The 2011 O'Neill Cold Water Classic, Kaikoura

Comment Share Posted on Monday June 13th 2011 at 1:51 p.m. Tweet

It's hard to determine when exactly preparation starts for a contest. As you mail off the entry form? with your personal details, contest fees - and hopes and dreams - all attached.

Or earlier when conversation pricks a competitive nerve and lights the fire. With annual events, such as the O'Neill Cold Water Classic, held in the dreamy coastal village of Kaikoura over Queens Birthday weekend each year, competitions become more like a fulcrum with which to plan one's surfing life around.

As the time draws nearer and the weather cools, excitement grows, and the thought of surfing to glory in hood and fullsuit, boots and gloves, under the snowy skyline of coastal mountain ridgelines inherits for a time a romanticism of notion that glows warmer than the water is cold. So you go.

Reality is always sharper, of course, when you're plunged head first over your nose into the shorebreak, having fumbled the drop in those big thick booties. But even from a North Island perspective, this years' CWC was above averagely warm - blessed/cursed with north quarter winds, that often chopped up the face but kept the temps up too. Global warming also lent bare slopes to the Seaward Kaikoura's, prompting quizzical stares from the locals, and smiles from those north of a line.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure the event is one of NZ's longest running annual surf contests, and as such always attracts strong involvement from around the Mainland, surfers and their families stoked to arrive for a few days off to surf, catch up with the extended surfing whanau and get roaring drunk at the prize giving, safe in the knowledge there's a whole ‘nother day to sleep it off and make the journey home.

Surfing in the South Island in winter isn't easy - it's full of preperation, inclination and fair amounts of gumption - but it also puts you at ease. Ego's are more congratulatory than critical, and refreshingly participation is often enough.

That's not to say that this ain't a serious business. The final event of the 2011 S.I Circuit had it's fair share of drama and intrigue: featuring a cliffhanging race for the circuit title - eventually secured by the hard-grafting Ant Hema fromWestport. Last-ditch water takeoffs, seesawing emotions and pleas to the judges for finals' berths from out-of-towner's. Big new-skool moves from the Junior section and an obvious shift of focus from the S.I's tradition of power surfing. And a fairytale ending for Kaikoura's own favourite son Sam Dunfoy, who finally rose to the occasion to win his first S.I event, in front of proud hometown fans. No isn't wasn't that cold to begin with, but still very heartwarming stuff.

Check out sisa.co.nz for a full wrap of the South Island comp scene this season.

Words and Pics by Rowan Klevstul.

Update from SISA - South Island Surfing Association

Sam Dunfoy has won the O'Neill Cold Water Classic, Kaikoura 2011, In a high scoring final where the lead changed constantly until the final minutes. Paco Divers placed second needing a 7.5pt wave to win and catching a nice wave in the dying minute but just fell short of what he needed scoring 7.17pts.

The finals were held in small but pumping 2ft waves at Mangamanu point.

McCrory Plumbing LONGBOARDING

1st Aaron Surgenor Kaikoura 9.87 pts
2nd Dane Robertson Kaikoura 8.17 pts
3rd Dan Warren New Brighton 6.4 pts
4th Jae Kilgour Dunedin 6.37 pts

R & R Sport Junior

1st Sam Courtney Kaiapoi 15.37 pts
2nd Christo Gilbert Hawkes Bay 12.93 pts
3rd Cody McCusker Kaiapoi 10.53 pts
4th Hugh Ritchie New Brighton 10.20 pts

Alpine Pacific Holiday PArk MASTERS

1st Alan Te Moananui Kaikoura 14.83 pts
2nd Matt Costigan New Brighton 12.80 pts
3rd Richard Baxter Kaikoura 9.17 pts
4th Dave Lyons Kaikoura 7.10 pts

Southern Paua WOMENS OPEN

1st Alethea Lock Sumner 10.93 pts
2nd Kristi Zarifeh Sumner 8.17 pts
3rd Leilani Brain New Brighton 4.50 pts
4th Olivia Hislop Kaikoura 4.27 pts

Seaward Pottery / Central Cuts SENIOR WOMENS

1sr Leilani Brain New Brighton 6.93 pts
2nd Lisa O'Connor Kaikoura 4.93 pts
3rd Kerri Morehu-Baker Kaikoura 4.30 pts
4th Rochelle Hardie Kaikoura 2.23 pts
5th Debbie Dunfoy Kaikoura 1.97 pts

Mt Lyford / The Whaler GRAND MASTERS

1st Neil Robb Sumner 10.67 pts
2nd John Roussey New Brighton 7.53 pts
3rd Glenn Shuker New Brighton 7 pts
4th Brian O'Connor Kaikoura 5.27 pts

Monkey Business CADETS

1st Jack Hawke New Brighton 10.33 pts
2nd Max Cooke New Brighton 9.50 pts
3rd Niwa Ututaonga Sumner 7.07 pts
4th Mike Lindstrom Blenheim 3.83 pts

O'Neill SENIORs

1st Hayden Brain New Brighton 11.67 pts
2nd Anthony Hema Westport 10.50v pts
3rd Rowan Klevstul Auckland 10.27 pts
4th Matt Costigan New Brighton 7.63 pts

Whale Watch Kaikoura JUNIOR WOMENS

1st Alethea Lock Sumner 11.57 pts
2nd Kristi Zarfieh Sumner 5.77 pts
3rd Emily Nicolson Kaiapoi 4.13 pts
4th Hayely Baxter Kaikoura 2.7 pts

O'Neill OPEN MENS

1st Sam Dunfoy Kaikoura 14.63 pts
2nd Paco Divers Northland 14.07 pts
3rd Cody McCusker Kaikapoi 11.67 pts
4th Hayden Brain New Brighton 10.60 pts