Daniel Kereopa (Rag) claimed his fourth victory in five events in the Stand Up Paddleboard Division, on Saturday March 5th, romping home with the highest heat score of the entire event. Kereopa scored near perfect 9.25 and 8.0 point rides for a 17.25 point heat total. The National Champion already had the ratings sewn up and the win today was simply the icing on the cake for the Tour. Placing second in the final was Shayne Baxter (Chch) who was left requiring a combination of scores to catch Kereopa with local surfer Damon Mark (Port Wai) in third and Robert Hawkins (Rag) in fourth.
Raglan’s Armie Armstrong battled courageously in the massive seas to be the first paddler to complete the two kilometre course and tackle the heavy shore dump successfully. Armstrong took the come from behind win after race leader Jeremy Stephenson (Auck) came unstuck in the waves and lost his paddle. By way of his win, Armstrong also jumped to first overall for the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour to be crowned ‘King of the Waves’ ahead of Stephenson. Queenstown surfer Mike Stewart placed second in today’s race with Gisborne’s Sean Hovell in third and Stephenson in fourth.
In other events, nothing the Kiwi’s mustered up could stop the run of the international surfers at the final event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour completed at Port Waikato today (Saturday 5th March) with Taylor Jensen (USA) winning the event and Josh Constable (AUS) winning the overall Tour, the first time an international surfer has achieved the feat.
* Josh Constable bottom turning his way to winning the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour after placing second to Taylor Jensen (USA) at Port Waikato. Image by PhotoCPL Josh Constable bottom turning his way to winning the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour after placing second to Taylor Jensen (USA) at Port Waikato. Image by PhotoCPL
The final day of the tour started out in clean 1.0m waves before the West Coast yet again turned into a raging ocean with waves in excess of 2.0m hitting the shoreline. The rain put a dampener on much of the day but the action in the water was spectacular.
After winning three events from three this year, Tour Champion Constable had to settle for second place today after Jensen surfed to a 15.50 point heat total in the final.
Jensen only rode the two waves in the final and had to sit out the last four minutes on the beach waiting to see what Constable had left in the tank. Sure enough with 10 seconds remaining and lady luck seemingly on Constable’s side, he stroked into a massive wall of water and proceeded to ride the wave to the beach with re-entry after re-entry, stepping off on the sand. However the 9.50 point ride required for first proved too much for the Australian with his last wave coming in at 7.5.
* Taylor Jensen (USA) cleaned up in the Men’s Longboard Final winning for the first time in 2011. Image by PhotoCPL Taylor Jensen (USA) cleaned up in the Men’s Longboard Final winning for the first time in 2011. Image by PhotoCPL
For Jensen it will be sweet revenge after an average campaign at Sandy Bay at the start of February and then again getting beaten by Constable at Mount Maunganui two weeks ago. Constable on the other hand will still go home more than stoked on his performance over the past two months.
Constable won the first event at Piha before missing the National Championships in Dunedin due to ineligibility. He then came back to win the Sandy Bay and Mount Maunganui events before placing second today.
For the Kiwi’s it was Thomas Kibblewhite (Orewa) who placed the highest today coming third. The result also means that he finishes runner up on the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour. Kibblewhite, who was the only Kiwi to win an event on the tour this year – the National Championships, equals his best ever year-end rating of second, one place higher than both 2009 and 2010 where he finished in third.
Finishing the final in fourth today was Daniel Procter (Gis) who will be stoked to place in the final for the second time in 2011 after having an indifferent year results wise.
Earlier in the day Procter and Kibblewhite disposed of Ant McColl (Mnt) and Morgan Bramley (Ohope) while Constable and Jensen defeated Phil Morris (Auck) and Dylan Barnfield (Ohope).
Georgia Young (AUS) claimed the second of three wins for the international surfers winning the Women’s Longboard Division today. After the win and the shock early elimination of ratings front runners Shelley Jones (Auck) and Hannah Howard (Orewa), the ratings race was super close but Young fell 15 points short of Jones to finish second overall. In the final today it was Anna Jolly (Piha) that led the final for much of the 25 minutes before succumbing to Young and finishing in second. Sasha Brownlee (Auck) placed third in the final with Alexis Poulter in fourth place.
