Bay of Plenty has claimed the tightest ever title race at the 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships completed at Makorori Beach on Friday after defeating host region Gisborne.
The resurgent Bay of Plenty team posted 7,790 points to Gisborne's 7,715 points to claim gold with Canterbury finishing in third place on 7,045 points. It is the sixth time they have won the team title in the last eight years.
The team results came down to the last heat of the event - the Under 18 Boys Division where a number of outcomes could have eventuated had results been different.
Otago surfer Elliott Brown (Dun) claimed the Under 18 Boys Division while Bay of Plenty surfer Raiha Ensor won the Under 18 Girls Division, the two premier divisions at the event.
The Bay's Lee Ririnui and Jared Gebert along with Shane Kraus (Auck) traded the minor placings throughout the final with Ririnui eventually finishing runner up, Gebert placing third and Kraus in fourth.