Media Release: Monday, April 15, 2013
Bay of Plenty surfer Mackenzie Christie bottom turning into a solid section at Manu Bay, Raglan during the finals day action at the Backdoor GromBash today (Sunday 14th April). Photo: Jwan Milek
In perfect surf at Manu Bay, Raglan, young Mount Maunganui surfer Mackenzie Christie surfed to his first ever victory at national level winning the premier Under 18 Boys Division of the Backdoor GromBash today (Sunday 14th).
With surf sitting around the 1.5m – 2.0m mark all day with next to no wind, the scene was set for an amazing day of surfing that included firsts, double titles and a whole lot of fun for the country’s best young surfers.
Christie claimed his victory late in the day surfing to a 14.0 point total.
“Yeah so stoked, it’s about time I won an event, it is one of my last events in the Under 18 Boys Division so yeah….. it is definitely about time” said an almost lost for words Christie.
“The boys were getting such big scores in the lead up to the final but in the final it went a bit dry and I had two decent scores already” he added of his 7.17 and a 6.83 point rides.
Christie was the only goofy footer in the final which gave him a point of difference as he completed big tight hooks in the pocket. The result will give him a confidence boost as he continues his build up to the World Junior Championships in June.
“This event is one of the last before we head off to the World Junior Champs so it is good to get a win and in good waves too, probably some of the best I have had in a comp” added Christie.
Placing second in the final was Mckenzie Bowden (WGM) scoring 10.83 points. Like Christie, Bowden got to work early getting what waves he could to build on his heat total. With lulls becoming more frequent, Bowden’s strategy paid off with third placed surfer Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) being left stranded on one scoring wave, the highest of the final – 8.17 points. Moretti scrambled for a wave at the end of the final but was held off and requiring only a 5.83 point ride, was left to think what might have been.
Placing fourth in the final was Elliot Paerata – Reid (Piha) who also played the waiting game for the big sets that had rolled in all day long. However it was not to be with the number one seed and stand out surfer of the weekend finishing in fourth place.
Under 16 Division winners Jasmine Smith (Gis). Photo: Jwan Milek
On her last wave, Gabriella Sansom (Auck) snatched victory with 30 seconds remaining in the final of the Under 18 Girls Division. Sansom scored an 8.17 point ride for victory with a 14.23 point heat total.
“There was a lot of pressure in that last minute ‘cos I knew I needed a score and when I got that wave I kinda played it a bit easy but still got the score” said Sansom.
“Manu Bay is such a cool wave and we surf here a lot and practice here because it is so close to home in Auckland. The waves have been so good today so it is cool to win when conditions are like this” she added.
Missing her second win of the day was Jasmine Smith (Gis) who had led the final for the entire 20 minutes until Sansom’s last wave. Smith scored 13.93 points in the final to complete a very successful weekend.
Placing third in the final was Dayna Story (Gis) ahead of Claudia Fraser (Piha) in fourth.
Kehu Butler (Mnt) claimed his second of two titles in the Under 16 Boys Division. Completely unstoppable all weekend, Butler again posted a phenomenal 16.83 point score line in the final leaving the remaining three surfers requiring a combination of scores to catch him.
Butler left local surfer Raglan surfer Taylor Hutchison in second place for the third consecutive event. The young Raglan surfer has proven a real force throughout the summer rivalling Butler on several occasions but has been unable to come away with a win. Hutchison finished with a 12.90 point heat total today finishing ahead of Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) in third and Harrison Whiteside (Chch) in fourth.
Jasmine Smith (Gis) returned to the top of the podium winning her third consecutive event that she has entered in the Under 16 Girls Division. Smith and runner up Claudia Fraser (Piha) battled for the lead but it was Smith’s excellent 8.0 point ride that gave her the advantage over Fraser finishing with a 14.23 point total compared with Fraser’s 13.43. Dayna Story fought back in the dying stages of the final with a 7.17 point ride but ran out of time for a second good ride finishing in third ahead of Elin Tawharu (Mnt) in fourth.
Kehu Butler (Mnt) won his third event of the year in the Under 14 Boys Division. Butler looked most at home of all grommets in the idyllic conditions with his smooth style and top to bottom surfing fitting the waves perfectly. Butler finished with an 18.17 point heat total to defeat Daniel Farr (Tara) who finished in second place making a late comeback scoring 12.17. Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) placed third with Taine Craig – Ranga (Mnt) in fourth.
