Vette and Hovell fly the flag

HEAVY DUTY: Five-time national champion Billy Stairmand (Raglan) negotiates heavy swell on his way to a semifinal berth in the open men’s division at Piha. Cory/NZ Surfing Magazine picture

SAFFI Vette and Sean Hovell kept the Gisborne flag flying at the national surfing championships at Piha yesterday.

Vette won her under-18 girls’ semifinal heat. She had already qualified for the u16 final and open women’s semifinal.

Hovell — having been eliminated in the over-28 semifinal heat won by former Gisborne surfer Chris Malone the previous day — bounced back yesterday to finish third in the men’s stand-up paddleboard final.

A forecast rise in the swell far exceeded sizes anticipated. Swells broke miles out to sea, leaving surfers to contend with big re-forms on the Piha bar.

By the time contestants in the open men’s quarterfinals entered the water, the swell was peaking in size.

Of the top seeds, Matt Hewitt (Mt Maunganui), five-time champion Billy Stairmand (Raglan) and Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha) had heat wins to reach the semifinals.

Time management was vital in the heats as surfers had to either try to paddle back out after long rides or come ashore, run around the beach and get back out through the keyhole.

Australian-based Kiwi Trevor Tunnington won the men’s stand-up paddleboard division. Raglan’s Daniel Kereopa had his third straight runner-up finish.

Tunnington battled massive seas in the final to record a 9.13-point total.

Kereopa’s board broke at the start of the heat, which hampered his efforts.

Their results ensured both Tunnington and Kereopa earned places in the New Zealand team to compete at the world championships being held in Demark during September.

Gisborne’s Hovell edged Whangarei surfer Jamie Scott for third place.

In the u18 boys’ division, three New Zealand teammates — Jonas Tawharu (Mt Maunganui), Elliot Brown (Dunedin) and Jared Gebert (Ohope) — dominated semifinal proceedings.

In the girls’ division, Piha’s Gabrielle Paul and Gisborne’s Vette (Gis) won their semifinal heats and will be joined in the final by Tiana-Breeze de Mooij (Mnt) and defending champion Elin Tawharu (Mnt).

The large swell forced the postponement until today of the conclusion of the open women’s division and the women’s stand-up paddleboard.

Results from yesterdayOpen men, quarterfinals, Heat 1: Taylor Hutchison (Rag) 11.93, 1; Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) 6.83, 2; Jarred Hancox (Tara) 6.57, 3; Ben Kennings (Whmata) 3.93, 4.

Heat 2: Matt Hewitt (Mnt) 13.27, 1; Elliott Brown (Dun) 10.4, 2; Jared Gebert (Ohope) 6.63, 3; Harrison Whiteside (Chch) 5.13, 4.

Heat 3: Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha) 13.17, 1; Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay) 9.47, 2; JC Susan (Dun) 7.40, 3; Tane Wallis (Piha) 7.10, 4.

Heat 4: Billy Stairmand (Rag) 12.73, 1; Sean Peggs (Tairua) 12.1, 2; Zen Wallis (Piha) 11.2, 3; Dune Kennings (Whmata) 10.57, 4.

Under-18 boys, semifinals, Heat 1: Elliott Brown (Dun) 14.1, 1; Jared Gebert (Ohope) 13.3, 2; Caleb Cutmore (Ham) 9.3, 3; Dylan Preston (Whmata) 8.93, 4.

Heat 2: Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) 16.8, 1; Kaya Horne (Mnt) 8.8, 2; Taylor O’Leary (Mur) 8, 3; William van der Beek (Mnt) 5.97, 4.

U18 girls, semifinals, Heat 1: Gabrielle Paul (Auck) 9.67, 1; Tiana-Breeze de Mooij (Mnt) 6.93, 2; Tegen Bishop (Chch) 5.67, 3.

Heat 2: Saffi Vette (Gis) 9.1, 1; Elin Tawharu (Mnt) 5.34, 2; Billie Scott (Whangarei) 4.21, 3.

Stand-up paddleboard, men, Round 1, Heat 1: Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 10.8, 1; Karlos Aarsen (Whmata) 8.5, 2; Willie Beggs (Auck) 6.7, 3; Gary Smith (Gis) 5.45, 4.

Heat 2: Trevor Tunnington (Aus) 11.2, 1; Jamie Scott (Whangarei) 7.8, 2; Oscar Murrell (Auck) 4.43, 3.

Heat 3: Sean Hovell (Gis) 9.57, 1; Ollie Houghton (Auck) 8.47, 2; Alan Te Moananui (Kaik) 5.3, 3.

Semifinals, Heat 1: Trevor Tunnington (Aus) 11.7, 1; Jamie Scott (Whangarei) 7.07, 2; Karlos Aarsen (Whmata) 6.53, 3.

Heat 2: Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 10.5, 1; Sean Hovell (Gis) 9.73, 2; Ollie Houghton (Auck) 7.47, 3.

Final: Trevor Tunnington (Aus) 9.13, 1; Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 5.97, 2; Sean Hovell (Gis) 4.83, 3; Jamie Scott (Whangarei) 4.63, 4.