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Written by Ben Kennings
Friday, 19 January 2007
The amazing run of excellent waves at the Hyundai National Surfing
Championships being held at Taranaki ended today (Friday) with small
conditions firstly causing a change in venue before the event was put on
hold and subsequently moved back to Stent Road. The constant changing of
venue didn’t hinder the performance of Ryan Hawker (Piha) who took out the
Quiksilver Under 16’s division. The event has doubled as the New Zealand
leg of the King of the Groms and as such Hawker gets the chance to represent
his country at the international final which will be held in France during
August.
Hawker has almost been unstoppable in the Under 16s for the past twelve
months and today was no different when he scored 14.25 in the final. While
the final was talent filled, Hawker used his worldly competition knowledge
to out smart and out surf his opponents with Matt Hewitt (Mnt) playing
bridesmaid for the second year in a row scoring 12.50 ahead of Gisborne
surfers Buck Woods (11.90) and Jay Paddock (5.50).
“I’m pretty happy, it has been a long week and I have been pretty tired. A
few of the days we surfed have been small but I got a lot of practice in
those type of conditions when I was in Australia recently so it was all
good” commented Hawker. “It means everything to be able to represent New
Zealand in the King of the Groms. The last two years I have been to the
international event I have seen the best guys in the world, seen how they
surf and brought everything back to work in to my surfing”. Hawker placed
33rd at the event in 2005 and 17th in 2006 but this
year he has his sights set higher “Definitely a finals berth this year that
is what I am aiming for” commented Hawker.
The Under 16 boys division was one of six finals contested today. The
Breakers Under 18 Girls was won by Taranaki’s Paige Hareb. Hareb was
sitting in second place with ten seconds remaining when she caught her last
wave and jumped into the lead. The wave which comprised of three critical
backhand turns over the shallow rock bottom scored 9.75 and edged out
Whangarei’s Wini Paul who scored 12.05 ahead of Jessica Welch (Gis) and
Laura Rishworth (Mnt) in fourth.
The Breakers Under 14 Boys got back in the water after four days off. Tane
Wallis (Piha) had the final stitched up against his younger counterparts.
Wallis has won a number of junior events around the country but this was his
first national title and will be one of many for the talented young guy.
Dune Kennings (WGM) dodged rocks and got some brilliant little waves to hold
on to second place throughout the final. Patxi Scott-Areitta (Whangarei)
placed third unable to find the longer rides and Fintan Cram placed fourth.
In other finals contested late in the day, Grace Spiers (WGM) won the
Sirocco Surfboards Under 16s in a dominant fashion. Anna Jolly took out the
Hyundai open Women Longboards and Dylan Barnfield continued his winning
streak in the Hyundai Junior longboards scoring 18.00 to win the final.
Quiksilver Under 16 Boys Finals – King of the Groms
Ryan Hawker (Piha), 1, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 2, Buck Woods (Gis), 3, Jay
Paddock (Gis), 4
Breakers Under 14 Boys Final
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Patxi Scott-Arrieta
(Whngrei), 3, Fintan Cram (Whmata), 4
Hyundai Over 28 Finals (To be surfed)
David Van Staden (Rag), Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Chris Millett (Muriwai),
Matt Johnson (WGM)
Hyundai Over 35s Finals (To be surfed)
Jason Matthews (Tara), Chris Blain (Tara), Seth Matthews (Tara), Erin
Saunders (Tara)
Breakers Under 18 Women Finals
Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 2, Jessica Welch (Gis),
3, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 4
Hyundai Women Longboard Finals
Anna Jolly (Piha), 1, Josephine Moore (Muriwai), 2, Hilary East
(Auck), 3, Sophia Moore (Muriwai), n/s
Hyundai Junior Longboard Final
Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 1, Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 2, Leroy Rust (Dun), 3,
Tyler Anderson (Tara), 4
Hyundai Over 50s Finals (To be sufed)
Barry MacColloch (Tai), David Stork (Piha), John Gisby (Gis), Chris
Davies (Oakura)
Sirocco Surfboards Under 16 Girls Finals
Grace Spiers (WGM), 1, India Wray Murane (Muriwai), 2, Jayda Fitzharris
(Gis), 3, Demi Poynter (Auck), 4
