Kehu Butler wins double at Aotearoa Maori Titles

TOP CLASS: 2016 Aotearoa Maori Titles winners Kehu Butler, left, Jason Matthews and Open Women's champion Zhana Hutchieson. PHOTO/Col/Surf2Surf.com

Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler completed another notable achievement in his young surfing career with a double at the 2016 Aotearoa Maori Titles held at Waitara Beach over Labour Weekend.

Butler was far too strong for his opponents, including father Khan, in winning the Open Men's Division and he also won the Under 18 Boys' Division.

It was the second time Butler had competed in New Zealand this year after a long international campaign.

The final day was played out in small but fun 0.5m - 1m waves with clean conditions in the morning giving way to light afternoon sea breezes.

"This is my first time at the Maori nats; it has been an awesome event and I can't wait to come back next year," Butler said.

"It was pretty cool to surf a final with Dad. He was giving me beef last night trying to put pressure on me but it didn't work out that way and I beat him in the final today."

Butler was happy to see Ngai te Rangi finish second behind Te Atiawa in the Clash of the Iwi.

"It is a huge result for us, we are all stoked. Hopefully we can get more Maori surfers coming to the event next year and Ngai te Rangi may be able to challenge for the title again."

Butler won the final from Chris Malone (Te Aitanga a Mahaki), who finished runner up, Jayson Zimmerman (Te Atiawa) was third and Khan Butler (Ngai te Rangi), fourth.

The Open Women's champion was Zhana Hutchieson with Jason Matthews winning the Over 45 Men's Division.