The Kiwi boys have had to battle the biggest swell of the week on day five of the 2016 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in the Azores Islands off Portugal this week.
The swell, in excess of 2m, had made conditions dangerous with multiple boards being snapped, including one from our own Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay).
The size and power of the swell forced organisers to withhold all female heats on day five and also on the upcoming day six of the event. Competition was held on only one of the two podiums today.
The New Zealand team held their own in the big surf with critical heat wins that saw three surfers advance to the third round joining Mount Maunganui team mates Kehu Butler, Jonas Tawharu, Elin Tawharu, Kea Smith and Raiha Ensor.
The youngest of the team, Kaya Horne, had a tough second round match-up where he was relegated to the repechage round, which he would contest first thing on day six.