Surfing: Poor weather shortens national champs

Dune Kennings of Whangamata. Photo / Supplied

Poor weather conditions meant only the essential divisions were completed on day six of the national surfing championships at Piha today, with the big guns set to fire on the final day tomorrow.

With the waves dropping to the smallest they have been over the seven-day event at less than 1m and onshore westerly winds, only the grommets in the under-16 and under-14 boys divisions suited the conditions as they flew across the barely surfable waves.

Dune Kennings (Whangamata) and Korbin Hutchings (Gisborne/Australia) had the biggest tussle of the day with the lead in their semifinal swinging several times.

Kennings got off to an early start before Hutchings came back with a 6.60 and 5.97 to jump into the lead.

However, it was Kennings who finished with a 7.73 point ride late in the semifinal to seal the win, both surfers moving through to the finals after eliminating Harrison Whiteside (Christchurch) and Isaac Kettle (Taranaki).

The two surfers both have granddads that have won national titles and are part of a small group of third generation surfers in New Zealand.

Standing in the way of Kennings and Hutchings are two surfers just as eager to write their own history.

Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha) and McKenzie Bowden (Whangamata) progressed through the second semifinal, Paerata-Reid running away with the heat scoring 13.07 and Bowden getting a buzzer-beating 7.37 point ride to jump from third to second and advance over Mahorahora McLeod (Tara) and Matt McGreggor (Whangarei).

The youngest surfers of the event, the under-14 boys also contested their semifinals and it was the precision of Kehu Butler (Mount Manganui) that shone over his opponents, winning his heat despite incurring an interference after interfering with one of his opponents' waves.

Butler will meet Isaac Kettle (Taranaki), Taine Craig-Ranga (Waihi Beach) and defending champion Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay) in the final.

The under-18 girls semifinals saw twin sisters Gabriela and Bianca Sansom (Albany) progress through to the finals with the more-fancied Ella Williams (Whangamata) and Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gisborne).

The senior divisions were also contested as the tide continued to drop.

Jay Quinn (Gisborne), who lost his semifinal match up in the open men's division yesterday, progressed through to the final of the over-28 men's division in second place behind AJ Matthews (Auckland).

Bachelor Tipene (Taranaki) eliminated two-time defending champion Jarred Hancox (Taranaki) and Tipene advanced alongside Joshua Thickpenny (Dunendin), who is the South Island's sole finalist at the event.

Two finals were contested in the afternoon with the over-30 women's and the under-18 longboard events.

Local surfer Anna Jolly walked away with the over-30 women's division ahead of Belinda Goodwin (Raglan), Shelley Jones (Auckland) and Janine Spiers (Whangamata).

In the under-18 longboard it was the older of the Poulter brothers, Ben, who claimed the title over his younger brother Sam.

The pair defeated local Piha surfers Tane Wallis and Tunui Wano.

Conditions for tomorrow are expected to improve with an increase in swell and more favourable southwest winds.