Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event #1

Surfing New Zealand
Mt Maunganui Bay of Plenty New Zealand
3 - 4 January 2009

New Names Mix It Up With Favourites

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 3 January, 2009 : - - The first day of the 2009 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour unearthed new names that easily matched New Zealand’s best longboard proponents.  Dunedin’s Leroy Rust and local surfer Owen Barnes (Mnt) moved through to the semifinals of the Open Men’s Division on day one of the Mount Maunganui leg of the tour.

The Mount Maunganui event marks the first of six events in 2009.  Conditions were at the smallest end of the size scale today (Saturday, 3rd January) with Tay Street offering up 0.5m waves that was affected by the afternoon onshore sea breeze winds.

Leroy Rust is one of several South Island surfers contesting the first event of the year.  It is Rust’s first Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour event that he has attended in the North Island.  However the good form continues after Rust won the longboard division of the 2008 National Scholastic Championships held at Opunake earlier this year.

“I am up in the North Island to compete on the Tour this year and give the National Championships a crack next week” noted at stoked Rust.  “It was pretty small and bad out there today but I lucked into a few good waves and that allowed me to get the scores so I am stoked to be in the semifinals of both divisions tomorrow” added Rust.

Jamie Andrews : photo CPL

Rust won his all important Open Men’s quarterfinal match up to move through to the semifinals.  He rode to a 5.5 on his first wave that set him off to a good start and followed it up with a 6.5 point ride for a lead that he never relinquished.  Rust eventually progressed alongside Australian based surfer Trent Dickey (Auck) together eliminating fifth seed Daniel Proctor (Gis) and local surfer Ant McColl.

Owen Barnes completed the other notable performance of the day to put himself in contention for the title.  Barnes won both heats contested today scoring 13.5 and 12.25 respectively.  34 year-old Barnes is a part time competitor opting to compete only in events close to his Mount Maunganui home.  Barnes now finds himself pitted against Michael Burling (Gis), Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) and Phil Morris (Auck) after they also progressed to the semifinals.

Morris has been absent from the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour for the past two years, however, today he slotted right back into the winning rhythm and will be a favourite to make the last four surfers on the final day of the event.

Defending tour champion Daryn McBride (Mnt) moved through his two heats on day one.  McBride surfed with a touch of magic, his swift footwork raking in the big scores despite the small waves on offer.  McBride placed runner up at this event in 2008 and will want to go one better in 2009.

Defending event champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) was a late entrant in this weekend’s event after initially indicating that he would not be attending. 

The last minute preparation obviously hindered his performance and Kereopa was unexpectedly ousted from the event in his first heat after being beaten by Phil Morris (Auck) and Kelly Ryan (Gis).

Late in the day the Women’s finalists were found with defending Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Women’s Champion Daisy Thomas (Chch) progressing through to the finals alongside Belinda Goodwin (Rag). 

In the second semifinal, predominantly shortboard surfer Alexis Poulter (Rag) moved through alongside Shereen Lobb (Port).

The small conditions suited the Under 18 boys division the best and it showed with some excellent surfing and high scores from the likes of Rust (15.75) and Jackson Winter (Aus) (11.05) who moved through to the semifinals. 

The other heat winner was Ohope’s Hone Douglas. Sunday’s action will commence at 8am at Tay Street, Mount Maunganui.  The event will take approximately four hours to complete.  Prize giving will be held at the beach at the conclusion of the five finals. 

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

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