Christchurch surfer Luke O’Neill led locals on a rampage of titles at the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing today (Sunday 18th March), himself winning the premier Paper Plus Men’s Longboard Division.
O’Neill was joined by fourteen other Christchurch winners across the twenty divisions contested over the three-day event that concluded the festival.
As forecasted, the wind turned strong northeast overnight making conditions less than desirable to crown champions with a solid 1.0m wind swell making the New Brighton waves resemble a washing machine.
O’Neill kicked off the final with a 7.67 point wave to take a lead that he never let go. But it was a near perfect 8.83 point ride with five minutes remaining that clinched the final with a 16.5 point heat total.
Despite O’Neill’s dominant performance, the modest surfer talked down his performance and strategy for the final.
“I don’t know about being too dominant in the final but I made the most of what I got out there” said O’Neill.
“I tried to chill through most the sections waiting for something to come up but yeah it was super challenging out there.”
“My strategy was to hug the pier and try and stay in the same spot and find those little right-handers that run into the pier, that was about it, hope for the best really.”
The result is a reversal of the 2017 event when Zen Wallis (Piha) claimed the win over O’Neill, something that was not lost on the 22-year-old.
“It’s good to take out Zen, it’s always good to have him down here competing, he pushes everyone and it is good to have that top competition at the event.”
Wallis finished with a 9.80 point heat total topping Hugh Ritchie (Chch) and William Wallace (Chch), all three surfers battling the rough conditions.
Ritchie claimed a win of his own in the Logger Division defeating William Wallace as well as O’Neill who finished in third and Jason Lawn (Chch) in fourth.
Estella Hungerford (Chch) won the Paper Plus Women’s Longboard Division, the title going alongside her win in the Under 16 Girls Division. Hungerford, who prefers to ride a shortboard, adapted best to the conditions today. Tegen Bishop (Chch) finished second in the final ahead of Brittany Andrews (Chch) and Minnie Robberds (Chch).
Andrews did secure the Logger Division however, finishing ahead of Lili Bay (Chch), Minnie Robberds (Chch) and Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik).
Te Moananui along with husband Alan made a clean sweep of the Stand Up Paddleboard Divisions with comprehensive wins in the men’s and women’s.
Shaun Martin (Chch) claimed the Over 40s Longboard Division while Mike Pimm (Chch) won the Over 50s and 60s Longboard Divisions.
Donna Henderson (Chch) defended her title in the Over 40 Women’s Longboard Division.
Of the twelve juniors that contested dual finals, it was Hamilton’s Caleb Cutmore that was the only surfer to claim two titles. Cutmore won the Under 20 and 18 Boys Divisions. His best performance came in the Under 18 Boys Division posting a 14.2 point heat total winning his third consecutive event in that division this year.
14-year-old Brie Bennett (Rag) won the Under 20 Girls Division despite being unable to find the win in her preferred Under 16 Girls Division where she placed second to Estella Hungerford (Chch).
Another local surfer in Tegen Bishop claimed the Under 18 Girls Division besting Hungerford in the process, Hungerford having to settle for second place.
Myka Black (Chch) claimed his first win of the year in the Under 16 Boys Division after back-to-back finals appearances in the previous two events and he backed up the win with a runner-up finish to Cutmore in the Under 18 Boys Division.
Local rippers Jai Oakley and Ava Henderson won their respective Under 14 Divisions as did Jack Tyro (Chch) and Misha Peyroux (Dun) in the Under 12 Divisions.
Please see below for final results from the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing contested at New Brighton Beach, Christchurch today (Sunday 18th March).
