Surfing: Mount hot-shots take series titles

Raiha Ensor has won the U20 girls division in the three-round Billabong Grom series

Mount Maunganui surfers Raiha Ensor and Elin Tawharu have won series titles after the final round of the Billabong Grom Series at Piha Beach at the weekend.

Despite finishing second in the U20 girls' division at the weekend, it was enough for Ensor to take the title after winning the first event at the Mount and a third in the second event at Whangamata.

For Tawharu, second place at the third and final event of the series in Piha was also enough to take the overall U17 girls' title.

Tauranga surfer Callum Chuter secured a personal best result at national level with a second place.

Chuter led the final early but succumbed to local surfer Elliot Paerata-Reid in the U20 division

Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) came third for the second straight event with series winner Dune Kennings (WGM) finishing in fourth place.

It was another Piha surfer in Claudia Fraser who claimed the U20 girls division.

It was Fraser's first win in more than six years, posting a 10.4 point heat total to defeat series winner Ensor (Mount), Bianca Sansom (Albany) and Gabriella Sansom (Albany) who finished second through fourth respectively.

"I haven't won an event since I was 12," said Fraser. "Today there was no real difference to how I approach surfing at other events apart from being at home. I surfed the bar all last week, I had a lot of good practice and I guess that made the difference. This has been a fun series and I am stoked to finish it with a win at home."

Daniel Farr (Tara) surfed to his second win of the series in the U17 boys division; a result that was enough to see him extend his ratings lead. Farr was sitting in fourth for much of the final until a two-wave combo midway where he blew away his opponents surfing to an 11.60 point heat total.

Lee Ririnui (Mount) and Jonas Tawharu (Mount) came back strongly but finished in third and fourth respectively ahead of first time finalist Jack Wilson from Christchurch.

Milly Crewe (Mur) claimed her first win in five years in the U17 girls division. The final came down to the best back-up waves in a low scoring match-up between the four finalists. Crewe won the battle posting 10.30 to Elin Tawharu's 9.73 total heat scores. Tawharu reversed the roles with Crewe claiming the overall series.

-RESULTS

Under-20 Boys

Heat 1: Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 15, 1, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 13.43, 2, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 11, 3, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 10.13, 4.

Heat 2: Dune Kennings (Whmata), 12.57, 1, Callum Chuter (Tau), 11, 2, Sean Kettle (Tara), 9.27, 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 5.13, 4.

Final: Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 18.6, 1, Callum Chuter (Tau),13.3, 2, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 12.5, 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 9.8, 4.

Under-17 Boys

Quarter-finals: Heat 1: Jack Wilson (ChCh), 10.43, 1, Max Dicken (Auck), 9.23, 2, Shane Kraus (Piha), 6.03, 3, Jacob Warnes, 4.3, 4; Heat: 2 Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.83, 1, Conor Mclennan (Chch), 8.37, 2, Joshua Farr (Tara), 8.2, 3, Thomas Dixon-Smith (Gis), 7.4, 4; Heat 3: Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 12.17, 1, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 9.77, 2, Corban Williams (Tara), 4.83, 3, Ziggy Knuiman (Rag), 2.03, 4; Heat 4: Jared Gebert (Ohope), 8, 1, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 6.67, 2, Reef Matthews (Tara), 4.73, 3, Jamahl Moselen (Whangarei), 3.9, 4.

Semifinals: Heat 1 Daniel Farr (Tara), 12, 1, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 7.57, 2, Max Dicken (Auck), 6.6, 3, Conor Mclennan (Chch), 6.6, 4; Heat 2 Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 12.33, 1, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 10.67, 2, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 10.57, 3, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 6.33, 4.

Final: Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.60, 1, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 10.68, 2, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 10.07, 3, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 7.57, 4.

Under-14 Boys

Quarter-finals: Heat 1 Tom Butland (Tara), 13.3, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11.3, 2, Luke Griffin (Mnt), 8, 3, Luis Aruquipa-Southwood (Whaka), 3.67, 4; Heat 2 Dylan Preston (Whmata), 11.2, 1, William Van Der Beek (Mnt), 9.67, 2, Max Brunker (Whangarei), 5.9, 3, Jack Lee (Whakatane), 4.77, 4; Heat 3 Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 8.67, 1, Taylor O'Leary (Mur), 8.17, 2, Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 7.57, 3, Cory Vercoe (Mangawhai), 6.03, 4; Heat 4 James Ririnui (Mnt), 12.2, 1, Lucca Lind (Tara), 3.17, 2, Rory Goodchap (TGA), 1.87, 3, Alex O'Dwyer (Whaka), 1.77, 4.

Semifinals: Heat 1 Dylan Preston (Whmata), 10.2, 1, William Van Der Beek (Mnt), 9.4, 2, Tom Butland (Tara), 6.23, 3, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 4.07, 4; Heat 2 Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 8.53, 1, Taylor O'Leary (Mur), 7.27, 2, James Ririnui (Mnt), 4.83, 3, Lucca Lind (Tara), 2.93, 4.

Final: Dylan Preston (Whmata), 11.60, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 9.73, 2, Taylor O'Leary (Mur), 8.13, 3, William Van Der Beek (Mnt), 7.03, 4.

Under-20 Girls

Semifinal: Heat 1 Bianca Sansom (Auck), 12, 1, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 7.8, 2, Dayna Story (Gis), 7.23, 3.

Final: Claudia Fraser (Auck), 10.37, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 9.93, 2, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 9.27, 3, Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 9.10, 4.

Under-17 Girls

Quarter-finals (heats 3 and 4 only): Heat 3 Milly Crewe (Muri), 6.67, 1, Tiana-Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 5.27, 2, Abby Falwasser-Logan (Gis), 4.4, 3, Amber Bailey (Auck), 2.6, 4; Heat 4 Britt Kindred (Muri), 10.2, 1, Maaia Reid-Bennett (Mnt), 5.4, 2, Holly Marsen-Wood (Piha), 2.27, 3.

Semifinals: Heat 1: Kea Smith (Arataki), 8.93, 1, Milly Crewe (Muri), 6.67, 2, Maaia Reid-Bennett (Mnt), 1.03, 3, Kai Woolf (Gis), N/S; Heat 2: Zhana Hutchison (Tara), 5.5, 1, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 4.67, 2, Britt Kindred (Muri), 3.63, 3, Tiana-Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 1.6, 4.

Final: Milly Crewe (Muri), 10.30, 1, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 9.73, 2, Zhana Hutchison (Tara), 7.57, 3, Kea Smith (Arataki), 6.77, 4.

Under-14 Girls

Heat 1: Gabrielle Paul (Piha), 7.5, 1, Grace Pevats (Whngrei), 5.33, 2, Asta Schnell (Auck), 0, 3; Heat 2: Toni Power (Mnt), 6.03, 1, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 4.87, 2, Nicole Robinson (Whngrei), 1.8, 3, Lily Dowsett (Auck), n/s.

Final: Gabrielle Paul (Piha), 7.33, 1, Grace Pevats (Whngrei), 6.8, 2, Toni Power (Mnt), 5.63, 3, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 1.43, 4.