Port Waikato
As quick as the challengers emerged on Day one of the Port Waikato Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour event just as quickly did they disappear on the finals day. Michael Fitzharris (Gis) stormed to yet another victory in the Open Men’s Division to take his third win in a row in the six event series.
Fitzharris took a while to get going in the final not surfing a wave for the first five minutes. However when the 1.0m – 1.5m waves did come his way, he shredded them to bits, firstly scoring 8.25 and then an excellent 9.0 point ride to secure the win. Fitzharris made seamless work of mixing his modern day big re entries and foam climbs with the more traditional nose riding as he worked the waves through the mid section before ending with another flurry of radical turns.
It was Daniel Kereopa (Rag) and Michael Burling (Auck) that took the early lead in the final riding two waves each before Fitzharris had ridden his first. Both surfers powerful in stature smashed the lip all the way to the beach as well as performing big round house cutbacks to get back to the source of the wave. Kereopa opened his account with an 8.0 point ride and surfed a further three waves in the 7.0 point range for a two wave total of 15.95. Burling in a similar position rode several 7.0 point rides to score a two wave total of 14.5 to place third behind runner up Kereopa. However their surfing did not match up to the Fitzharris combination of traditional and modern.
Kelly Ryan (Gis) had a slow final but surfed two good waves of 6.50 and 6.30 for a 12.80 total in his first final of the year. Earlier Fitzharris and Burling eliminated Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) while Kereopa and Ryan eliminated Brendon Young (H Bay).
The Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour is now half way through the six event series with the next stop being the five star rated ‘V’ South Island Longboard Pro Am on the 17th – 18th March. Official ratings after event three have yet to be released but Michael Fitzharris will remain out in front in the Open Men’s Division while Kereopa has kept any slim chance of his title challenge alive with his second placing.
Hawkes Bay ensured they took at least one title home with Brendon Young winning the highly competitive Over 40s division. Young scored 15.25 in the final to take a comfortable victory ahead of Mangawhai’s Dave Ivory. Young had a highest wave of 8.0 which ensured his win. Ivory, in second, scored 12.90 to beat Mike Thompson (Rag) into third and Gisbrone’s Tommy Swann in fourth.
Barnstorming Dylan Barnfield was unstoppable in the Juniors blowing away the field with a total heat score of 17.15. Barnfield mixed the old with the new to maximize his scoring potential and the judges rewarded him accordingly with a near perfect 9.25 point high scoring ride. The young surfer clearly has natural talent that will see him go along way both in New Zealand and overseas. Wellington’s Kirk Beyer tried valiantly to keep up with the runaway leader riding waves of 7.3 and 7.15 for his top two scoring rides but was no match on what seemed to be Barnfield’s day. Young Sam Guthrie (Mnt) placed third ahead of Jeremy Parker (Auck) in fourth.
A final flurry of waves in the Women’s division totally changed the lay of the land as ‘mother of the ocean’ Pauline Pullman (Sandy Bay) surged from third to first to take the win in the last 30 seconds. Pullman scored the finals highest scoring wave of 7.75 (12.55 total heat score) on her last wave and it was enough to get one back over her daughter Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) who ended up moving from first to third. In second was Anna Jolly (Piha Beach) who looked to have taken the win before Pullman snuck in the back door. Josephine Moore (Mur) placed fourth with a 9.65 total.
David Stork entered three divisions at the event so it was odds on that he would succeed somewhere along the line provided his surfing came through for him and it did in the Over 50s final. Stork’s first two waves of 7.0 and 5.5 were enough to hold onto first place in the final. Stork smashed several big turns on his best wave getting most of his nine foot of his board well up above the lip. Ocean Beach surfer Viv Tracey put up the biggest fight of the remaining three finalists but his last wave was not enough. He managed to tuck into a rare little tube ride to score 6.15 just under the required 6.26 for second. An in form Paul Browne (Auck) couldn’t find the best waves in the final and had to settle for third ahead of Barry Agnew (Auck).
Results:
Hyundai Open Men Longboard Final
Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 2, Michael Burling (Auck), 3, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 4
Hyundai Over 40's Final
Brendon Young (H Bay), 1, Dave Ivory (Mngwhai), 2, Mike Thomson (Raglan), 3, Tommy Swan (Gis), 4
Hyundai Over 50's Final
David Storck (Auckland), 1, Viv Treacy (Ocn Bch), 2, Paul Browne (Auck), 3, Barry Agnew (Auck), 4
Hyundai Women Final
Pauline Pullman (NCB), 1, Anna Jolly (Piha), 2, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 3, Josephine Moore (Mur), 4
Hyundai Junior Final
Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 1, Kirk Beyer (Wgtn), 2, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 3, Jeremy Parker (Auck), 4
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