Smith helps the cause,New Zealand holds on to third place overall

FOR THE CAUSE: Gisborne’s Stella Smith on her way to seventh place in the women’s stand-up paddle surf discipline. Her effort helped the New Zealand team hold on to third place overall at the 2017 ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championship in Denmark overnight (NZ time). ISA picture

A VALIANT seventh-place finish by Gisborne surfer Stella Smith has helped the New Zealand team hold on to third place overall at the 2017 ISA World Stand Up Paddle and Paddleboard Championship in Denmark overnight (NZ time).

Two days of competition remain at the event with six Kiwis lining up across four finals in four disciplines as well as the team relay.

Smith, the youngest member of the New Zealand team at 15, competed in the Women’s SUP surf discipline. Despite securing the team’s best result in the surfing discipline, Smith felt she could have achieved more.

“I didn’t reach my goal for this event,” she said.

“I would have liked to make the final but it just didn’t go my way today.

“My last heat was frustrating as I couldn’t get any good waves after having a good heat earlier. It was hard after watching the guys surf before us catch heaps of fun-looking ones.”

Smith was joined by Kaikoura’s Lucy Te Moananui, who finished 13th overall after missing progression to the quarterfinals.

Te Moananui fought hard in her heat, in messy one-metre waves at Vorupor Beach but was eliminated by opponents from Brazil and South Africa.

Earlier in the day, New Zealand’s last male competitor, Gold Coast-based Trevor Tunnington, failed to advance out of his Round 2 match-up. After good form in the first round of the event, Tunnington fell to the challenging conditions.

“Looking back, I should have taken a couple of lefts because they seemed to be linking up a little better,” he said.

“I opted for the rights but was only able to get one turn, maybe two, in on each wave.”

Smith was eager to cheer on her team and in particular her sister Jasmine.

“I know that Jaz will go good and it will be really exciting to watch,” she said.

Friday is scheduled to be a lay day for the New Zealand Team before the finals of the technical races for SUP and prone events take place on Saturday. The relay and closing ceremony will be on Sunday (local time).

Team rankings: 1 France, 14603; 2 Australia, 14121; 3 New Zealand, 13848; 4 Hawaii, 13336; 5 USA, 12535; 6 Brazil, 11852; 7 Italy, 11603; 8 Denmark, 11470; 9 Japan, 11028; 10 South Africa, 9810.

Men’s SUP Surf Round 2, Heat 6: Guillermo Carracedo (ESP) 9.46, 1; Felipe Hernandez (MEX) 9.34, 2; Carsten Kurmis (GER) 7.60, 3; Trevor Tunnington (NZL) 6.10, 4.

Women’s SUP Surf Round 2, Heat 2: Stella Smith (NZL) 11.2, 1; Hannah Finlay-Jones (AUS) 5.34, 2; Iballa Ruano (ESP) 9.43, 3; Mariko Strickland Lum (HAW) 4.764, 4.

Heat 4: Aline Adisaka (BRA) 9.23, 1; Tamsyn Foster (RSA) 8.5, 2; Lucy Te Moananui (NZL) 3, 3; Aixa Sanchez (ARG) 0.73, 4.

Women’s SUP Surf Round 3, Heat 2: Justine Dupont (FRA) 11.7, 1; Emmy Merrill (USA) 9.4, 2; Stella Smith (NZL) 6.47, 3; Natalia De La Lama (ARG), 4.87, 4.