Wakeboarding: NBHS pupil NZ champion

Sam Pomana on the way to his first national wakeboarding title.

Hawke's Bay wakeboarder Sam Pomana is self-coached and picks up tips and instructions off a DVD.

The Napier Boys' High School year 13 student is obviously a fast learner and doesn't consider his lack of a coach a setback. Despite being in just his second season in the sport Pomana won the under-19 junior boys title at the weekend's Lake Karapiro-hosted nationals.

"I love the underdog tag ... it's worked for me all season," Pomana said as he reflected on his seven-point win over Aucklander Francesco Hazelwood, a two-time national under-15 champion who was competing in the under-19 grade for the first time. A former winner of the title, Josh Plaw of Karapiro, was third.

It was Pomana's fourth title from as many events this season. A fortnight ago he won the under-19 title at Mangakino and previously he won the North Island title at Mangakino and a Central Hawke's Bay competition.

Pomana, Hazelwood and Plaw were the top three qualifiers for Saturday's final from Friday's heats. Pomana had one fall in his final run near the finish but had already secured the title by then.

"I was seventh last year so I was stoked to win the title. After fishing second in the heats I had to up my game on day two and I did that by doing my tricks a lot better," Pomana explained.

By 7am yesterday Pomana was at Hamilton Airport to catch a flight to Christchurch so he could link up with a rugby team from his school which is on a South Island tour. The flanker arrived at 10.30am and managed to play all of the second half of a 12-0 loss to the St Bede's College 1st XV which began at 11am.

The captain of the title-winning 2010 Napier Ross Shield team knows there will come a day to choose between wakeboarding and rugby.

"Until now rugby has been the priority. But I'm looking at giving the professional wakeboarding circuit a crack ... I want to go to Florida, the heart of the wakeboarding world and get some good coaching."

A son of retired three-time world powerlifting champion Derek Pomana, the teenager said his father had played a major role in his success.

"Dad's advice on how to cope in pressure situations has been a big part of my wins."