Michael Fitzharris : photo Slide Magazine

46th annual Hyundai National Surfing Championships
Presented by Quiksilver

Surfing New Zealand
Gisborne New Zealand
12 - 19 January 2008

Mount Maunganui Surfers to the Fore at the 46th annual Hyundai National Surfing Championships

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 January, 2008 : - - The second round of the Under 18 boys enjoyed the clean early morning conditions on day three of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver.  Makorori Beach offered competitors the best conditions again with clean but dying 1.0m high waves.  Mount Maunganui surfers dominated a number of heats throughout the day that saw the Open Longboard, Under 18 Boys, Quiksilver King of the Groms Under 16s and Under 14 Boys Divisions get some time in the water.

A total of five Mount Maunganui surfers progressed through the under 18 boys round two and into the quarterfinals early this morning.  They were led by Alex Dive who won his heat ahead of local boy Buck Woods when he posted 13.00 points.  Both surfers have been standouts during the early days of the ‘Nationals’ and look determined to finish up with a big result at this event. 

Dive was joined by Mount Maunganui mate John Courian who also won his heat.  John’s twin brother Robert progressed in second place as did Travis McCoy and Josh Curtis.  It was a theme that would continue throughout the day in a strong showing from the Bay of Plenty surfers.

Johnny Hicks was again the top scorer in the under 18 boys posting a 16.75 point heat total.  Hicks is also competing in the under 16 boys division where he moved through to the semifinals and is a favourite to win the event.  The entire field of under 18 boys surfers may also feel the pressure to deliver the goods should they be in Hicks heats later in the week.

Two 13-year-old surfers in Tane Wallis (Piha) and Ben Poulter (Rag) also pulled off remarkable performances to move through to the final 16 surfers of the under 18 boys.  Poulter was first to move through to the quarterfinals when he caught a last minute 6.0 point ride to progress in second place behind Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata) together eliminating New Zealand representative Keone Campbell (Tara) in the upset of the day. 

Wallis was next to impress scoring 13.15 to win his heat over the older Travis McCoy in second with Sammy Love (Auck) in third with Reno Marriot (Gis) in fourth.  The longboarders surfed their way through two rounds today.  The conditions went from pristine at the start of the second round to rather wind affected low tide conditions by the end of the round. 

Michael Fitzharris (Gis) was one surfer to capitalise on the good early conditions when he posted the highest heat score of the round.  His 15.50 heat total saw him progress in first place alongside fellow local Kelly Ryan in second.  Defending champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) also won his heat scoring 13.25 points.  Kereopa won the first event on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour and will hope to extend his ratings lead with a win at this event as well as defending his title.

Daniel Procter (Gis), a full time longboard exponent, beat Jay Quinn into second position in their heat.  Procter posted a total heat score of 14.25 to Quinn’s 11.15.  Quinn made his first longboard showing at the Nationals in 2007 to the surprise of many and is back again in 2008 to better his runner up placing he gained.  Another surfer to cross over disciplines was Raglan’s Leon Santorik (Rag). 

Santorik progressed through two rounds today to move through to the last 16 surfers.  Santorik is also one of the favourites to make the final of the open men’s division on his shortboard having previously made it to the finals with a career best runner up placing in 2005. Mount Maunganui surfers came to the fore again in the men’s longboard division with four surfers progressing to the quarterfinals as well as two other surfers from the Bay of Plenty region.

The Quiksilver King of the Groms Under 16 Boys Division was held late in the day and the final eight surfers were found.  Ben Poulter (Rag) was yet again a standout after his earlier performances in the Under 18 Boys Division.  He posted 14.0 points to push Alex Dive (Mnt) into second place. 

However the battle will not end there as the two meet in the semifinals alongside Tane Wallis (Piha) and Mark Pathemore (Tara) who also progressed through to the semifinals.  In the other semfinal it will be Blake Myers (WGM) and Johnny Hicks (Gis) who will face off with Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Waihi Beach) and Todd Doyle (Mnt).

