New Zealand’s top surfers had a rest day at the 2021 National Championships today (Wednesday 13th January) as the next generation of groms got the chance to compete alongside some of New Zealand’s best exponents of longboard surfing.
An expected decrease in swell never eventuated with waves in the 1.0m – 1.5m range all day fanned by perfect offshore winds.
The youngest competitors in the event in the Under 14 Boys Division have waited all week to get their chance to give Piha a dig and this morning dawned solid with the incoming tide. The massive set waves every 10-15 minutes were at the limit of many but some youngsters fronted up and gave it their best shot.
Mount Maunganui surfer Tao Mouldey looked in complete rhythm with the ocean notching up a 16.5 point heat total with one particularly impressive lefthander that he rode the length of the bay for an 8.65 point ride.
Dunedin’s Lewis Murphy also impressed with a strong finish in his heat that secured a comfortable heat win. Both Murphy and Mouldey find themselves up against each other in the quarterfinals scheduled for Thursday.
Others that looked good winning their heats included Hawkes Bay’s Dale Cromhout who continues to look progressive in his approach, Taj Millar Dal Bosco (WGM), Indica Corcoran (Mnt) and Sam Frazerhurst (Auck).
The finalists of the Men’s Longboard Division were confirmed after two rounds of action. Six- time longboard champion Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) got the upper hand over Zen Wallis (Piha) in the first semifinal with both surfers advancing to the final day of action. Meanwhile the Gisborne’s master longboarder Daniel Procter fended off a strong performance from young Nat Fitt (Auck) in the second semifinal with the two surfers making up the final, set to be contested on Saturday.
Late in the day, participants in the senior men’s divisions fought the outgoing tide which eventually put a hold on proceedings.
Kibblewhite was again in action, this time on a shortboard where he had further success advancing to the final of the Over 35 Men’s Division. Rian Boyd (Auck) and Jeremy Grainger (Tara) upset defending champion Jarred Hancox (Tara) to join Kibblewhite in the final along with Chayne Dowsett (Whngrei).
In the Over 45 Men’s Division, Marc Moore (Auck), Patrick Braithwaite (Gis), Morgan Cronin (Auck) and Lyndon Fairbairn (Dun) all secured heat wins before the tide dropped out and stopped the action for the day.
Day five will see the introduction of stand up paddleboard, bodyboard and the senior women’s divisions as well as the junior and senior divisions not already contested.
Action will take place from 8am – 4pm daily with the primary venue being at the southern end of Piha Beach.
All divisions have a staggered start to the event as per below:
Day 5 – Addition of SUP divisions and bodyboard
Day 6 – Addition of kneeboard
Day 7 – All divisions*
*Finals for some divisions will be contested prior to Day 7.
Please see below for the results from day five of the 2021 National Surfing Championships pres by The Trusts Community Foundation held at Piha Beach Auckland today, Wednesday 13th January.
