Gisborne duo still in the hunt

Surfing successfully: Gisborne surfer Chris Malone won his heat in the men's over-35 division at the national championships in Dunedin yesterday. The event concludes tomorrow. File picture by Surf2Surf.com

GISBORNE surfer Finn Vette's hopes were still alive in all three of his divisions heading into this morning's action at the national surfing championships in Dunedin.

Vette, the youngest surfer in the open men's field at 15, is also contesting the under-18 and u16 divisions.

Yesterday, he won the first quarterfinal match-up in the open men's grade, advancing alongside Daniel Farr, of Taranaki.

The Gisborne teenager was back in action later in the day, making the semifinals in the u18 boys' field.

This morning, he won his semifinal in the u16 boys' category.

National champion Billy Stairmand still looks the surfer to beat in the men's field. He took advantage of the swell at Karitane Beach yesterday to post a score of 15.84 out of 20 in his quarterfinal and was well clear of his opponents.

Vette wasn't the only Gisborne surfer to have success yesterday.

Chris Malone comfortably won his heat in the men's over-35 division.

He had a total of 12.3 out of 20 from his two best waves, which was too good for Dunedin's Felipe Pires (7.64) and Duan Reardon (6.37), and Christchurch's David Watkins (3.63).

Malone's son Navryn, surfing for Raglan, did enough to advance to the semifinals in the u18 boys' division.

In the u18 girls' division, the final four have been found. Christchurch surfers Ava Henderson and Leah Wilson will meet Georgia Wederell (Mount Maunganui) and Amarnie Barber (Australia) in the final.

Competition was moved to Karitane yesterday because of a big increase in swell but shifted back to St Clair Beach today.

The Health 2000 National Surfing Championships is the first of several domestic events where surfers can push for selection in the New Zealand team for the World Surfing Games in May.

The event finishes tomorrow.