2008 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour

Surfing New Zealand
Sandy Bay New Zealand
2 - 3 February 2008

Daryn McBride Wins White Hot Final

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 February, 2008 : - - Daryn McBride (Mnt) took out his second victory on the 2008 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour today (Sunday 3rd February) when he beat all comers at the Sandy Bay leg of the seven event tour.  A fresh northeast breeze was up early making the northeast swell of 2-3 feet a bit tricky again, especially as the tide dropped away.  The first division to hit the water was the Men’s Over 40s quarter finals followed by the Open Men’s semi finals.

The first semi final of the open men’s was a reasonably straight forward heat with Sam Johnson (Gis) making light work of the other three with Mike Burling (Gis) finishing second.  This left Sam Guthrie (Mnt) to continue in the Junior Men’s division only with Aidan Comrie (Waihi Beach) heading to the hospitality suite. 

The next semi final was a loaded one and from the moment the hooter went the competitors were straight in to it.  The waves started to pump with the incoming tide and the sets kept on coming.  Daniel Proctor (Gis) wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip by and racked up two high scoring rides in the first few minutes. 

Daryn McBride (Mnt) was surfing like a man possessed hitting the crumbly lips in a modern high performance display of longboarding. Unfortunately for 2007 Champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) it all came down to wave selection.  Kereopa scored himself another third in this heat and failed to get a berth in the final.  Alex McKenzie (HBay) started his heat well but his board broke on a close out wave and by the time he had a replacement the heat was almost over.

The final of finals happened today at Sandy Bay. The standard of surfing went up another notch.  Burling and McBride got straight in to it and started blowing the spectators right off the beach with their progressive surfing.  Sam Johnson’s first wave was a low scoring ride but he managed to get a better 5.5 for his next.

However, this was never going to take out the event with Burling posting an 8.5 with a floater re-entry combo that had the crowd screaming for more. Not to be out done Daryn McBride cranked the highest score wave of 9.33.  Daniel Procter (Gis) didn’t have one of his better finals and ground out a fourth place.  Just in front of him taking the third slot was Johnson (Gis).  Burling blasted his way in to second.  McBride carved another winning notch into his contest belt.

The women’s semis had a couple of upsets heat one had two local girls Demi Poynter and Kirstie Thomsen bumped out and straight into the I.C. Motors hospitality tent.  It was Claire Norman (Aus) and Napier surfer Belinda Galley who made it in to the finals.

Heat two was the one we had been waiting for but the predicted tussle between Daisy Thomas (Chch) and Shelley Jones (Auck) didn’t happen.  Jones finished fourth in her heat after wave selection let her down.  Thomas power surfed her way in to the final along with tour newcomer Monique Waitzer.  This left Rea Ansin (Auck) in a close third place.

The women’s final was a battle from the start with Thomas going straight on the first wave of the heat, not a good one and it was low scoring.  Meanwhile Claire Norman (Aus) caught a howler all the way to the beach and racked up the highest wave score of the heat of 5.83.  It looked difficult for Monique Waitzer and Belinda Galley who both only managed to get two waves in twenty minutes. 

Meanwhile Thomas was picking waves off left right and centre.  Her fifth wave was her highest scoring - 4.83 which brought her back into the lead.  Norman wasn’t phased and proceeded to catch two more waves and racked up a heat total of 8.53 narrowly beating Thomas into first place by 0.36.  Look out for the next time they meet.

The junior semis were an interesting mix of first time longboarders, extremely young longboarders and ‘seasoned campaigners’.  Heat one was won by Eli Barnfield (Ohope) as he continues his improving form and becomes the same threat his brother Dylan was in this division. Tim Thompson (Auck) came in a close second and moved through to the final as well.

Heat two had the youngest competitor, Hone Douglas (Whtane), surfing well in conditions that were very testing for a grommet and a longboard.  Sam Guthrie (Mnt) took his previous loss in the open men’s out on his fellow junior competitors and won the heat convincingly.

The junior final hit the water late in the day and Guthrie proceeded to wail on his fellow competitors and showed what amazing form he is in.  With two waves scoring an average of 8.00 and 8.17 it was going to be a big challenge for his fellow competitors.  Barnfield came in second with a total score of 9.80 just beating Thompson with 9.37.  Last but far from least was Hone Douglas whom did extremely well in the conditions.