Paper Plus Men’s Longboard Division Final
Luke O’Neill (Chch), 16.5, 1, Zen Wallis (Chch), 9.8, 2,, Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 8.8, 3, William Wallace (Dun), 7.7, 4
Exit Over 40s Longboard Division Final
Shaun Martin (Chch), 9.8, 1, Grant Corchrane (Chch), 7, 2, Anthony Ellis (Chch), 6.3, 3, Mark Andrews (Chch), 2.7, 4
Eldernet Over 50s Longboard Division Final
Mike Pimm (Chch), 12.7, 1, Paul Bennett (Chch), 11.1, 2, Mike Willman (Chch), 9.1, 3, Steve Tyro (Chch), 8.6, 4
Arvida Retirement and Care Over 60s Longboard Division Final
Mike Pimm (Chch), 13.1, 1, Paul Bennett (Chch), 9.1, 2, Anthony Ellis (Chch), 8.4, 3, Grant Corchrane (Chch), 5.27, 4
Captain Fin Co Men’s Logger Division Final
Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 12, 1, William Wallace (Chch), 9.6, 2, Luke O’Neill (Chch), 7.7, 3, Jason Lawn (Chch), 5.4, 4
Pacific Paddle Co Men’s Stand Up Paddleboard Division Final
Alan Te Moananui (Kaik), 12.1, 1, Sam Loader, 9.6, 2, Mark Calcutt (Chch), 6.9, 3, Blair Cooke (Chch), 6.3, 4
Paper Plus Women’s Longboard Division Final
Estella Hungerford (Chch), 11.1, 1, Tegen Bishop (Chch), 9, 2, Brittany Andrews (Chch), 5.7, 3, Minnie Robberds (Chch), 4.9, 4
Arvida Retirement and Care Over 40 Women’s Longboard Division Final
Donna Henderson (Chch), 7.9, 1, Sarah Armstrong – Park (Chch), 7.2, 2, Cezanne Lyons (Kaiks), 2.6, 3, Averil Phillips (NS), 2.1, 4
Signmark Women’s Logger Division Final
Brittany Andrews, 6.7, 1, Lili Bay (Chch), 5.9, 2, Minnie Robberds (Chch), 4.8, 3, Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik), 4.4, 4
Pacific Paddle Co Women’s Stand Up Paddleboard Division Final
Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik), 9.7, 1, Amelie Wink (Chch), 5.2, 2, Averil Phillips (Chch), 4.5, 3, Hanna Zhionberg, 2.07, 4
Fusion Under 20 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Sam Sands (Chch), 13.5, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 9.83, 2, Henry Hawke (Chch), 6.97, 3
Heat 2
Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 15.4, 1, Jack Lee (Whaka), 13.8, 2, Myka Black (Chch), 12.8, 3
Fusion Under 20 Boys Division Final
Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 12.2, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 7.4, 2, Sam Sands (Chch), 6.8, 3, Jack Lee, 2.2, 4
Fusion Under 20 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Brie Bennett (Rag), 10.1, 1, Aimee Brown (Auck), 9.1, 2, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 7.8, 3
Heat 2
Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 11, 1, Ava Henderson (Chch), 10.3, 2, Tegen Bishop (Chch), 9.73, 3
GMK Builders Under 20 Girls Division Final
Brie Bennett, 10.2, 1, Ava Henderson (Chch), 8.3, 2, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 6.5, 3, Aimee Brown (Auck), 3.6, 4
GMK Builders Under 18 Boys Division Final
Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 14.2, 1, Myka Black (Chch), 11.5, 2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 10.1, 3, Ruben Peyroux (Dun), 8.1, 4
Under 18 Girls Division Final
Tegen Bishop (Chch), 10, 1, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 9.5, 2, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 7.6, 3, Aimee Brown (Auck), 6.1, 4
FCS Under 16 Boys Division Final
Myka Black (Chch), 12.3, 1, Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 12.1, 2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11, 3, Jack Lee (Whaka), 10.73., 4
FCS Under 16 Girls Division Final
Estella Hungerford (Chch), 12.8, 1, Brie Bennett (Rag), 10.7, 2, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 6.67, 3, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 5.5, 4
Hellers Under 14 Boys Division Final
Jai Oakley (Chch), 11.1, 1, Dara O’Malley (Chch), 9, 2, Kora Cooper (Rag), 8.1, 3, Koby Cameron (Chch), 6.23, 4
Hellers Under 14 Girls Division Final
Ava Henderson (Chch), 10.7, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 8.07, 2, Leah Wilson (Chch), 6.43, 3, Lily Roberston (Chch), 4, 4
Joyce and Co Under 12 Boys Division Final
Jack Tyro (Chch), 5.73, 1, Rakiatea Tau (Chch), 5.13, 2, Billy Cameron (Chch), 5.03, 3, Tom Robertson (Chch), 4.97, 4
Joyce and Co Under 12 Girls Division Final
Misha Peyroux (Dun), 8.6, 1, Sophia Brock (Mnt), 7.6, 2, Eva Wilson (Chch), 7.2, 3, Franky Tohiariki (Chch), 3.5, 4
The Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing features over $15,000 in prizes making it one of the richest events on the New Zealand and South Island Surfing Circuits in 2018.
The event is co-sanctioned by Surfing New Zealand and the South Island Surfing Association meaning valuable national and regional ranking points being on offer across all divisions.
Information
For more information on the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing please contact Warren Hawke on 021 293 5735 or wajhawke@yahoo.com or Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
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