Tay Street Mount Maunganui

COMEBACK COMPLETE FOR MOUNT MAUNGANUI’S MCBRIDE

Mount Maunganui’s Daryn McBride completed a brilliant comeback to competitive surfing today (Sunday) when he won the Open Men’s division of the Hyundai Pro Longboard event held at his home break. The surf built throughout the day and it needed to as the day dawned with barely contestable waves.

The conditions were average at best with choppy waves and strong onshore winds but McBride opened up the final with an excellent 8.0 point ride. McBride was light footed walking up and down his board to connect with the inside section of the wave. He then backed his first wave up with a 5.50 point ride midway through the heat to extend his lead. The win will be rewarding for McBride who is known for his free surfing ability and laid back approach to riding waves.

Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) lead the charge for the remaining three finalists scoring 12.6 in the final including a great last wave which scored 6.35. The strong surfer powered through some big turns and was well rewarded. The result was Kibblewhite’s best of the season and strengthens his second placing on the ratings with only one event remaining for 2006. The two remaining finalists were Craig Anderson (Mnt) and Lynden Kennings (WGM) who were both standouts throughout the event. However, in the final they came up short unable to get the longer high scoring rides and they finished third and fourth respectively in what was also their first event in some time.

Wellington’s Kirk Beyer backed up his success of last weekend by winning his second event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour. Beyer scored an excellent 8.50 point ride which set him apart from the other three finalists. Both Sam Guthrie (Mnt) and Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) posted good single rides but could not make up lost ground on the runaway leader Beyer who finished with a total heat score of 12.25. Guthrie managed to sneak into second place for his best result of the year while Barnfield had to settle for third ahead of his younger brother Eli in fourth.

Local surfer Paul Steevens won the tightest of finals for the Over 40s after riding his last two waves to beat Brendon Young (Hawkes Bay) on a count-back. By virtue of his highest scoring ride of 8.0 (compared with Young’s 7.25), Steevens went home victorious and the only surfer to have beaten Young on this years tour. Mike Thomsen secured yet another third place, his fourth of the year. Roger Hall (Whangarei) finished in fourth place.

Australian Chelsea Williams finished her trip to New Zealand on a high by winning the Women’s division only a week after winning the Kaikoura leg of the tour. Williams scored 8.5 and 8.25 on her first two waves to effectively seal the deal. Her surfing was a mix of smooth traditional walking of the board and some very radical rail-turns. Sandy Bay’s Pauline Pullman surfed her way to second and her performance will help her close the gap on ratings leader Jo Moore (Mur) who was eliminated in the semi finals. Australian Lauran Rayner placed third ahead of Olivia Arca (Sandy Bay) who was surfing her first final of the tour.

Viv Tracey (Whangarei) took his first win of the tour with a convincing win in the Over 50s. After earlier kissing his board and requiring stitches on his lip, Tracey went out in the final and posted a heat score of 12.5. An 8.0 point ride highlighted his performance. Auckland’s Paul Browne finished a close second scoring 11.40 to finish ahead of current ratings ladder David Stork (Auck) and first time finalist Brin Standeaven (Auck).

Results:

Open Men Finals

Daryn Mcbride (Mnt), 1, Tom Kibblewhite (Auck), 2, Craig Anderson (Mnt), 3, Lynden Kennings (Whmata), 4

Junior Finals

Kirk Beyer (Wgtn), 1, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 2, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 3, Eli Barnfield (Ohope), 4

Women Finals

Chelsea Williams (Aust), 1, Pauline Pullman (NCB), 2, Olivia Arca (NCB), 3, Lauren Rayner (Aust), 4

Over 40's Finals

Paul Steevens (Mnt), 1, Brendon Young (H Bay), 2, Mike Thomson (Rag), 3, Roger Hall (Bream Bay), 4

Over 50's Finals

Viv Treacy (Ocn Bch), 1, Paul Browne (Auck), 2, David Storck (Auck), 3, Brin Standeaven (Auck), 4

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