Taranaki surfer Jarred Hancox (41), has claimed his first win at national level in twenty years. The committed goofy foot surfer won the Emerson’s South Island Surfing Championships held at St Clair Beach, Dunedin over Easter Weekend.
Hancox joined Gisborne’s Saffi Vette who won her second event of the year in the Open Women’s Division after winning the National Championships at Piha in January.
The final day of the event was held in solid 1.5m waves with strong northwest winds making life challenging for many of the finalists.
Hancox claimed the win on his last wave ridden in the final, scoring in the excellent range, and over the required 6.78 for victory.
“It is surreal to win, I didn’t know if I had won or not until the prize giving. I needed a 6.78 toward the end and I knew my last wave was there abouts but I didn’t want to get my hopes up” said Hancox.
“Once we were at prize giving, they called out Dan Farr in third then I heard them say ‘in second Max Marshall’ and I was like damn, I did it” added Hancox.
Hancox first competed at a national event in 2001, making the semifinals in his first attempt. He has competed ever since, only bettering that result at home in 2019 with a third-place finish at the Backdoor Pro.
“I set winning a national event as a goal in this January. Instead of focussing on the goal, I focused on what I needed to do to get there, surfing heats as if I am free surfing etc. It is good to get a win before my surfing goes backward the older I get” he added.
Hancox pipped Max Marshall (Chch) who, himself, was in line for a maiden victory. Marshall finished in second posting a 13.93-point heat total compared with Hancox 14.60 points. Daniel Farr (Tara) finished in third on 13.03 points ahead of triple finalist Rueben Woods (Mnt) in fourth.
Saffi Vette battled her way to a win in the Open Women’s Division. Vette took out the final with an 11.4 point heat total.
“In the final I found a few little runners and made it onto the inside section to complete my waves. It was quite fat and hard to get to the inside section but I got two decent waves” exclaimed a worn out Vette.
“I was nervous going into this event, I’m not going to lie. Watching all the girls at Raglan was eye opening, it is cool to see how they are surfing. I was just nervous, you never know what is going to happen in comps. But I tried to stay focused and I am stoked to get another win, it gives me confidence going into the final two events of the season” added Vette.
Vette took the win over Taranaki surfer and double finalist Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) who finished with a 9.83 point heat total to continue her good run of form over summer. Double finalist Gabrielle Paul (Piha) finished in third ahead of Estella Hungerford (Chch) in fourth.
Titles in the senior divisions went to Sean Peggs (Tai), Reuben Woods (Mnt) and Richard Ayson (Dun) in the Over 30s, 40s and 50s. Local girl Tash Civil won the Over 30 Women’s Division.
The longboard finals went to Piha surfers Zen Wallis and Gabrielle Paul who will both retain their leads on the New Zealand Longboard Series.
Participants in the junior divisions had to battle some testing conditions throughout the weekend and made the most of the final day. James Millar (Chch) claimed the Under 18 Boys Division while the unstoppable Tao Mouldey (Mnt) won the Under 16 and 14 Boys Divisions. Benji Lowen (Chch) won the Under 12 Boys Division.
Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) backed up her runner up finish in the Open Women’s Division with a win in the Under 18 Girls Division. Ava Henderson (Chch) claimed the Under 16 Girls Division while the Groube sisters Chloe and Lola won the Under 14 and 12 Division respectively.
The three-day event is hosted by South Coast Boardriders and is dual sanctioned by Surfing New Zealand and the South Island Surfing Association. The event features 17 divisions ranging from Open Men and Women through to Under 12 Boys and Girls, Longboard and Seniors.
The Emerson’s South Island Surfing Championships is the third of seven events on the 2021 New Zealand Surf Series for the men and fourth for the women. See below for remaining events:
Exit Surf Men’s Canterbury Championships, Christchurch (mobile) – 26-28 April
Backdoor Taranaki Pro, Taranaki – 1-2 May
Super 16, Piha – 16 May
The event is also part of the New Zealand Grom Series and the New Zealand Longboard Series.
Please see below for results from the 2021 Emerson’s South Island Surfing Championships held at St Clair Beach, Dunedin from the 2-4 April 2021.
Open Men’s Division
Jarred Hancox (Tara), 1, Max Marshall (Chch), 2, Daniel Farr (Tara), 3, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 4
Open Women’s Division
Saffi Vette (Gis), 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 2, Gabrielle Paul (Piha), 3, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 4.
Over 30 Men’s Division
Sean Peggs (Tai), 1, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 2, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 3, Jai Earnshaw (WC), 4
Over 40 Men’s Division
Reuben Woods (Mnt), 1, Felipe Pires (Dun), 2, Luke Murphy (Dun), 3, Lyndon Fairbairn (Dun), 4
Over 50 Men’s Division
Richard Ayson (Dun), 1, Mac Wilson (Dun), 2, Justin Summerton (Dun), 3, Phil Wallis (Piha), 4
Over 30 Women’s Division
Tash Civil (Dun), 1, Jane Schofield (Dun), 2, Ange Reardon (Dun), 3, Pana Leontiadu (WC), 4
Under 18 Girls Division
Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 1 Ariana Shewry (Tara), 2, Eloise Addison (Chch), 3, Lydia Hawes (WC), 4
Under 18 Boys Division
James Millar (Chch), 1, Jack Hinton (Mnt), 2, Luke Rogers (Dun), 3, Jake Owen (Dun), 4
Under 16 Boys Division
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 1, Bailey Pearce (Chch), 2, Jack Tyro (Chch), 3, Beau Woods (Mnt), 4
Under 16 Girls Division
Ava Henderson (Chch), 1, Anna Brock (Mnt), 2, Sophia Brock (Mnt), 3, Eloise Addison (Chch), 4
Under 14 Boys Division
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 1, Alexis Owen (Dun), 2, Benji Lowen (Chch), 3, Sonny Lyons (Kaik), 4
Under 14 Girls Division
Chloe Groube (Pau), 1, Rewa Morrison (Dun), 2, Poppie Entwisle (Chch), 3, Tessa Gabbott (Dun), 4
Under 12 Boys Division
Benji Lowen (Chch), 1, Zen Mouldey (Mnt), 2, Jack Higgins (Dun), 3, Keo Morrison (Dun), 4
Under 12 Girls Division
Lola Groube (Pau), 1, Amelie Clark (Chch), 2, Kyra Wallis (Piha), 3, Pipiata Ritchie (Dun), 4
Men’s Longboard Division
Zen Wallis (Piha), 1, Nick Tuhikarema (Chch), 2, Henry Hawke (Chch), 3, Alan Te Moananui (Kaik), 4
Women’s Longboard Division
Gabrielle Paul (Piha), 1, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 2, Anna Hawes (WC), 3, Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik), 4
Information
For more information on the Emerson’s South Island Surfing Championships please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
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