Mount Maunganui lead NZ surfing selection

PROUD KIWIS: Jonas, left, and Elin Tawharu are part of a strong Mount Maunganui contingent in the NZ Junior Surfing team. PHOTO/FILE

Mount Maunganui's 2016 bronze medallist Elin Tawharu heads up the 12-strong 2017 New Zealand Junior Surfing team to compete at the 2017 VISSLA ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Japan in late September.

Tawharu, 16, secured New Zealand's first medal in a decade placing third in the Under 16 Girls Division at the 2016 event in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal.

This year she has surfed her way to an unassailable lead in her age category of the New Zealand Grom Series with one event remaining. Earlier this month she also surfed to another third at the International Rip Curl GromSearch final in Brazil.

She now steps up to the Under 18 Girls Division. Three-time team member Raiha Ensor (Mount Maunganui) is in the same division. Ensor was seventh in the Under 18 Girls Division in 2016, just missing out on a finals berth.

The two girls are part of a six-strong contingent of Mount Maunganui surfers selected for the team along with Kehu Butler, Elin's older brother Jonas Tawharu, Dylan Preston and William Van Der Beek, plus non-travelling reserves Tiana-Breeze de Mooij and Luke Griffin.

Butler is another surfer to move up a division to the Under 18 Boys category, and despite this being his first year in the division he will go into the event with high hopes of a podium finish.

Butler has competed at the World Junior Championships for three years advancing to the late stages of the event on each occasion. This year Butler has been predominantly Australia-based, competing in the Australasian Pro Junior Series where he finished the year fifth overall.

Surfing beside Butler in the Pro Junior events this year has been Taranaki's Daniel Farr. Farr heads to Japan in his last year among the junior ranks and with a wealth of international experience that will help his campaign. Jonas Tawharu and Dunedin's Elliot Brown join them.

The team ushers in five first-time representatives, all from the Under 16 age group.

Christchurch's Tegen Bishop joins Gisborne's talented Saffi Vette for the girls. Hamilton's Caleb Cutmore joins Preston and Van Der Beek. Cutmore competed with Tawharu in Brazil at the start of the month where he was fifth in the boys division.

Mount Maunganui also provides the team coach in Khan Butler and manager Damien Galvan.

The New Zealand team finished 10th at the 2016 VISSLA ISA World Championship which was won by France with Australia second, Hawaii third and this year's hosts Japan fourth. The Kiwi team will aim to break into the top eight to qualify for the Aloha Cup at future events.

The 2017 New Zealand Junior Surfing Team:

Under 18 Boys
Daniel Farr (Tara)
Elliott Brown (Dun)
Jonas Tawharu (Mnt)
Kehu Butler (Mnt)
Non-travelling reserve - Jared Gebert (Ohope)

Under 18 Girls
Elin Tawharu (Mnt)
Raiha Ensor (Mnt)
Non-travelling reserve - Tiana-Breeze de Mooij (Mnt)

Under 16 Boys
Caleb Cutmore (Ham)
Dylan Preston (Mnt)
Kaya Horne (Mnt/Queensland)
William Van Der Beek (Mnt)
Non-travelling reserve - Luke Griffin (Mnt)

Under 16 Girls
Saffi Vette (Gis)
Tegen Bishop (Chch)
Non-travelling reserve - Gabrielle Paul (Piha)
Team Manager: Damien Galvan (Mnt)
Team Coach: Khan Butler (Mnt)