Surfing: Stairmand simply sublime at national champs

Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand. Photo / Supplied

Raglan's Billy Stairmand stormed to his second national title after a near flawless performance on the final day of the national surfing championships held at Piha Beach in Auckland today (Sat).

Stairmand managed a 17.10 point total in his heat, using his impeccable backhand surfing on the lefthanders of Piha Bar to take out the open men's division.

The 22-year-old is ranked 79th in the world, making him New Zealand's third-highest ranked surfer internationally, and he is also one of few in the world who claimed a victory over 11-time world champion Kelly Slater in 2011.

Today, Stairmand notched up several excellent scores in quick succession, with his two highest being 8.90 and 8.20 point rides, more than enough to carry him to his second national title, after his maiden win in 2010 at Gisborne.

"It is good to start the year winning a national title," Stairmand said. "I am going overseas soon so it is good for my confidence and everything like that. I can't believe it at the moment."

Despite the ease of the win, Stairmand said he remained focussed on keeping to a game plan.

"Every heat is hard, I just wanted to catch the best waves out there. I saw some on the bar and wanted to get them and it paid off."

It was a big decision for Stairmand to surf up the beach. He and fellow finalist Chris Malone of Gisborne were the first surfers of the day to do so. However, with the outgoing tide and building swell, the strategy paid off handsomely.

In the open women's division, Thandi Durham-Tipene of Taranaki claimed her first national title in style, posting a 5.40 on her last wave to jump from third to first in the dying seconds of the final.

"This is one of my biggest goals that I have ever achieved," Durham-Tipene said. "I have been living at Snapper Rocks on the Gold Coast and seeing the likes of Mick Fanning, Tyler Wright, all the best surfers, surfing everyday it is pretty hard not to improve over there."

Placing second in the final was Piha's Mischa Davis, who led for more than 20 minutes of the final but came up short on the final hooter. Davis scored 8.60 to Durham-Tipene's 9.43. The two oldest of the finalists fended off the challenge of the younger girls, with Ella Williams finishing in third.

Durham-Tipene's success was not the only in the family, after husband Bachelor won the Peter Byers award for the most outstanding performance at the event after an exceptional week of surfing.

"I am stoked for Bach, my husband, as well," she said. "He was bummed he didn't pick up a title but I know he will be gunning for it next year."