Bay of Plenty surfers win national title

Bay of Plenty celebrate winning the 2017 National Scholastic Surfing Championships. PHOTO/Cory NZ Surfing Magazine

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.

Ensor was involved in a much closer final for the Under 18 Girls Division. It wasn't until the last five minutes where she extended her lead and finished with a 10.30 point heat total to win. Ensor beat teammate Elin Tawharu (Mnt), who finished runner up with Aimee Brown (Auck) in third and Zhana Hutchieson (Tara) in fourth.

Waikato surfer Caleb Cutmore secured his team's second title of the event after Brie Bennett won the Under 14 Girls Division. Cutmore kicked off his final with a 6.10 point ride and followed that up with another pair of higher six point rides to finish with a 13.27 point heat total and a lead that never looked in danger.

Bay of Plenty again featured in the final finishing in second and third via Dylan Preston (Mnt) and Jack Lee (Whaka). Northland's sole finalist, Max Brunker (Whangarei), finished in fourth overall.

The Under 16 Girls Division was the most closely contested final of the day with all four surfers struggling to find the form that got them to the final day.

Tegen Bishop (Cant) started the final with an early wave and lead for 20 minutes followed closely by teammate Estella Hungerford who opted so surf the lefthanders. However, it was local girl Saffi Vette that posted a 5.2 point ride to jump from third to first with five minutes to go. Georgia Wederell (Mnt) was fourth.

The Adam Clegg Trophies for breakthrough performances of the event went to Jack Lee (Whaka) for his third place in the Under 16 Boys Division and Brie Bennett (Rag) for winning the Under 14 Girls Division. The trophies are voted in by the entrants in the event.

Team Points
1, Bay of Plenty, 7790
2, Gisborne, 7715
3, Canterbury, 7045
4, Auckland, 6970
5, Taranaki, 6535