in his second round heat and will again face Ryan in the quarters along with Michael Burling and an impressive Matt Gillespie (Auck) who also scored 14.0 in his second round heat. 

Paul Culpan : photo Al Ashworth

Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), currently ranked second on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour racked up two heat wins overcoming Kelly Ryan (Gis) in the second round to move through to the quarter finals.  Daniel Kereopa (Rag) kept Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) at bay in the last heat of the day scoring 16.5 to win the heat.  Barnfield has been the form surfer in recent weeks scoring a perfect ten at the last event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour at Sandy Bay.  Today was no different as he went to town in his first heat scoring 14.75.  However it was the competitive nature of Kereopa that won out in the bowling right hand beach break waves during the second round.  Both surfers will now meet each other in the quarter finals with Brendon Young (H Bay) and Jan Redfern (Auck). 

The Over 40s also contested their first round of the event with Brendon Young obviously having the advantage after having warmed up in the Open Longboard Division.  Young surfed to a brilliant 15.0 total heat score – the highest for the division.  Not far behind were Mike Thompson (Rag) and Tom Swann (Gis) who fought out an epic battle coming in from the water tied for first with scores of 14.25 a piece.  However it was Thompson with a highest score of 8.5 that progressed in first – both surfers set to do battle tomorrow (Sunday).  Both Roger Hall (Bream Bay) and Dave Ivory were the other two heat winners of the first round. 

All surfers are to meet at the beach at 7.30am Sunday morning with a view to start the event at 8.0am.  Six hours of surfing remains to complete the event.  Prize giving will be held at the conclusion of the finals.

Dave Elley : photo Al Ashworth

Hyundai Open Men Longboard Round 1 
Heat one; Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Ant McColl (Mnt), 2, Aidan Comrie (Waihi Bch), n/s
Heat two: Jay Reeve (Orewa), 1, Lee Ryan (Dun), 2, Mickey Thompson (Rag), 3
Heat three: Michael Burling (Auck), 1, Phil Morris (Auck), 2, Kirk Beyer (Wgtn), 3, 
Heat four: Wyn Hoogerbrugger (Kaukapakapa), 1, Matt Gillespie (Auck), 2, Dave Elley (Rag), 3
Heat five: Daniel Proctor (Gis), 1, Issac Johnson (Wels) 2, James Schedwy (Auck), 3
Heat six: Kelly Ryan (Gis), 1, Tom Kibblewhite (Auck), 2, Rob Hawkings (Rag), 3
Heat seven: Mathew Cockayne (Mgwhai), 1, Duncan Cameron (Mnt), 2, Glen Johnson, 3, Che Phillips (Auck), 4
Heat eight: Aiden Comrie (Waihi Bch), 1, Paul Culpan (Auck), 2, Alex McKenzie (Hbay), 3, Steve Franich (Orewa), 4
Heat nine:Dave Ivory (Mgwhai), 1, Andrew Hill (Brwn Bay), 2, Chad Keven (Auck), 3
Heat ten: Brendon Young (Hbay), 1, Jan Redfern (Auck), 2, Rhys Fitt (Auck), 3
Heat eleven: Craig Davies (Tara), 1, David Storck (Piha), 2, Richard Benson-Cooper (Auck), 3
Heat twelve: Dylan Barnfield (Ohpe), 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 2, Dion Williams (Gis), 3 

Hyundai Open Men Longboard Round 2
Heat one: Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Lee Ryan (Dun), 2, Jay Reeve (Orewa), 3, Ant McColl (Mnt), 4
Heat two: Michael Burling (Auck), 1, Matt Gillespie (Auck), 2, Phil Morris (Auck) 3, Wyn Hoogerbrugger (Kaukapakapa), 4
Heat three: Tom Kibblewhite (Auck), 1, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 2, Daniel Proctor (Gis), 3, Issac Johnson (Wels), 4 
Heat four: Mathew Cockayne (Mgwhai), 1, Paul Culpan (Auck), 2, Aiden Comrie (Waihi Bch), 3, Duncan Cameron (Mnt), 4
Heat five: Brendon Young (Hbay), 1, Jan Redfern (Auck), 2, Andrew Hill (Brwn Bay), 3, Dave Ivory (Mgwhai), 4 
Heat six: Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Dylan Barnfield (Ohpe), 2, Craig Davies (Tara), 3, David Storck (Piha), 4  

