Sean Hovell is a double winner at the Tairawhiti Standup Paddle Surfing Championships

DOUBLE WINNER: Gisborne’s Sean Hovell works hard to get the most of out this wave at the Tairawhiti Standup Paddle Surfing Championships at Makorori Beach. Hovell won two titles. Picture by Paul Rickard

BRING on 2019 is the call after another successful edition of the Tairawhiti Standup Paddle Surfing Championships at Makorori Beach.

Forty-five surfers took part in the fifth annual champs run by Tairawhiti Standup Paddlesurf Club.

Locals mixed with enthusiasts from Christchurch to Pauanui, as well as an ex-Gisbornite now living in Australia and an Italian.

The ocean came to the party with surfers enjoying pure two-to-four-foot left and right-handers.

“The event went really well,” said co-organiser Peter Boyd. “There were classic conditions on all tides.”

Gisborne surfer Sean Hovell, a member of the New Zealand team at last year’s world paddleboard champs, underlined his favouritism with wins in the open men’s and 10-foot divisions.

Fellow New Zealand team member Stella Smith won the open women’s title but had to settle for runner-up to Wini Boyd in the junior division. Matt Henwood won the novice crown, Rangi Kingi the over-40s and Jimmy Hurunui the over-50s.

A foil division was held for the first time and it proved popular. Pauanui’s Bevan Gooch won the final.

Boyd said with the champs proving so popular and being a part of the New Zealand circiut, the aim was to grow the event.

Results — Open men: Sean Hovell 1, Geoff Pardoe 2, Jamie McCaw 3, Armie Armstrong 4.

Open women: Stella Smith 1, Lucy Te Moananui 2.

10-foot division: Sean Hovell 1, Dan Crosby 2, Geoff Pardoe 3, Ngati Donnelly 4.

Novice: Matt Henwood 1, K Haapu 2.

Junior (undr-20): Wini Boyd 1, Stella Smith 2.

Over-40: Rangi Kingi 1, Dan Crosby 2, Josh Burt 3, Howie Kingi 4.

Over-50s: Jimmy Hurinui 1, Howie Kingi 2, John Ratima 3, Phil Collier 4.

Foil division: Bevan Gooch 1, Dave Edwards 2, Shane Murrell 3, Armie Armstrong 4.