The youngest surfers competing at the 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships had their chance to earn valuable points for their regional teams today as the title race advances with two days remaining at the event.
Day three (Wednesday 11th October) of the event was held at Northern Makorori with the swell fading below the 1.0m mark. The winds also increased with strong cross shore gusts making surfing challenging at times.
By the conclusion of the day’s action, Bay of Plenty had retained their number one ranking. However, second and third placed Taranaki and Auckland are only one individual result away from eclipsing Bay of Plenty while teams ranked fourth through sixth are also within striking distance should they have a good run through to the finals.
The Under 14 Boys Division was surfed down to the final twelve surfers while the Under 14 Girls Division entered the water for the first time at the event.
Northland’s Tom Robinson (Whangarei) is competing at the event for the first time this year and has been a form surfer of the Under 14 Boys Division so far. Robinson’s team is currently sitting in sixth place overall but can jump up the rankings with a couple of good results and they will be relying on him to produce the goods on the final two days.
Robinson will face off in a big match up on the penultimate day of the event when he goes head to head with Kora Cooper (Rag) and Finn Vette (Gis) in the quarterfinals, a crucial clash for all three teams. On today’s form, after Robinson posted a 17.67 point heat total, he will go into the heat brimming with confidence.
Kora Cooper was equally impressive today winning his match up with a 14.17 point heat total. Cooper was joined by team mates Jayden Willoughby and Josef Jungwirth advancing through to the quarterfinals, all three surfers a good chance of making the finals which are scheduled to be contested on Friday.
The young Waikato Team also saw winning form from Brie Bennett (Wai) in the Under 14 Girls Division, Bennett advancing through to the final of her division.
Bennett will contest the final against Kahana Ngaia (Tara), Alice Westerkamp (Auck) and Hannah King (Gis).
Westerkamp is one of the young athletes competing at the event for the first time this year and she was elated to make it through to the final despite knocking out her team mate Summer Carkeek.
“It was a lot of fun out there today, I am happy about the waves I got on my forehand and the scores” said Westerkmap adding “being the youngest in the team, you are at the bottom of the pecking order but it has been a good experience and I hope we get on the podium again this year”.
Defending longboard champion Matt Newdick (Auck) booked his place in the final after two slick performances today helping Auckland take a stronghold on third place overall. Newdick posted 12.17 and 16.4 point heat totals in his heats. He will go up against the smooth Casper McCormick (Chch) as well as the Gisborne duo of Brie Ryan and George Zame.
Conditions are expected to change dramatically on Thursday with an increase in south swell and strong southwest winds. Conditions will force a change of venue for the penultimate day of the event. The day four location will be confirmed first thing on Thursday morning.
Please see below for results from day three of the 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Northern Makorori, Gisborne today (Wednesday 11th October).
Team Points
1, Bay of Plenty, 9530
2, Taranaki, 9320
3, Auckland, 9150
4, Gisborne, 8815
5, Canterbury, 8790
6, Northland, 8650
7, Coromandel, 6828
8, Waikato, 6313
9, Otago, 6235
10, West Coast, 2755
11, Wellington, 1780
Under 14 Boys Division Round 2
Heat 1
Kora Cooper (Rag), 14.17, 1, Mitchell Daley (Mnt), 6.8, 2, Jay Gordon (Waihi Beach), 4.97, 3, Connor Green (WC), 3.98, 4
Heat 2
Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 11.53, 1, Finn Vette (Gis), 7.8, 2, Manawa Ruru (Gis), 6.93, 3, Ben Storey (Te Awa), 3.47, 4
Heat 3
Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 17.67, 1, Kava Matthews (Tara), 8.13, 2, Shay Wells (Tara), 7.27, 3, Jack Luke (Tara), 5.27, 4
Heat 4
Tom Butland (Tara), 14.47, 1, Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 11.17, 2, Jacob Fitzgerald (Bul), 7.73, 3, Jude Stevens (Auck), 5.8, 4
Heat 5
James Ririnui (Mnt), 12.17, 1, Jacob Buckle (Waipu), 7.53, 2, Cade O’Dea (Bul), 5.43, 3, Sam Charlesworth (Auck), 3.37, 4
Heat 6
Myka Black (Chch), 11.13, 1, Jackson Peak (Auck), 11.1, 2, Koby Cameron (Chch), 6.77, 3, James Millar (Chch), 5.43, 4
Under 18 Girls Division Requalify 1
Heat 1
Billie Scott (Whangarei), 7.83, 1, Shani Ayson (Dun), 3.63, 2, Emma Pegg (WC), 2.27, 3
Under 16 Girls Division Requalify Round 1
Heat 1
Stella Smith (Gis), 10.6, 1, Zoe Raines (Auck), 4.87, 2, Eve Findlay (WC), 3.73, 3, Jayde Hanner (Coro), 3.47, 4
Under 14 Girls Division Round 1
Heat 1
Brie Bennett (Rag), 9.63, 1, Kahana Ngaia (Tara), 8.4, 2, Anika Ayson (Dun), 4.4, 3
Heat 2
Hannah King (Gis), 10.17, 1, Daizee Rawls (Gis), 9.57, 2, Mia Morgon (Coro), 3, 3, Ely Backhouse (Nrth), 2.73, 4
Heat 3
Alice Westerkamp (Auck), 14.5, 1, Summer Carkeek (Auck), 5.6, 2, Lydia Hawes (WC), 3.03, 3, Jaya Reardon (Dun), 2.67, 4
Under 14 Girls Requalifying Round 1
Heat 1
Lydia Hawes (WC), 4.83, 1, Mia Morgon (Coro), 3.53, 2, Jaya Reardon (Dun), 1.27, 3
Under 14 Girl Division Requalify Round 2
Heat 1
Anika Ayson (Dun), 9.4, 1, Ely Backhouse (Nrth), 5.83, 2, Mia Morgon (Coro), 1.6, 3, Lydia Hawes (WC), 0.6, 4
Under 14 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Brie Bennett (Rag), 8.77, 1, Kahana Ngaia (Tara), 6.53, 2, Ely Backhouse (Nrth), 3.8, 3, Daizee Rawls (Gis), 2.97, 4
Heat 2
Alice Westerkamp (Auck), 8.47, 1, Hannah King (Gis), 7.13, 2, Summer Carkeek (Auck), 3.23, 3, Anika Ayson (Dun), 2.63, 4
Under 18 Longboard Division Round 1
Heat 1
Matt Newdick (Auck), 12.17, 1, Caspar McCormick (Cant), 8.8, 2, Poppy Holland (Wai), 4.7, 3
Heat 2
Brie Ryan (Gis), 8.17, 1, George Zame (Gis), 5.5, 2, Bassie Waldron (Nrth), 5.13, 3
Under 18 Longboard Round 2
Heat 1
Matt Newdick (Auck), 16.4, 1, Caspar McCormick (Cant), 8.3, 2, George Zame (Gis), 6.7, 3, Brie Ryan (Gis), 5.37, 4
Under 18 Longboard Requalify Round 1
Heat 1
George Zame (Gis), 7.23, 1, Brie Ryan (Gis), 6.53, 2, Bassie Waldron (Nrth), 4.27, 3, Poppy Holland (Wai), 3.03, 4
The 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships is sanctioned by the New Zealand Secondary School Sports Council.
For more information on these events please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