* Hone Douglas (Ohope) placed second in the Junior Men’s Longboard Division but won the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour ratings. Image by PhotoCPL Hone Douglas (Ohope) placed second in the Junior Men’s Longboard Division but won the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour ratings. Image by PhotoCPL
Nic Jones (AUS), returned to Port Waikato after winning the first event of the Tour to claim his second win of the year. Jones scored a convincing 13.40 point heat total to win the final over Hone Douglas (Ohope) who finished second scoring 11.40. The second placing was enough for Douglas to clinch the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour – his first ever series title. In the final today Matt Craig (Ohope) placed third ahead of Joseph Stewart (Whtane) in fourth.
* Dave Craddock (Port Wai) won the Over 40 Men’s Division to the cheer of the locals. Image by PhotoCPL Dave Craddock (Port Wai) won the Over 40 Men’s Division to the cheer of the locals. Image by PhotoCPL
The Over 40 Men’s Division was a low scoring match up that was taken out by local surfer David Craddock who was surfing in his first event of the year. Craddock got off to a great start scoring a 5.0 point ride before the conditions deteriorated. The Tour Championship was already determined on day one when Brian Young (Orewa) entered the water and was consequently eliminated from the event. However, the results of the final were crowd pleasing for the determined few that stuck out the torrential rain all afternoon to see their hometown hero deliver the goods. Steve Tyro (Rag) placed second in the final to hold down second place on the ratings while Tatana Heke (Mnt) finished in third place ahead of Dave Burbage (WGM).
* Grant Cochrane (Chch) hangs five over a flat section on the way to winning the Over 50 Men’s Division. Image by PhotoCPL Grant Cochrane (Chch) hangs five over a flat section on the way to winning the Over 50 Men’s Division. Image by PhotoCPL
Grant Cochrane travelled north from his devastated home in Christchurch with two missions on his mind, win the Over 50’s Division at the final event and hold off Viv Treacy, the ratings leader to third place at best. Cochrane came close to taking everything home after winning the final but his closest opponent Treacy held on to second place despite an agonising four minute wait on the beach as his opponents tried in vein to move into runner up. Their efforts were fruitless with Mike Thomson (Rag) finishing third and David Storck (Piha) finishing in fourth.
* The SUP racers start out in the cove at the southern end of Sunset Beach. Image by PhotoCPL The SUP racers start out in the cove at the southern end of Sunset Beach. Image by PhotoCPL
* Shayne Baxter gets low through a bottom turn on his way to second in the SUP Division. Image by PhotoCPL Shayne Baxter gets low through a bottom turn on his way to second in the SUP Division. Image by PhotoCPL
Please see below for the full results from the final Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour event completed at Port Waikato today (Saturday 5th March).
Men’s Longboard Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Morgan Bramely (Whtane), 8.15, 1, Daniel Proctor (Gis), 7.1, 2, Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai), 6.95, 3, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 6.65, 4
Heat 2
Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 10.4, 1, Ant McColl (Mnt), 6.85, 2, Leroy Rust (Dun), 5.5, 3, Nic Jones (Sunshine Coast, Aus), 5.25, 4
Heat 3
Taylor Jensen (USA), 15.25, 1, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 11.5, 2, Sam Johnson (GIS), 9.85, 3, Owen Barnes (Mnt), 9.25, 4
Heat 4
Josh Constable (Aust), 15.25, 1, Phil Morris (Auck), 12.25, 2, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 11.35, 3, Wyn Hoogerbrugger (Kaukapakapa), 7.35, 4
Men’s Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Daniel Proctor (Gis), 10.3, 1, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 9.6, 2, Ant McColl (Mnt), 4.55, 3, Morgan Bramley (Whtane), 4.25, 4
Heat 2
