Burling closes down opposition!
Mike Burling pic courtesy Slide Magazine
The third and final day of the R&R South Island Longboard Pro Am (event five of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour) got underway in very different conditions to the previous days. Overcast skies and a dramatic drop in swell saw those surfers prepared to risk body and board advance. Michael Burling (Gis) did just that, throwing caution to the wind Burling launched into several of the 1.0m set waves with a vertical attack.
Burling’s rampage left the remaining finalists needing combination scores to stay in the hunt midway though the final. Australian, Jackson Close closed the gap slightly towards the end of the final with a series of noserides and cutbacks, but lacked a good second scoring wave and had to settle for second place. 2007 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour winner Daniel Kereopa (Rag) who once again surfed with a heavily strapped foot also lacked a good second wave although made a solid comeback towards the end of the final. Young Kirk Beyer waited patiently out the back for the elusive set waves but these waves always seemed to have Michael Burling attached to them. Beyer finished fourth.
The Women’s final played out very similar to the Open Men’s, with Sophia Moore (Muriwai) never threatened during the 20 minute final. Moore’s commitment and skill saw several waves ridden until the dry rocks were her only obstacles. Josephine Moore (Tara), Claire Norman (Aus) and Anau Burling (Auck) continued to battle with each other and the conditions, finishing within a point of each other.
People say, as you get older you take less risks, not so for the Over 40 Final. Mike Thomson (Rag), Glen Shuker (ChCh), Mike Pimm (Aust) and Michael Willman (ChCh) all decided to risk body and board. Shuker and Willman pushed each other, twice playing chicken on the same wave. Shuker, who had been out of the water for six weeks due to injury, commented that he would “make the waves cry“ and came close to doing that himself as he continued looking for that last manoeuvre on the inside rocks or “Cockies Corner” as it is now known after Grant Cochrane broke his collarbone there the previous day. Shuker took the final.
The junior final was a close fought battle between four very talented surfers. Leroy Rust (Dun) became the victor this time.
Mike Pimm (Aus) was the only finalist in the Over 50’s to have a combination score in double figures. Pimm like the previous finalists surfed vertically and looked for the last turn on the inside.
New Brighton surfers dominated the Over 55’s Final. Ross Tyson’s first two waves, secured first place, from club mate Ron Carter.
Daryn McBride (Mnt) managed to salvage his weekend by winning the Old Mal division with a fine display of traditional longboarding that included hanging five and ten.
McBride also surfed the following final, the speciality noseriding division. The noseriding division allows each surfer the ability to catch as many waves as they can during their heat, but only allowing each surfer to claim one scoring wave. Jackson Close, Matt Cockayne (Auck) , Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) and McBride all left the claimed wave until the last two minutes of their twenty-minute heat. Barnfield surfed a nice wave, hanging five and ten, early in the heat but didn’t claim the wave. Judges were calling the wave a 7.5 point ride out of a possible 10 that could have sealed the final for Barnfield. But it was Jackson Close, who was lying bleeding on the rocks that claimed the winning wave.
OPEN MEN’S SEMI-FINALS
Heat 1 Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 1, Mathew Cockayne (Mngwhai) 3, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) 4, Kirk Beyer (Wgtn) 2,
Heat 2 Jackson Close (Aust) 2, Shayne Baxter (Dun) 3, Michael Burling (Gis) 1, Daniel Proctor (Gis) 4,
OPEN MEN’S FINAL
Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 3, Kirk Beyer (Wgtn) 4, Michael Burling (Gis) 1, Jackson Close (Aust) 2,
OVER 40 SEMI-FINALS
Heat 1 Glen Shuker (ChCh) 2, Rob Hawkins (Rag) 3, Mike Thomson (Rag) 1, Stephen Tyro (ChCh) 4,
Heat 2 Mark Elham (ChCh) 3, Michael Willman (ChCh) 2, Grant Cochrane (ChCh) inj, Mike Pimm (Aust) 1,
OVER 40 FINAL
Mike Thomson (Rag) 2, Glen Shuker (ChCh) 1, Mike Pimm (Aust)3, Michael Willman (ChCh) 4,
WOMEN’S SEMI-FINALS
Heat 1 Eve Welch (ChCh) 3, Kirstie Thomsen (Whangarei) 4, Sophia Moore (Muriwai) 1, Josephine Moore (Tara) 2,
Heat 2 Claire Norman 1 , Hannah Phillips (ChCh) 3, Shereen Lobb (Port Wai) 4, Anau Burling (Auck) 2,
WOMEN’S FINAL
Sophia Moore (Muriwai) 1, Josephine Moore (Tara) 4, Claire Norman 3, Anau Burling (Auck) 2,
JUNIOR Under 18 FINAL
Hone Douglas (Whakatane) 4, Eli Barnfield (Ohope) 2, Sam Hawke (ChCh) 3, Le Roy Rust ((Dun) 1
OVER 50's SEMI-FINALS
Heat 1 Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach)1, Tim Clemence (ChCh) 3, Mike Thomson (Rag) 2, John Warriner (ChCh) 4,
Heat 2 Grant Cochrane (ChCh) inj, Warwick KinG 3, Mike Pimm 1, David Storck (Auck) 2,
OVER 50's FINAL
Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach) 3, Mike Thomson (Rag) 4, Mike Pimm 1, David Storck (Auck) 2,
Over 55’s FINAL
Ron Carter 2, Kevin Merdock 4, Ross Tyson 1, Peter Stevens 3
NOSERIDER FINAL
Jackson Close 1, Matt Cockayne 3, Darren McBride 2, Dylan Barnfield 4,
OLD MAL FINAL
Jason Lawn 4, Troy Scott 3, Daryn McBride 1, Paul Culpan 2,