Bay of Plenty have returned to the top of the table after a big second day at the 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships under way in Gisborne.
The star-studded team have only lost one of 12 surfers in the event and that was more to illness than performance. The excellent start to the event has the team 500 points ahead of their nearest rivals Auckland in second, with Canterbury third while defending champions Taranaki are back in fifth.
Mount Maunganui's Elin Tawharu and Raiha Ensor dominated their under-18 girls' division heats with polished opening-round performances. Tawharu posted a round-high 15.2-point heat total to advance through to the semifinals of the division.
Tawharu takes on a senior role with the Bay of Plenty team this year, using her national and international experience to help out her young teammates.
"It was good to get good waves out there today," she said. "I like these events with the team aspect to them, it is less individual which surfing usually is and I like that team environment."