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Posted on Thursday March 4th at 3:46 p.m.
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Gisborne surfer Daniel Procter slashing his way to a win at the most recent event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour held at Dunedin two weeks ago. Image by PhotoCPL
Over 120 competitors from the length of the country will vie for the four national titles up for grabs. The Whangamata event is the fourth of five legs on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour and doubles as the National Championships in 2010.
Hyundai will continue to bring a family atmosphere to the beach with fun and games for everyone as well as a BBQ and longboard raffle with all proceeds going back to the Whangamata Boardriders Club. The full range of Hyundai vehicles will also be on site for everyone to test drive.
The extra kudos the National Championships tag brings to this year's event will pile the pressure on to the top surfers in New Zealand as they eye up the final event of the tour to be held at Port Waikato at the end of the month (26-27 March).
The event this weekend represents a prime opportunity for the top surfers to stake a claim for series title as well as secure a slice of New Zealand surfing history by claiming the 23rd national longboard title.
Defending Open Men's Champion Daniel Procter (Gis) will be the surfer to beat this weekend having won the most recent event held at Dunedin two weeks ago. Procter is currently sitting in second place on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour behind Dylan Barnfield (Ohope).
"I am surfing good, but you never know" said Procter of his chances of defending his title.
"I haven't surfed Whangamata much so we will have to see. Guys like Dylan Barnfield are surfing the best they ever have and Trent Dickey (Auck) has entered in this event too and he rips. I just have to do the same as I did at the last comp in Dunedin and see what comes of it"
added Procter finishing in a confident manner saying "I don't really care about winning, I just want to surf good. 99% of guys go to events and want to win but I just want to go there, surf my best and smash guys in doing so."
The increasing easterly swell could see the surf reach 3.0m which will test all entrants including Procter who feels "comfortable" in anything and has "the right boards to do the job."
Current number one Dylan Barnfield will travel back from Christchurch where he has commenced his third year attending university. Despite not having won an event this year he finds himself in the drivers seat on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour with just two events remaining.
Leroy Rust. Image by PhotoCPL
Other surfers to watch will include Leroy Rust (Dun), Owen Barnes (Mnt), Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) and Ant McColl (Mnt).
Local hopes will rest on eight time national champion Lynden Kennings who will also be contesting the Stand Up Paddleboard Division and Over 40 Men's Division (the latter division not holding a national title). Kennings placed third at the Hyundai National Championships in 2009 and also placed second in the Stand Up Paddleboard Division.
The Stand Up Paddleboard Division has exploded in 2010 with over 20 entries confirmed for the Whangamata event. Once again the big swells predicted could make the division a spectacle should the surfers be able to navigate their way out the back of the line up. Christchurch surfer Shayne Baxter currently leads the Stand Up Paddleboard Division after winning the first two events of the season.
Mischa Davis. Image by PhotoCPL
Auckland surfer Mischa Davis leads the women's division after her win in Dunedin two weeks ago. She is followed closely by Daisy Thomas (Chch) who is the defending National Champion and Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour winner in 2009. The two surfers will battle it out again this weekend with the winner set to hold the ratings lead going into the last event of summer.
Michael Thomson. Image by PhotoCPL
Grant Cochrane (Chch) leads the Over 40 Men's Division while Michael Thomson (Rag) leads the Over 50 Men's Division. The old boys of the tour are set for battle this weekend and will enjoy the sizeable conditions Whangamata is set to dish up.
Surf TV - 2010 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour - Dunedin
Please see below for the current Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour standings after three of five events.
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Men's Top 10
Open Men's
1, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 2435
2, Daniel Proctor (Gis), 2300
3, Jackson Winter (Noosa), 2225
4, Leroy Rust (Dun), 2095
5, Owen Barnes (Mnt), 2025
5, Shayne Baxter (ChCh), 2025
7, Taylor Jensen (USA), 2000
8, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 1733
9, Josh Constable (Aust), 1720
10, Ant McColl (Mnt), 1650
Open Women
1, Mischa Davis (Oratia)
2, Daisy Thomas (ChCh)
3, Claire Norman (Sydney)
4, Belinda Goodwin (Mt)
5, Tsuneyo Yoshida (Rag)
Under 18 Boys
1, Jackson Winter (Noosa Heads)
2, Joseph Stewart (Whtane)
3, Luke O'Neill (ChCh)
4, Branko Vela (Auck)
5, Charlie Brown (Gis)
Over 40 Men's
1, Grant Cochrane (ChCh)
2, Rupert Newbold (Ocean Bch)
3, Mark Calcutt (ChCh)
4, Mike Thomson (Rag)
5, Brendon Young (HBay)
Over 50 Mens
1, Mike Thomson (Rag)
2, Paul Bennett (Chch)
3, Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach)
4, Grant Cochrane (ChCh)
5, David Storck (Auck)
Stand Up Paddleboard
1, Shayne Baxter (ChCh)
2, Jeremy Stephenson (Auck)
3, Mike Stewart (Queenstown)
4, Hugh Barnard (QTown)
5, Lynden Kennings (Whgmata)
The final event for the 2010 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour follows:
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 5, Port Waikato - 26th - 27th March
Entry into the final event can be completed at www.surfingnz.co.nz under events. Complete the entry process online or download entry form and send it in. The 2010 tour is expected to receive high entry levels so entrants will need to be in well before the cut off dates to assure themselves a slice of the action.
To find out the prizes on offer for the ‘best surfing family in New Zealand' visit the SNZ website
Hyundai have been involved with Surfing New Zealand since 2004 and also sponsor the most prestigious event in New Zealand - The Hyundai National Championships.
The event would not be possible without the amazing support from Hyundai, Starboard Stand Up Paddleboards, Surfing New Zealand and Whangamata Boardriders Club.
Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by:
Hyundai
Export Gold
SPARC
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