Matt Hewitt in top form at surfing nationals

FOCUSED: Mount Maunganui surfer William Van Der Beek competing at the 2017 National Surfing Championships at Piha. PHOTO: NZ Surfing Magazine

More challenging conditions dished up by Auckland's Piha Beach were no problem for the top seeds competing on day two of the 2017 National Surfing Championships at Piha.

The open men's and women's divisions were contested early on day two with swells remaining above 1.5m and persistent westerly onshore winds making conditions fickle.

Event number one seed, Matt Hewitt (Mount Maunganui) made simple work of his open men's division match up advancing through to the quarter-finals.

Hewitt posted two early scores to amass a 13.43-point heat total out of a possible 20 points and advanced through his heat alongside Taranaki surfer Jarred Hancox.
Hewitt was hoping to find the form that saw him win a national title at Piha in 2009.

"It is good to get the first heat under the belt," he said.

"Stock standard Piha conditions today, onshore, big and breaking way out to sea but it is good to get a couple of waves, I got good ones at the start of the heat and that put me in a good position to win."

Hewitt was well aware that to win at Piha he must be prepared for all conditions and that was something he was looking towards at the end of the week.

"Out here you have to expect anything in terms of conditions and if it picks up and cleans up, it will be good," he said of the huge swell forecast for the end of the week.

Despite being unaware of the forecast for later in the week, local surfer Elliot Paerata - Reid is one surfer that, should the surf get big, will be one to watch.

Hot favourite for a record sixth title, Billy Stairmand (Raglan) was close behind with a 15.43 point heat total and easy heat win to advance to within three heats of the record.

Other surfers to win their open men's division heats included New Zealand representatives Taylor Hutchison (Raglan) and Zen Wallis (Piha), Elliot Brown (Dunedin), JC Susan (Dunedin) and Jonas Tawharu (Mount Maunganui).

In the open women's division number, one seed and defending champion Ella Williams (Whangamata) was steady in her performance to advance through to the semifinals.

Williams was joined by round one standout Elin Tawharu (Mount Maunganui) who posted a 13-point heat total to advance.

Other heat winners included Britt Kindred (Muriwai), Saffi Vette (Gisborne), Elin Tawharu (Mount Maunganui) and Tegen Bishop as heat winners advancing on in the under-18 girls' division.

Late in the day the under-16 boys' division was thinned down to eight competitors, including Dylan Preston and Luke Griffin from Mount Maunganui.