The youngest of the four finalists in the Under 14 Girls Division surpassed her opponents with a commanding forehand performance. Elin Tawharu (Mnt), all of 12 years old, posted a 12.50 point heat total for the win in her first of two finals. Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt) equalled her best result of runner up for the season beating Tiana Breeze De Mooij (Mnt) in third and Raiha Ensor (Mnt) in fourth.
Awards were also handed out for the best aerial which went to Elliot Paerata – Reid, re-entry which went to Paul Moretti, cutback which went to Quin Matenga and barrel which went to Waretini Wano for the warm up session before the event started today. Jared Gebert won the brand new surfboard in the spot prize.
SSet out below are the final results from the Backdoor GromBash completed at Manu Bay, Raglan today (Sunday 14th April).
Under 18 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 14.17, 1, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 10.67, 2, Waretini Wano (Piha), 9.73, 3, Adam Clegg (Tara), 6.03, 4
Heat 2
Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 14.1, 1, Adam Grimson (Gis), 9.9, 2, Wade Kindred (Auck), 8.7, 3, Luca Cressy (Arataki), 6.8, 4
Heat 3
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 12.83, 1, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 11.53, 2, Isaac Kettle, 8.3, 3, Tangaroa Rawiri (Rag), 6.7, 4
Heat 4
Jules Craft (Gis), 17.67, 1, Kayden Mayes (Tau), 11.3, 2, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 8.53, 3, Caleb Braithwaite, 4.92, 4
Under 18 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 17.5, 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 16.6, 2, Adam Grimson (Gis), 10.7, 3, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 9.57, 4
Heat 2
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 16.0, 1, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 14.6, 2, Jules Craft (Gis), 12.07, 3, Kayden Mayes (Tau), 11.87, 4
Under 18 Boys Final
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 14.0, 1, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 10.83, 2, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 9.33, 3, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 8.17, 4
Under 16 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Tane Bowden (Whmata), 12, 1, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 8.17, 2, Zac Curle (Katikati), 8.17, 3, Luciano Harth (Rag), 7.73, 4
Heat 2
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 17, 1, Quin Matenga (Mnt), 11.9, 2, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 8.9, 3, Callum Chuter (Tau), 8.37, 4
Heat 3
Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.73, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 9.93, 2, Adam Clegg (Tara), 7.27, 3, Campbell Ivory (Tairua), 6.73, 4
Heat 4
Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 11.53, 1, Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.27, 2, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 8.6, 3, Taine Craig Ranga (Tau), 8.13, 4
Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 14.37, 1, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 14.17, 2, Quin Matenga (Mnt), 11.93, 3, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 9.67, 4
Heat 2
Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 14.50, 1, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 13.30, 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 11.53, 3, Daniel Farr (Tara), 10.37, 4
Under 16 Boys Final
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 16.83, 1, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 12.90, 2, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 11.73, 3, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 10.87, 4
Under 14 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 15.67, 1, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 14.83, 2, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 7.6, 3, William Barnes (Mnt), 6.57, 4
Heat 2
Daniel Farr (Tara), 10.67, 1, Taine Craig Ranga (Tau), 9.57, 2, Braedyn Louie (Piha), 8.57, 3, Shane Kraus (Piha), 5.8, 4
Under 14 Boys Final
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 18.17, 1, Daniel Farr (Tara), 12.17, 2, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 11.53, 3, Taine Craig Ranga (Tau), 7.77, 4
Under 18 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 9.23, 1, Dayna Story (Gis), 8.2, 2, Britt Kindred (Mur), 7.6, 3
Heat 2
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 15.2, 1, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 10.4, 2, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 5.2, 3
Under 18 Girls Final
Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 14.83, 1, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 13.93, 2, Dayna Story (Gis), 10.50, 3, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 9.80, 4
Under 16 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Claudia Fraser (Auck), 14.83, 1, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 11.77, 2, Milly Crew (Muri), 8.33, 3
Heat 2
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 14.67, 1, Dayna Story (Gis), 14.03, 2, Kea Smith (Arataki), 7.83, 3
Under 16 Girls Final
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 14.23, 1, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 13.43, 2, Dayna Story (Gis), 10.83, 3, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 7.27, 4
Under 14 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Maaia Reid-Bennett (Arataki), 12.07, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 11.33, 2, Ella Jungwirth (Gis), 7.1, 3
Heat 2
Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 16.67, 1, Tiana Breeze – de Mooij (Mnt), 13.5, 2, Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 6.33, 3
Under 14 Girls Final
Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 12.50, 1, Maaia Reid-Bennett (Arataki), 11.73, 2, Tiana Breeze – de Mooij (Mnt), 9.43, 3, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 9.17, 4