Smokefree National Scholastic Surf Champs

Surfing New Zealand
Opunake, Taranaki New Zealand
29 April - 3 May 2008

First Eliminations Of Event Affect Top Teams

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 30 April, 2008 : - - Day two of the Smokefree National Scholastic Surfing Championships resulted in some big losses for the top rated teams as the fringe regions flexed their muscle showing that they can foot it with the best in the country. 

The defending champion Bay of Plenty team lost three of their surfers while the confidence of Gisborne took a dent losing two surfers.  Host team Taranaki feared better losing only one surfer at the completion of the day (Wednesday).

After two days of surfing it has been clearly evident that the talent pool of surfers has now spread across the nation with brilliant performances from all twelve regions represented today.  The surf was small at the Dump this morning but as predicted it built to a solid 1.5m – 2.0m buy the end of the day causing organisers to cut the day short when conditions became dangerous.

The Coromandel team have traditionally been a strong team year in year out at the Smokefree Scholastics.  However they have not won the teams title since 2001.  The team marched through day two unscathed with all twelve surfers progressing through to what is shaping up to be a very important third day of the event. 

Brad Pitcher and Fintan Cram progressed through the under 14 boys as did the two Ella’s Spiers and Williams also in the under 14 division.

The Poulter siblings from Waikato excelled as the swell built late in the day.  Oldest of he two Alexis first moved through to the semifinals of the under 16 girls division scoring 14.0 points to win her heat while Ben Poulter secured the highest heat score of the day – 16.67 out of a possible 20 in the under 14 boys. 

The two surfers were joined by team mates Tyler Barry, Sam Curtain and the Randell brothers Kurt and Josh in the bodyboard division who all made their heats today.  Their results secured the team the number one position after two days of the event and they are now on target to claim their fifth teams title (first since 2003).

Waikato are followed by Auckland, Northland and Coromandel with Gisborne rounding out the top five.  Host team Taranaki are sitting in sixth spot one place ahead of defending champions Bay of Plenty who will have a lot of work to do if they are to challenge for a third straight title.

Standout performance of the day came from Northland surfer Patxi Scott – Arrieta posting a near perfect 9.85 point ride to help him move through to the semifinals of the under 14 boys.  The youngest of the Northland team, Scott – Arrieta is hoping to help his team to their first ever teams title. 

“Yeah I loved it out there, I love surfing big long rights ‘cause you can use the power of the wave and come off the bottom with big bottom turns” commented an elated Scott – Arrieta who actually comes from the beach break of Sandy Bay near Whangarei.  Scott – Arrieta completed three huge forehand turns on a wave that towered more than twice his height.

Of the fringe regions it was an all round performance from the Hawkes Bay team with all seven team members still alive moving into day three.  Ben Libby and Cian Jefferson held up their side of the deal in the under 18 boys and under 14 boys divisions respectively today.

Otago’s standout performance came from Leroy Rust who left his run late in the under 18 longboard but posted a 7.5 point ride on his last wave of the heat to jump from fourth to first with a 12.5 heat total.  Jordan Durst also won his under 16 boys heat.

Late in the day Wellington surfer Ethan Burge made his way out of the under 16 boys qualifying round and back to the main event.  Burge scored 12.33 in his heat for an easy win ahead of Tyler Barry (Wai) in second and Jai Forsyth (WC) in third.

Please see below for results from day two of the 2008 Smokefree National Scholastic Surfing Championships.

Under 18 Boys Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1 Ben Libby (HBAY), 1, Todd Hale (NRTH), 2, Jordan Joyce (CANT), 3

Under 16 Boys Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1 Ethan Burge (WGTN), 1, Tyler Barry (WAI), 2, Jai Forsyth (WC), 3
Heat 2 Jordan Durst (OTA), 1, Clark Pablecheque (WC), 2, Blake McNellis (WC), 3, Geordi Dearns (OTA), 4

Under 14 Boys Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1 Jack Treacy (NRTH), 1, Seth Marshall (TARA), 2, Dawson Falwasser - Logan (GIS), 3

Under 14 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1 Ben Poulter (WAI), 1, Josh Kettle (TARA), 2, Seth Marshall (TARA), 3
Heat 2 Brad Pitcher (CORO), 1, Jack Treacy (NRTH), 2, Jules Craft (GIS), 3
Heat 3 Taylor Louie (AUCK), 1, Fintan Cram (CORO), 2, Billy Harmon (CANT), 3
Heat 4 Patxi Scott-Arrieta (NRTH), 1, Cian Jefferson (HBAY), 2, Hone Douglas (BOP), 3

Under 18 Girls Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1 Jessie Anderson (Nrth), 1, Hannah Ryan (WC), 2, Mikayla Zandstra (BOP), 3
Heat 2 (Yet to be surfed) Grace Mora (Cant), Ngarongo Phillips (Wgtn), Sharnae Van Der Helder (Wai)

Under 18 Longboard Round 1
Heat 1 Sam Curtin (WAI), 1, Charlie Brown (GIS), 2, Sam Guthrie (BOP), 3, Jae Kilgour (OTA), 4
Heat 2 Le Roy Rust ((OTA), 1, Storm Carroll (AUCK), 2, Dylan Mayor (CORO), 3, Hugh Ritchie (CANT), 4

Under 18 Longboard Requalify 1
Heat 1 Sam Guthrie (BOP), 1, Dylan Mayor (CORO), 2, Jae Kilgour (OTA), 3, Hugh Ritchie (CANT), 4

Under 18 Bodyboard Round 1
Heat 1 Luke Elliot (BOP), 1, Kurt Randell (Wai), 2, Tyron Josephs (Nrth), 3
Heat 2 Aran Naismith (Auck), 1, Ryan Daniel (Gis), 2, Cam Malcolm (Cant), 3
Heat 3 Mitch Tomelson (BOP), 1, Josh Randell (Wai), 2, Marcus Williams (Tara), 3

Under 18 Bodyboard Requalifying 1
Heat 1 Marcus Williams (Tara), 1, Tyron Josephs (Nrth), 2, Cam Malcolm (Cant), 3

Under 16 Girls Round 1
Heat 1 Alexis Poulter (WAI), 1, Haley Baxter (CANT), 2, Ellen Koland (NRTH), 3
Heat 2 Gia Garrick (CORO), 1, Kristi Zarifeh (CANT), 2, Kendra Hartley (TARA), 3, Erica Dive (BOP), 4
Heat 3 Rosa Thompson (AUCK), 1, Georgia Cooper (AUCK), 2, Emma Philsom (CORO), 3

Under 16 Girls Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1 Emma Philsom (CORO), 1, Kendra Hartley (TARA), 2, Erica Dive (BOP), 3, Ellen Koland (NRTH), 4

Under 14 Girls Round 1
Heat 1 Alethea Lock (CANT), 1, Ella Spiers (CORO), 2, Ella Williams (CORO), 3
Heat 2 Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (GIS), 1, Gabriella McCarthy-Marriott (GIS), 2, Elly Stevens (TARA), 3, Alex Potter (BOP), 4

Under 14 Girls Requalifying 1
Heat 1 Elly Stevens (TARA), 1, Ella Williams (CORO), 2, Alex Potter (BOP), 3

Complete lists of all National Scholastic Champions are located on the Surfing New Zealand website under events – www.surfingnz.co.nz. 

The Smokefree National Scholastic Surfing Championships would not be possible without the support of Smokefree, The Edge, NZ Surfing Magazine, Opunake Boardriders and Surfing New Zealand.  

Previous reports:
# 1 : NZ's Smokefree National Scholastic Surf Champs kick off
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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

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