Surfing: Series finals decide scholastic titles

Kalani Hansen surfing in the third and final leg of the Northland Scholastic Surfing Series. Photo / Supplied

The best secondary school surfers in the province scored pumping waves at Ahipara for the third and final event of the 2015 Northland Scholastic Surfing Series.

Contest director Tony Baker noted the competitors were greeted with nice 1-2m lines peeling down the points and the swell broke throughout the day to continue a memorable winter for waves at the Far North break.

Due to the size of the draw and the tide factor, organisers decided to run the event at two breaks, with the under-14 boys and girls, along with the under-16 and under-18 girls held at Tokanui, the break commonly referred to as Pines, while the under-16 and under-18 boys heats were run at the outside break of Tauroa, aka Blue House.

Not surprisingly, Ahipara surfer Sergio Hansen (Kaitaia College) hit form in the under-18 boys' final, applying local knowledge in the deteriorating wind-affected conditions to win from Kohl Mase (Pompallier College), Matt Jensen (Bream Bay College) and Callum Robertson-Barnes (Kerikeri College).

Sergio's younger brother Kalani also impressed in the under-16 boys division, eventually securing a third place in a heat featuring Tom Norton (Bream Bay College) and Joseph Critchfield (Rodney College).

"Hansen showed his experience over the shallow reef break, a willingness to attack any section that came his way," Baker noted, but added it was Critchfield who took the win after snagging a set wave, in the dying minutes of the final, where he "proceeded to unleash a series of smooth backhand carves, finishing with a strong close-out manoeuvre on the shallow inside section".

The respective results meant both Hansen boys secured their selection in the Northland team for the nationals later this year.

The under-14 boys final delivered excellent performance waves while the girls draw featured a reduced field compared with the previous two events.

The final event of the series also saw the overall ratings cemented (from the three events), with those winners being presented with custom trophies designed and crafted by Mark Vercoe and the tech department at Whangarei Boys' High School, and sponsored by local businesses.

With the series wrapped up, the Northland Surfing Association [NSA] selectors were preparing to confirm the 12-strong team, plus reserve, to compete at the National championships in Gisborne from September 28 to October 2.

The NSA is seeking sponsorship to support the team.

- For more information, contact NSA president Jason Ruddell 021 288 834, jason@nolimitz.co.nz.