Christie’s eyes on the CT prize

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

SURFING

RICARDO Christie’s bid to return to professional surfing’s elite tour is into the final two pivotal contests of the year.

The Gisborne-Mahia surfer is seeded into round 2 of the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, Oahu, which started this morning.

Christie is sitting 14th on the Qualifying Series rankings from which the top 10 secure a place on the 2019 Championship Tour.

The Hawaiian Pro is a 10,000-point contest and is followed by another 10,000 event — the Vans World Cup at Sunset Beach.

There are all sorts of variables when it comes to making the CT. Christie’s mission is simple — to go as far as he can and earn as many points he can.

It is a huge challenge as the fields contain many of the CT competitors — several of whom are battling for their own CT survival.

The two contests, along with the CT season-ending Billabong Pipe Masters, make up the Triple Crown of Surfing.