2008 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour

Surfing New Zealand
Mount Maunganui New Zealand
5 - 6 January 2008

Burling Posts Big Day One Score

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 5 January, 2008 : - - Gisborne based Tongan surfer Michael Burling sent a loud and clear message to his opponents today on day one of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour event being held at Papamoa, Bay of Plenty – I want to win the tour this year and this is how I am going to do it! 

His emphatic heat win in round two culminated in a total heat score of 15.47 out of a possible 20 points – the highest of the day.  Burling easily won his heat progressing through to the quarterfinals of the event. Burling has lived in New Zealand for the past several years.  Having studied to be a doctor he now practices in Gisborne but looking at his performance today he still manages a decent amount of water time. 

The big-built surfer always performs well in solid surf but even today in small 0.5m waves he managed to complete several big turns on his waves to lock in high scores – the best being an excellent 8.0 point ride on his last wave.  Burling will now look to push for an event win and carry on from where he left off in 2007 when he won the last event of the tour held at Port Waikato.

Burling’s path was made slightly easier today when the event’s second seed Michael Fitzharris (Gis) was eliminated by Lynden Kennings (Piha) and Stephen Tyro (Chch) in a very close but low scoring heat.  Eventual third placed surfer Duncan Cameron (Mnt) led the heat early only to be over taken by Kennings. 

Seemingly having sealed second place Cameron ‘sat’ on Fitzharris attempting to prevent him from getting any further waves.  It resulted in Tyro having free rein over the shifty beach break and he caught two good waves late in the heat to sneak into second.  Both Kennings and Tyro now move through to the quarterfinals of the event to be held on Sunday where forecasts are for the swell to be larger and winds more favourable than today.

Number one seed and defending tour champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) won a close battle in his heat to progress alongside New Zealand representative Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) who together eliminating Hawkes Bay’s Alex McKenzie.

Other heat winners included local surfer and defending event champion Daryn Mcbride who scored 12.17, Ohope’s hottest talent Dylan Barnfield scoring 12.36, Gisborne surfers Daniel Procter and Kelly Ryan as well as young Mount Maunganui surfer Ant McColl.  The quarterfinal line up is potentially the most talent laden possible and should forecasts come to fruition then the action on the finals day will be outstanding.

The number one seed in the female division, Rea Ansin was ousted out of the first round today by Shelley Jones (Auck) scoring 8.83 and second place getter Belinda Galley (Nap).  The highest scoring surfer in the first round was local surfer Michelle Langdon (Mnt) posting 11.0 out of a possible 20 points in her heat to move through to the last six surfers in the semifinals. 

Langdon is fresh back from Australia where she has been residing for much of 2007.  Australian surfer Claire Norman also put in a good performance to win her heat and progress to the semifinals alongside Daisy Thomas (Chch).  Thomas now meets top scorer Langdon and Shelley Jones who also won her heat.

Late in the day Kennings and Fitzharris dominated their Over 40’s heats to win and move through to the semifinals as well as Auckland surfer Mal Brady.  Kennings and Fitzharris now meet up with Christchurch surfer Grant Cochrane in the semi’s while defending Over 40’s tour champion Mike Thomsen (Rag) meets up with David Storck (Auck) and Brady.

In the Over 50s Viv Treacy (Whangarei), Mike Thomson (Rag) and David Storck won their heats and moved through to the semifinals.

Action will commence at 8am on Sunday morning with six hours surfing to be completed.  Prizegiving will be carried out at the beach at the conclusion of the finals of all divisions.

The actual event dates for the 2008 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour are as follows

-Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 1, Mount Maunganui – 5th – 6th January

-Hyundai National Surfing Championships Presented by Quiksilver, Gisborne – 12th – 19th January

-Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 3, Sandy Bay – 2nd – 3rd February

-Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 4, Christchurch – 16th – 17th February

-RnR South Island International Longboard Pro-Am in association with Hyundai, Kaikoura – 14th – 16th March|

-Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 6, Lyall Bay Wellington – 5th – 6th April

-Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 7, Port Waikato – 12th – 13th April

Hyundai have been involved with Surfing New Zealand since 2004 and also sponsor the most prestigious event in New Zealand – The Hyundai National Championships presented by Quiksilver.  However the focus is on longboarding and this year the tour will be televised on Maori Television with half hour shows dedicated to each event. 

Stay tuned for up coming dates for the shows.  Hyundai have also set up a specific surfing website focussing on longboarding and the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour - http://www.surf.co.nz/hyundai.

Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by Corona, Vodafone, Hyundai, SPARC & Smokefree.

Previous reports:
# 1 : Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour kicks off at Mt. Maunganui
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Ben Kennings

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