Hyundai Open Men Longboard Quarter finals (To be surfed)
Heat one: Michael Fitzharris (Gis), Lee Ryan (Dun), Michael Burling (Auck), Matt Gillespie (Auck)
Heat two: Tom Kibblewhite (Auck), Kelly Ryan (Gis), Mathew Cockayne (Mgwhai), Paul Culpan (Auck)
Heat three: Brendon Young (Hbay), Jan Redfern (Auck), Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Dylan Barnfield (Ohpe)

Hyundai Over 40's Round 1 
Heat one: Brendon Young (H Bay), 1, Richard Dorahy (Whangarei), 2, Rob Hawkings (Raglan), 3
Heat two; Dave Ivory (Mngwhai), 1, Bill Neal (Rag), 2, Robbie Benson-Cooper (Auck), 3, Ian Wood (Auck), 4,
Heat three: Mike Thomson (Raglan), 1, Tommy Swan (Gis), 2, David Storck (Auckland), 3
Heat four: Roger Hall (Bream Bay), 1, Al Ashworth (Auckland), 2, Scotty Riach (Stanmore Bay), 3 

Hyundai Over 40's Semi Finals (To be surfed) 
Heat one: Brendon Young (H Bay), Richard Dorahy (Whangarei), Dave Ivory (Mngwhai), Bill Neal (Rag)
Heat two: Mike Thomson (Raglan), Tommy Swan (Gis), Roger Hall (Bream Bay), Al Ashworth (Auckland) 

Hyundai Over 50's Semi Finals (To be surfed) 
Heat one: Paul Browne (Auck), Ian Parker (Auck), Mal Eggington (Whgrei), Barry Agnew (Auck)
Heat two: David Storck (Auckland), Viv Treacy (Ocn Bch), Hobie (Rag), Brin Standeaven (Auck) 

Hyundai Women Semi Finals (To be surfed)
Heat one: Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), Anna Jolly (Piha), Shelly Jones (Auck)
Heat two: Josephine Moore (Mur), Pauline Pullman (NCB), Olivia Arca (NCB), Sheeren Lobb (Port Wai) 

Hyundai Junior Semi Finals (To be surfed)
Heat one: Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), Warren McKenzie (H-Bay), John Cosgrove (Auck), Jeremy Parker (Auck)
Heat two: Kirk Beyer (Wgtn), Sam Guthrie (Mnt), Eli Barnfield (Ohope), Duncan Cameron (Mnt)

Take off : photo Al Ashworth

The 2006 Northland Longboard Classic is proudly sponsored by Hyundai. The event would be not possible without the support of Surfing New Zealand and North Coast Boardriders.

Event dates for the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour:

- Hyundai National Surfing Championships,
  Northland – 7th – 14th January
- Northland Longboard Classic in association with Hyundai,
  Sandy Bay – 4th – 5th February
- Hyundai Pro Longboard,
  Port Waikato – 18th – 19th February
- “V” South Island International Longboard Pro-Am in association with Hyundai, 
  Kaikoura – 17th – 19th March
- Hyundai Pro Longboard,
  Mount Maunganui – 25th – 26th March
- Hyundai Pro Longboard,
  Gisborne – 13th – 14th May

Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by Hyundai, Lion Red, Vodafone, SPARC, Smoke, Freentin Drain.

www.surfingnz.co.nz

Previous reports:
# 1 : Hyundai sponsors new Pro Longboard NZ Tour 2006 
# 2 : Port Waikato hosts Hyundai Pro Longboard event #3
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Ben Kennings

Longboard Contests - Surfersvillage