Late wave gets Gisborne’s Johnny Hicks through at national surfing champs

Gisborne's Johnny Hicks left it late but got the wave that booked him a quarter-final spot in the open men's division of the national surfing championships. Photo / PhotoCPL

A late wave and a nervous wait ended in relief and elation for local surfer Johnny Hicks in round three action at the national surfing championships in Gisborne today.

The East Coast Surfriders Club member advanced to the quarter-finals with a second placing in small but clean waves at Makorori Beach.

Hicks opened in style with an 8.0 score to set the early pace but late in the heat found himself out of the top two and needing a decent score to advance.

It came not long before the hooter and he had a nervous wait after it until judges confirmed a 6.6 score for 14.6 in total and second place, leapfrogging Bay Boardriders’ Jack Hinton (13.57).

Another Bay Boardriders member, Taimana Marupo, won with 15.53 but Hicks’ clubmate Nick White (13.3) fell short – a last-gasp 7.13 wave not being enough.

Gisborne Boardriders Club member and 2002 open champion Damon Gunness was also knocked out. He was third in his heat with a 12.37 total.

Teenager Jaxon Pardoe was involved in the Under-16 boys’ quarter-finals and the open men’s round. Unfortunately, the East Coast Surfriders competitor was unable to progress in either.

He was fourth in a hotly contested U16 heat on a total of 11.56 and achieved the same placing in the open men’s heat on 11.4.

Clubmate Archie Alder was fourth in his U16 quarter-final with a score of 11.73.

In the U18 girls’ quarter-finals, Bonnie Lynch was second in her three-surfer heat to book a semi-final spot. Lucy McDiarmid and Abbie Cook were eliminated.

Jay Quinn, chasing his third open men’s crown, was in round three action late in the day.

With a southerly forecast, organisers hoped for a lift in swell for the final day of the champs.