The over 40’s semi finals were a bit of struggle as the tide had turned more sets were coming in and the boys were given a bit of a workout.  No major upsets with Mike Thomson (Rag) and Viv Tracey (Sandy Bay) moving through from heat one and Mal Brady and Rupert Newbold heading to the final from heat two.

Quite a few of the same names that appear in the over 40’s also are to be seen in the over 50’s.  Heat one was won by Grant Cochrane from Christchurch with Viv Tracey second.  Heat two sent John Ayton who failed to make the final in the over 40’s into the over 50’s final along surfing stalwart Paul Browne.

The final saw Northland local Viv Tracey comfortably take out the heat along with Grant Cochrane second. Cochrane must have surfed more than anybody else today as him seemed to appear in most of the men’s divisions.

Opens Men’s Semi Finals
Heat 1 Sam Johnson (Gis), 1, Sam Guthrie (Mount), 4, Micheal Burling (Auk), 2, Aidan Comrie (Waihi Bch), 3.
Heat 2 Daryn McBride (Mnt), 1, Alex McKenzie (H Bay), 4, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 3, Daniel Proctor (Gis), 1

Open Men  Finals
Sam Johnson (Gis), 3, Mike Burling (Gis), 2, Daniel Procter (Gis), 4, Daryn McBride Mnt), 1

Women’s Semi Finals
Heat 1 Demi Poynter (Nrthlnd), 4,  Kirtsie Thomson (Whangarei), 3,  Claire Norman (Aus), 1, Belinda Galley (HBay), 2
Heat 2 Daisy Thomas (Chch), 1, Rea Ansin (Auck), 3, Monique Waitzer, 2, Shelly Jones (Auck), 4

Women’s Final
Claire Norman (Aus), 1, Belinda Galley (HBay), 4, Daisy Thomas (Chch), 2,  Monique Waitzer, 3.

Junior Semi Finals
Heat 1 Eli Barnfield (Ohope), 1, Rick Williamson (Ohope), 4, Tim Thompson (Auck) 2, Keiran Pullman (Sandy Bay), 3
Heat 2 Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Hone Douglas (Whktane), 2, Tim Gibb (Auk), 4, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 1

Junior Final
Eli Barnfield (Ohope), 2, Tom Thompson (Auck), 3, Hone Douglas (Whktane), 4, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 1

Men’s Over 40 Quarter Finals
Heat 1 Mike Thomson (Raglan), 1, Steve Andrews 3, John Ayton (NCB) 2, Bryan Western (Auck), 4
Heat 2 Grant Cochrane (Chch), 1, Dave Burbage (Ham), 4, Viv Tracey (Sandy Bay), 2, Neil Dawber, 3
Heat 3 Mal Brady, 1, Al Ashworth (Auck), 4, Robert Hawkins (Rag), 3, Mark Calcutt, 2.
Heat 4 David Storck (Auck), 1, Steve Tyro (Chch), 3, Rupert Newbold, 2, Dave Espiner (Whangarei), 4.

Men’s Over 40 Semi Finals
Heat 1 Mike Thomson (Rag), 1, John Ayton (Nrthlnd), 4, Grant Cochrane, 3, Viv Tracey, 2.
Heat 2 Mal Brady, 1, Mark Calcutt, 4, David Storck (Piha), 3, Rupert Newbold, 2

Mens Over 40 Final.
Mike Thomson, Viv Tracey, Mal Brady, Rupert Newbold

Men’s Over 50 Quarter Finals
Heat 1 Viv Tracey (Sandy Bay), 1, Rupert Newbold, 3, Trevor Crosby, 2, John Duff, 4
Heat 2 Grant Cochrane, 1, Ian Parker, 2, Nick Matich, 4, Dave Reed, 3
Heat 3 Dave Storck (Piha), 1, Warren Thomsen, 4, Paul Browne 2, Alan Sykes, 3
Heat 4 Mike Thomson, 1, Warrick Grey, 3,John Ayton, 2, Mel Eggindon, 4

Men’s Over 50 Semi Finals
Heat 1 Viv Tracey, 2, Trevor Crosby, 4, Grant Cochrane, 1, Ian Parker, 3
Heat 2 David Storck, 3 Paul Browne, 2, Mike Thomson, 4, John Ayton, 1

Men’s Over 50 Finals
Viv Tracey, 1, Grant Cochrane, 2, John Ayton, 3, Mike Thomson, 4

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

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, Hyundai, SPARC & Smokefree.

www.surfingnz.co.nz
www.surf.co.nz/hyundai.

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