Raglan surfers doing well at Nationals

Maz Quinn – Image Cory / NZ Surfing Magazine

An unexpected overnight increase in swell had entrants at the Hyundai National Surfing Championships salivating at the prospect of competing and the surfers in the Open Men’s Division obliged with some exceptional surfing – Day one standout Richard Christie (Gis) again being the form surfer.

The surf increased to a solid 1.5m on day two of the event with clean offshore winds for half of the day before the wind filled in with a sea breeze.

Christie showed his international experience in his quarterfinal match up – the first to hit water.  Christie set the pace for the rest of the round and no one was able to match his 17.67 point heat total.

Christie showed the crowd all the critical aspects to good surfing – speed, power, flow and innovation to amass to single wave scores of 9.0 and 8.67.

Christie’s nearest rival was Raglan’s Luke Hughes who started the heat well to post 10.67.  Hughes was challenged late in the heat by Mount Maunganui surfer Nick White who fell on an aerial manoeuvre that would have had him progress through to the semifinal.

The biggest heat of the round failed to live up to expectations with a tight four way match up that obviously had all of the opponents on edge.  It was winner of the last Export Gold Series event Morehu Roberts (Gis) that ran away with the win posting 12.43 to progress alongside Bobby Hansen (Gis) on 10.73.  Together they eliminated 2008 national Champion Jay Quinn (Gis) and Tim O’Connor (Mnt).

Heat three saw Maz Quinn (Gis) take the heat with ease, Blair Stewart slipping into second place with goofy footers Ben Kennings (WGM) and Scott Bell in third and fourth respectively.

The final heat of the round saw Billy Stairmand going fro broke to place first and progress alongside New Zealand representative JC Susan (Mnt).

The Open Women’s Division saw two big upsets as the young guns moved through to the final.  Fourteen year olds Jayda Martin – Fitzharris (Gis) and Ella Williams (WGM) along with sixteen year old Grace Spiers (WGM) join the more seasoned Laura Rishworth (Mnt) in the final.

Spiers was the standout surfer of the round competing big forehand turns to net 14.0 points in her semifinal.

The four finalists first upset defending National Champion Daisy Thomas (Chch) who lost in her first heat of the day to Martin – Fitzharris and Williams.  Then it was the turn of giant killer Williams and also Rishworth who put pay to Export Gold Series ratings leader Jessica Santorik (Rag).

It was again Martin – Fitzharris and Williams that dominated the proceedings in the junior girls divisions progressing through their respective divisions.  They will now contest three finals a piece in a bid to gain a national title.

In the junior boys divisions it was Elliot Paerata – Reid (Piha) and Matt Hansen (Mnt) that moved through to become the first Under 14 boys finalists while Dune Kennings and Korbin Hutchings (Gis) took out the second semifinal.  Young Mount Maunganui surfer Jordan Griffin took a board to the face in the quarterfinals and suffered a broken nose that required medical attention and he was unable to contest his semifinal.

In the Under 16 Boys Division it was Ben Poulter (Raglan) who top scored in the round to win his heat as did Tane Wallis (Piha), Adam Grimson (Gis) and Patxi Scott – Arrieta.

The Hyundai National Championships is the fourth of five events on the 2009/10 Export Gold Series with the final event, the Export Gold Super 16 taking place at Piha on the 23-24 April.

Tomorrow will see the senior divisions get under way – the elder statesmen of the sport.  The senior divisions range from Over 28 through to Over 55 Men’s in five year increments with six national titles up for grabs for the best senior surfers in New Zealand.  The Open Men will also be on stand by to make the most of the excellent conditions on offer.

Please see below for the results from day two (Friday 2^nd April) of the Hyundai National Surfing championships – event four of the Export Gold Series.

Open Men’s Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Richard Christie (Gis), 1, Luke Hughes (Raglan), 2, Nick White (Mnt), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4
Heat 2
Morehu Roberts (Gis), 1, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 2, Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 3, Jay Quinn (Gis), 4
Heat 3
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Blair Stewart (Gis), 2, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 3, Scott Bell (Auck), 4
Heat 4
Billy Stairmand (Raglan), 1, JC Susan (Mnt), 2, Clint Daly (Gis), 3, Alex Dive (Mnt), 4

Open Women’s Round 1
Heat 1
Grace Spiers (Whmata), 1, Thandi Durham – Tipene (Tara), 2, Angie Koops (Kaik), 3, Alethea Lock (ChCh), 4
Heat 2
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Rachel von Zalinski (Auck), 2, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 3
Heat 3
Mischa Davis (Auck), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 3
Heat 4
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Katrina Baty (Gis), 3, Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 4

Open Women’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Grace Spiers (Whmata), 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Mischa Davis (Auck), 3, Rachel von Zalinski (Auck), 4
Heat 2
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, Jessica Santorik (Raglan), 3, Thandi Durham – Tipene (Tara), 4

Under 18 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Alethea Lock (ChCh), 3
Heat 2
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 2, Hannah Kohn (Gis), 3

Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Patxi Scott-Arietta (Sandy Bay), 1, Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 2, Waretini Wano (Piha), 3, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Waihi Bch), 4
Heat 2
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 2, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 3, Sunny Brown (Gis), 4
Heat 3
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Sean Kettle (Tara), 2, Matt Hansen (Mnt), 3, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 4
Heat 4
Ben Poulter (Raglan), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Josh Taylor (Mnt), 3, Fintan Cram (Whmata), 4

Under 14 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Elliot Paerata – Reid (Piha), 1, Sam Poulter (Rag), 2, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 3, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 4
Heat 2
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 1, Matt Hansen (Mnt), 2, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 3
Heat 3
Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 1, Nick Mason (Mnt), 2, Quinn Matenga (Mnt), 3
Heat 4
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 1, George Busby (Gis), 2, Ben McCulloh (Gis), 3, Leroy Taran Shaw (Gis), 4

Nineteen national titles are up for grabs at the Hyundai National Championships.  As well as the premier Open Men’s and Open Women’s Divisions, there will be a further 17 divisions comprising of age groups from Under 14 through to Over 50s and also Kneeboard and Bodyboard disciplines.