North rider's hopes alive

Mimiwhangata's Paul Moretti has fought back to advance under sudden-death conditions in the repechage rounds at the 2011 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships in Peru.
He was one of the eight Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team in action on the fourth day at Punta Hermosa, in Lima, and one of the five surfers who progressed through their heats to stay alive in one-metre waves.
The Under-16 Boys Division surfer scored 8.46 out of a possible 20 points in his heat to progress alongside American surfer Colin Moran and will now face surfers from the United States, South Africa and Germany.
Fellow Under-16 Boys competitors Piha's Elliot Paerata-Reid and Gisborne's Adam Grimson also secured hard-earned second placings to keep their hopes alive. Paerata-Reid progressed alongside a local Peruvian surfer, scoring 8.46 to place second in his heat.
Paerata-Reid will next surf against competitors from France, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Grimson moved through in second place and will face surfers from Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Argentina.
Dune Kennings was the sole Kiwi in the Under-16 Boys Division to get eliminated from the event after placing fourth in his heat and finishing the event in 61st place.
After unexpectedly losing his second round qualifying heat on day two of the event, Under-18 Boys Division surfer Ben Poulter, from Raglan, secured two emphatic wins during his repechage.
Following a first-heat win, scoring 9.13, Poulter surfed his third-round match-up late in the day, posting 13.66 out of a possible 20 points to defeat surfers from Venezuela, Portugal and Barbados.
Poulter smashed several big back-hand turns for his highest-scoring ride of 7.33 points to move to the fourth round.
A massive swell is forecast to hit Punta Hermosa late in the week, which has organisers scrambling to get the event completed by Saturday - a scenario that has Poulter baffled.
"It is not going to be big until Sunday and they finish the comp on Saturday.
"I would love to surf a heat in the bigger waves but I don't think that will happen."
Poulter's fellow teammates in the Under-18 Qualifying Round, including Paul Moretti's older brother Joe, had yet another lay day. They were to be back in the water today
Whangamata's Grace Spiers continued the good Kiwi form for the girls, surfing to the second-highest heat score of the girls division - 17.50 out of a possible 20 points and an easy heat win.
Spiers will face surfers from Japan, Costa Rica and Brazil in her next match-up today .
Whangamata's Ella Williams and Raglan's Alexis Poulter were eliminated from the event.