“It is good to get a nine and a seven,” said Tawharu, who has been an integral part of the Bay of Plenty team’s success over the past five years.
“There are a few differences compared with the World Surfing Games, mainly looking out for the young team members here and being a role model, whereas in Japan I was the youngest and the team looked out for me.
“Apart from that, team atmosphere is important and in that respect they are the same type of events. Usually surfing is quite an individualised sport but not at these events.”
Tawharu advanced through to the final alongside Tegen Bishop (Christchurch). Together they eliminated local favourite Saffi Vette and Mt Maunganui’s Kea Smith.
In the second semifinal, Aimee Brown (Auckland) advanced alongside dark horse Eve Findlay from Tasman. Findlay is the first surfer from the region to advance to the finals of this event since 2007, when Anna Hawes won the u14 girls’ division.
New Zealand junior surfing team representatives Brie Bennett (Raglan) and Estella Hungerford (Chch) advanced through to the final of the u16 girls’ division and will be joined by Georgia Wederell (Mnt) and Summer Carkeek (Auck).
Bennett posted a 9.44-point heat total out of a possible 20 points, taking what chances she had in the pumping waves.
“I’ve been trying to keep busy in my heats and get an early lead to put pressure on the others,” she said.
After this, Bennett heads to the Maori Nationals at Labour Weekend. These events are part of her preparation for the World Junior Championships, for which she will leave on October 23.
Bennett’s Waikato team have all 10 of their surfers still in the competition. They and Canterbury were the only two teams to achieve this.
The first surfers were eliminated from the event in the requalifying rounds for the boys’ divisions.
Tasman, Wellington and Coromandel all suffered losses that have pushed them down the team rankings. At the end of Day 2, Auckland were first, Bay of Plenty second and Canterbury third.
Despite their losses, both Tasman and Wellington had success in the boys’ divisions, some of their surfers advancing to Day 3 competition.
For Tasman, Cade O’Dae and Alan Paterson advanced out of the requalifying round in the u16 boys’ division and Jordaan Harris and Connor Green in the u14 boys’ division.
Wellington surfers Jonah Christians and Jack Healy advanced through the u18 boys’ division.
Wellington also had success in the longboard division, Karson Burns advancing through to the semifinals, where he will meet top seeds defending champion Casper McCormick (Chch) and Billy Whelan (Northland).
Conditions expected today were a slightly increased swell and light offshore winds.
Competitors were to surf the second round of the boys’ divisions today, with some divisions possibly going through to quarterfinals.
Results from Day 2 of the National Scholastic Surfing Championships held at Red Bus, Makorori, Gisborne yesterday —
Team points: Auckland 10,760, Bay of Plenty 10,675, Canterbury 10,590, Northland 9673, Gisborne 9235, Tasman 8755, Waikato 8460, Coromandel 7665, Wellington 7375, Taranaki 6648, Hawke’s Bay 1000.
Under-18 girls, Round 1, Heat 1: Elin Tawharu (Mt Maunganui) 10.96, 1; Saffi Vette (Gisborne) 10.6, 2; Tegen Bishop (Christchurch) 7, 3.
Heat 2: Grace Pevats (Northland) 3.27, 1; Kea Smith (Arataki) 3.2, 2; Tia Ngarimu (Whitianga) 1.33, 3.
Heat 3: Gabrielle Paul (Auckland) 8.84, 1; Aimee Brown (Auck) 8, 2; Eve Findlay (West Coast) 7.9, 3.
U16 girls, Round 1, Heat 1: Stella Smith (Gis) 7.37, 1; Brie Bennett (Raglan) 7.07, 2; Mia Morgan (Waihi Beach) 1.73, 3.
Heat 2: Hannah King (Gis) 8.77, 1; Georgia Wederell (Mnt) 6.57, 2; Lydia Hawes (Tasman) 0, 3.
Heat 3: Estella Hungerford (Chch) 6, 1; Summer Carkeek (Auck) 5.44, 2; Ely Backhouse (Nrthlnd) 3.63, 3.
U14 girls, Round 1, Heat 1: Natasha Gouldsbury (Taranaki) 11.57, 1; Alice Westerkamp (Auck) 6.93, 2; Sky Gundry (Nrthlnd) 1.13, 3.
Heat 2: Liv Haysom (Piha) 8.6, 1; Anna Brock (Mnt) 7.53, 2; Daizee Rawls (Gis) 5.13, 3.
U18 longboard, Round 1, Heat 1: Caspar McCormick (Chch) 11.4, 1; Billy Whelan (Nrthlnd) 8.66, 2; Huw Cowie (Gis) 5.1, 3; Sonny Eades (Bay of Plenty) 4.07, 4.
Heat 2: Ben Counsell (Auck) 7.24, 1; Joel McMullen (Auck) 6.3, 2; Tenaya Richardson (Tara) 4.8, 3; Karson Burns (Wellington) 3.9, 4.
U18 boys, requalifying, Round 1, Heat 1: Sam Dingle (Tara) 9.5, 1; Jack Healy (Wgtn) 9, 2; Toby Mark (Wgtn) 4.77, 3.
Heat 2: Kade Scheib (Auck) 8.6, 1; Jonah Christians (Wgtn) 5.67, 2; Liam McCardle (Wgtn) 2.9, 3.
U16 boys, requalifying, Round 1, Heat 1: Cade O’Dae (Tas) 5.07, 1; Josh Watson (Waikato) 4.86, 2; Ziny Halsall (Tas) 4.6, 3.
Heat 2: Jack Luke (Tara) 9.83, 1; Alan Paterson (Tas) 9.5, 2; Harri Adams (Coromandel) 7.24, 3; Dallas Maddison Snook (Wgtn) 2.66, 4.
U14 boys, requalifying, Round 1, Heat 1: Liam Heasley (Chch) 13.7, 1; Jarvis Camenzind (Rag) 8.36, 2; Matt Norris (Wgtn) 5.6, 3; Kalani Smith (Coro) 5.5, 4.
Heat 2: Harper Mcbride (Mnt) 14.4, 1; Jordaan Harris (Tas) 4.16, 2; Sean Smith (Coro) 3.5, 3; Tyler Clarke-Moran (Hawke’s Bay) N/S.
Heat 3: Tana Clapham (Rag) 8.3, 1; Connor Green (Tas) 5.97, 2; Keanu Martin (Tas) 4.27, 3; Luke Burns (Wgtn) 0.9, 4.
U18 girls, requalifying, Round 1, Heat 1: Eve Findlay (WC) 8.47, 1; Tegen Bishop (Chch) 7.93, 2; Tia Ngarimu (Whiti) 5.17, 3.
U16 girls, requalifying, Round 1, Heat 1: Mia Morgan (Waihi Bch) 4.33, 1; Ely Backhouse (Nrthlnd) 2.7, 2; Lydia Hawes (Tas) 0, 3.
U14 girls, Round 2, Heat 1: Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) 12.24, 1; Liv Haysom (Piha) 5.83, 2; Alice Westerkamp (Auck) 5.4, 3; Anna Brock (Mnt) 3.96, 4.
U14 girls, requalifying, semifinal, Heat 1: Alice Westerkamp (Auck) 7.64, 1; Anna Brock (Mnt) 6.74, 2; Daizee Rawls (Gis) 6.3, 3; Sky Gundry (Nrthlnd) 1.2, 4.