Josh Constable (Aust), 16, 1, Taylor Jensen (USA), 13.7, 2, Phil Morris (Auck), 8.9, 3, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 7.1, 4
Men’s Longboard Final
Taylor Jensen (USA), 15.5, 1, Josh Constable (Aust), 13.50, 2, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 9.25, 3, Daniel Proctor (Gis), 5.90, 4
Women’s Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Alexis Poulter (Rag), 7, 1, Georgia Young (Aust), 4.85, 2, Denise Piper (Whngrei), 2.6, 3, Anna Gooding (Tau), 2.4, 4
Heat 2
Sasha Brownlie (Auck), 6.25, 1, Anna Jolly (Piha), 4.8, 2, Kelsi Efford (Mt), 3, 3, Nava Young (Aust), 2.4, 4
Women’s Longboard Final
Georgia Young (Aust), 9.0, 1, Anna Jolly (Piha), 7.4, 2, Sasha Brownlie (Auck), 3.90, 3, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 3, 4
Junior Men’s Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Hone Douglas (Whtane), 10.8, 1, Matt Craig (Whtane), 6.55, 2, Sam Bound (Tara), 2.65, 3
Heat 2
Nic Jones (Aust), 11.2, 1, Joseph Stewart (Whtane), 5.65, 2, Blake Barnfield (Ohope), 3.95, 3
Junior Men’s Longboard Final
Nic Jones (Aust), 13.4, 1, Hone Douglas (Whtane), 11.4, 2, Matt Craig (Whtane), 6.35, 3, Joseph Stewart (Whtane), 3.05
Over 40 Men’s Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
David Craddock (Auck), 8.25, 1, Tatana Heke (Mnt), 4.75, 2, Brian Young (Orewa), 4.65, 3, Simon Shepard (Auck), 2.15, 4
Heat 2
Steve Tyro (Rag), 8.05, 1, Dave Burbage (Whmata), 4.85, 2, Pete Taylor (Whangaparaoa), 2.6, 3, Murray Lowe (Mnt), 2.05, 4
Over 40 Men’s Longboard Final
David Craddock (Auck), 7.2, 1, Steve Tyro (Rag), 6.35, 2, Tatana Heke (Mnt), 5.85, 3, Dave Burbage (Whmata), 3.65, 4
Over 50 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Mike Thomson (Rag), 6.3, 1, David Storck (Auck), 5.6, 2, Rob Bayes (Auck), 5.4, 3, Shane Murrell (Auck), 3.2, 4
Heat 2
Grant Cochrane (ChCh), 8.6, 1, Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach), 7.95, 2, Paul Browne (Orewa), 4.7, 3, Ian Parker (Auck), 3.95, 4
Over 50 Men’s Final
Grant Cochrane (ChCh), 9.15, 1, Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach), 6.45, 2, Mike Thomson (Rag), 5.45, 3, David Storck (Auck), 4.1, 4
Stand Up Paddleboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Damon Mark (Auck), 9.25, 1, Robert Hawkins (Rag), 8.35, 2, Jeremy Stephenson (Auck), 7.3, 3, Sean Hovell (Gis), 5.75, 4
Heat 2
Shayne Baxter (ChCh), 10.1, 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 7.8, 2, Shane Murrell (Auck), 5.75, 3, Lynden Kennings (Whgmata), 4.7, 4
Stand Up Paddleboard Final
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 17.25, 1, Shayne Baxter (ChCh), 11, 2, Damon Mark (Auck), 7.5, 3, Robert Hawkins (Rag), 3.15, 4
Stand Up Paddleboard Race
Armie Armstrong (Rag), 1, Mike Stewart (Qtown), 2, Sean Hovell (Gis), 3, Jeremy Stephenson (Auck), 4
Please see below the top five surfers in each division of the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour.
Men’s Longboard Division Top 5
1, Josh Constable (Aust)
2, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck)
3, Phil Morris (Auck)
4, Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai)
5, Ant McColl (Mnt)
Women’s Longboard Division Top 5
1, Shelly Jones (Auck)
2, Georgia Young (Aust)
3, Hannah Howard (Auck)
4, Nava Young (Aust)
5, Sasha Brownlie (Auck)
Junior Men’s Longboard Division Top 5
1, Hone Douglas (Whtane)
2, Joseph Stewart (Whtane)
3, Matt Craig (Whtane)
4, Blake Barnfield (Ohope)
5, Sam Bound (Tara)
Over 40 Men’s Longboard Division Top 5
1, Brian Young (Orewa)
2, Steve Tyro (Rag)
3, Pete Taylor (Whangaparaoa)
4, Mike Thomson (Rag)
5, Michael Willman (ChCh)
Over 50 Men’s Longboard Division Top 5
1, Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach)
2, Grant Cochrane (ChCh)
3, Mike Thomson (Rag)
4, David Storck (Auck)
5, Paul Browne (Orewa)
Stand up Paddleboard Division Top 5
1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2, Shayne Baxter (ChCh)
3, Sean Hovell (Gis)
4, Armie Armstrong (Rag)
5, Shane Murrell (Auck)
Stand Up Paddleboard Race Top 5
1, Armie Armstrong (Rag)
2, Jeremy Stephenson (Auck)
3, Sean Hovell (Gis)
4, Troy Huston (Auck)
5, Shane Murrell (Auck)