Conditions are expected to be similar for day four of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver.  A decision on the location and order of events for day four will be made at 7am on Tuesday morning.

Day three results

Junior Men Round 2
Heat 1 Tyler Anderson (Tara), 1, Adam Cranston (Gis), 2, Tim Thompson (Auck), 3, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 4
Heat 2 Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Joshua Curtis (Tau), 2, Stefan White (Whmata), 3, Matthew Valentine (Mnt), 4
Heat 3 John Courian (Mnt), 1, Todd Hale (Nortlnd), 2, Kieran Pullman (Sandy Bay), 3, Karne Pitcher (Whmata), 4
Heat 4 Michael Mallalaieu, Tara, 1, Sean Peggs (Tairua), 2, Jay Paddock (Gis), 3, Jordan Lloyd (Piha), 4
Heat 5 Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 1, Ben Poulter (Rag), 2, Keone Campbell (Tara), 3, Ryan Heath (Whmata), 4
Heat 6 Braedon Williams (Whmata), 1, Robert Courian (Mnt), 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 3, Subarn Linklater (Auck), N/S, 
Heat 7Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 2, Blake Myers (Whmata), 3, Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay), 4
Heat 8 Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Travis McCoy (Tau), 2, Sammy Love (Auck), 3, Reno Marriott (Gis), 5.35, 4

Open Longboard Round 1
Heat 1 Trent Dickey (Auck), 1, Chris Ransley (Gis), 2, Eddie Rare (Gis), 3
Heat 2 Leon Santorik (Rag), 1, Graham Brethel, 2, Ray Morgan (Gis), 3, Matthew Groube, 4
Heat 3 Larry Foster (Gis), 1, Sam Hawke (ChCh), 2, Trent Lillis (Auck), N/S 
Heat 4 James Atutahi (Maketu), 1, Doug Young (Auck), 2, Phil Galley (Hbay), 3

Open Longboard Round 2
Heat 1 Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 1, Trent Dickey (Auck), 2, Bruce Shortridge (HBay), 3, Sam Bradford (Pakiri) 
Heat 2 Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 2, Chris Ransley (Gis), 3, David Storck, (Piha), 4
Heat 3 Leon Santorik (Rag), 1, Kirk Beyer, (Wgtn), 2, Andrew Robinson (Auck), 3, Matt Hands (Mnt), 4
Heat 4 Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Emanuele Lai (Auck), 2, Shayne Baxter (Dun), 3, Graham Brethel, 4
Heat 5 Jay Reeve (Mnt), 1, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 2, Isaac Johnston ((Mngwhai), 3, Larry Foster (Gis), 4
Heat 6 Daniel Proctor (Gis), 1, Jay Quinn (Gis), 2, Sam Johnson (GIS), 3, Sam Hawke (ChCh), 4
Heat 7 Ant McColl, (Mnt), 1, Duncan Cameron, (Mnt), 2, Matt Gillespie, (Auck), 3, James Atutahi (Maketu), 4
Heat 8 Aidan Comrie, (Waihi Bch), 1, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 2, Doug Young (Auck), 3, Warwick Gray (Waihi Bch), 4

The National Champs are the second event on both the Corona Crown Series and the Hyundai pro Longboard Tour. Complete lists of all National Champions are located on the Surfing New Zealand website under History - surfing.co.nz.  The official event blog for the Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver will be hosted at surfing.co.nz/nationals_blog.html.  Check it out to keep up to date with all the behind the scenes stories, gossip and news that doesn’t make the cut in the media.

Previous reports:
# 1 : NZ's Hyundai Nat. Surfing Champs by Quiksilver all set
# 2 : Hyundai National Surf Champs kick off in New Zealand
# 3 : Top seeds dominate Hyundai National Surfing Champs
# 4 : Coming soon  

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

www.quiksilver.com
www.surfingnz.co.nz
www.surfingnz.co.nz/nationals_blog.htm

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