Under 14 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 12.25, 1, Kauai Rahui (Whgrei), 11, 2, Ollie Tong (Gis), 7.45, 3, Harrison Biddle (WGM), 3.3, 4
Heat 2
Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 13.2, 1, Cooper Roberts (Mnt), 10, 2, Harley Waller (Pau), 6.15, 3, Jay Tingle (Pau), 5.5, 4
Heat 3
Lewis Murphy (Dun), 14.5, 1, Ashton Rogers (WGM), 9.1, 2, Milo O’Brien (Piha), 9, 3
Zeke Pregert (Piha), 8.35, 4
Heat 4
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 16.5, 1, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 9.8, 2, Sev Tolhurst (Piha), 8.53, 3, Vitor Kokemper (Auck), N/S
Heat 5
Taj Dal Bosco (WGM), 10.9, 1, Jesse Frazerhurst (Auck), 9.15, 2, Sonny Lyons (Kaik), 8.3, 3, Cohen Graham (Whngrei), 3.3, 4
Heat 6
Zak Becroft (Auck), 8, 1, Theo Morse (Orewa), 7.55, 2, Manu Roberts (Tai), 6, 3, Daniel Cox (WGM), 1.85, 4
Heat 7
Indica Corcoran (Mnt), 10.6, 1, Remy Sale (Auck), 8.2, 2, Christian Fougere (Piha), 7.05, 3, Akira Reid (Auck), 4.1, 4
Heat 8
Ezekiel Wyper (Tai), 9.4, 1, Maceo Thompson (Piha), 7.85, 2, Ben Milne (WGM), 3.75, 3, Jacob Walker (Auck), 3.1, 4
Over 35 Men’s Division Round 1
Heat 1
Rian Boyd (Auck), 13.9, 1, Jeremy Grainger (Tara), 11.2, 2, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 10.5, 3, Richard Morse, 8.65, 4
Heat 2
Thomas Kibblewhite (Red Bch), 12.5, 1, Chayne Dowsett (Whngrei), 10.6, 2, Chris Malone (Gis), 9.15, 3, Dawson Tamati (Tara), 8.15, 4
Over 45 Men’s Division Round 1
Heat 1
Francios Sneedon (Hbay), 7.65, 1, Mike Mulcahy (Piha), 5.3, 2, Jeremy Williams (Auck), 4.15, 3, John Paul Knight (Piha), 4.15, 4
Over 45 Men’s Division Round 2
Heat 1
Marc Moore (Auck), 12.65, 1, Deane Hishon (Rag), 9.25, 2, Shaun Coffey (Tara), 8.75, 3, Andrew Mann (Auck), 7.25, 4
Heat 2
Patrick Braithwaite (Gis), 12.4, 1, Mike Mulcahy (Piha), 5.4, 2, Simon Brennan (Dun), 4.35, 3, Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 3.05, 4
Heat 3
Morgan Cronin (Auck), 9.5, 1, Stu Millar (Piha), 8.15, 2, Francios Sneedon (Hbay), 6, 3, Darren Kiwi (Mnt), 4.7, 4
Heat 4
Lyndon Fairbairn (Dun), 10.4, 1, Dawson Tamati (Tara), 6.5, 2, Phil Wallis (Piha), 5.3, 3, Nick Roberts (Tai), 3.5, 4
Open Men’s Longboard Round 1
Heat 1
Daniel Procter (Gis), 14.65, 1, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) , 10.5, 2, Geordie Sawyer (Gis), 8.9, 3, Benjamin Counsell (Mnt), 8.75, 4
Heat 2
Zen Wallis (Piha), 12.5, 1, Rupert Newbold (Ocean Beach), 5.95, 2, Storm Carroll (Piha), 5.15, 3, Phil Bonham (Auck), 3.35, 4
Heat 3
William Wallace (Dun), 12.25, 1, Natt Fitt (Auck), 9.65, 2, Phil Morris (Auck), 6.75, 3, Michael Gray (Auck), 5.05, 4
Open Men’s Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) , 14.6, 1, Zen Wallis (Piha), 13.2, 2, Rupert Newbold (Ocean Beach), 4.95, 3
Heat 2
Daniel Procter (Gis), 11.4, 1, Natt Fitt (Auck), 9.25, 2, William Wallace (Dun), 8.3, 3
The National Surfing Championships mark the first of several domestic events this season which will climax with a finale for the top 16 males and 8 females across the Open Men and Women’s Divisions.
2021 marks the thirteenth time the National Championships has been held at Piha with the consistent waves of Auckland’s West Coast making the venue a good location for the seven-day event.
The longest running surfing event in New Zealand has a 57-year history and encompasses 29 divisions spread across all disciplines and age groups making for a largely inclusive event, filled with high level surfing as well as good times in and out of the water. Over 320 entries have been received for the event.
Further Information
For further information on the 2021 National Surfing Championships please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the surfing will be available to media free of charge upon request.
Live Scoring
Live scoring of the event will be on www.compusurf.com.au.
Broadcast
The final day of the event will be broadcast live on Sky Sport Channel 9. The event will also be webcast live on Sky Sport Next.
Event Hotline
The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506. This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions.
Social Media
Keep up with all the action by following @surfingnz on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #Nats2021 to follow the story.
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