Auckland surfer Matt Newdick claimed the 2024 New Zealand Festival of Longboarding title in dominant fashion today coming out victorious alongside Gisborne’s Hannah Kohn who won the Women’s Division.
By way of their victories, the two surfers secured selection into the New Zealand Longboarding Team who will contest the ISA World Longboard Championships in El Salvador during April.
The final day of the event (Sunday 18th February) was played out in clean 1.0m waves at the Papamoa Domain, conditions offering up the perfect platform for New Zealand’s best longboarders to show their impressive talent.
Newdick was the youngest of the four men’s finalists at 24-years-old and had to work hard for the win after an initial 7.1 point ride when his senior opponent, Thomas Kibblewhite (Whngrei), took the lead with 13.17 points to his name. However, a cleanly ridden 6.67 point ride late in the final was enough for Newdick to sneak past Kibblewhite and take the win with a 13.77 point heat total.
“It was a pretty special weekend away, it’s the people at the event that make it, all the guys that made it happen,” said Newdick post final. “I think every heat that I had was pretty scrappy so it was nice to hear that final score of mine come out over the speaker and for me to take the lead late in the final and eventual win,” he added.
Kibblewhite, who hadn’t competed for several years, finished in second place with Dan Croskery (Gis) finishing in third place and local Mount Maunganui surfer Dan Hooker finishing in fourth place.
In the Open Women’s Division, it was Gisborne’s Hannah Kohn that dominated proceedings to win the final with a 15.30 point heat total leaving her opponents requiring a combination of scores to catch her. Kohn’s graceful performance included waves scoring 8.0 and 7.30 points.
“Papamoa turned it on, fun waves, warm water, offshore most of the day and a really good vibe overall and it was good to meet some of the legends of the sport here this weekend with me being new to the scene in this area,” Kohn said.
“In the final, the ocean really provided for me, I lucked into a few that ran and managed to put two scores together,” Kohn said of her brilliant performance.
Gabi Paul (Piha) secured a runner-up finish which was enough to see her lead the ratings and gain selection for the New Zealand Longboard Team alongside Kohn.
First time participant Tenaya Richardson finished third in the final after impressing all weekend and New Zealand representative Amilie Wink (Chch) finished in fourth place
Phil Morris (Auck) secured an emphatic win in the Morris Surfboards Over 40 Men’s Division. He surfed to a 16.73 point heat total, highlighted by a great nose ride into powerful drop knee cutback on his best wave for an 8.50 point score. Dan Croskery (Gis) and Thomas Kibblewhite (Whngrei) pushed late in the final but came up short with Croskery finishing runner up ahead of Kibblewhite in third and local Mount Maunganui surfer Simon Fritchley in fourth.
Local Papamoa surfer Ann Snyder won the Switch Stance Surf and Skate Over 40 Women’s Division. A pair of five-point rides and some clean footwork had Snyder’s cheer squad yelling from the waters edge as she exited victorious. Taranaki surfer Amaia Sasia finished second in the final with Shelley Jones (Pap) in third, Melissa Woods (Pap) in fourth and Anita Toi (Orewa) in fifth.
The Pineline Surf Fins Over 50 Men’s Division was claimed with a clutch performance from Papamoa surfer Lee Stacey who scored a 5.07 on his last wave to edge past Mark O’Connor (WGM) by 0.01 points. O’Connor had led from start to finish until Stacey rode a long running right for the win. Taranaki surfer Craig Williamson finished in third ahead of Andy Collins (Pap) in fourth.
Longboarding stalwart Grant Cochrane (Chch) claimed the Tasman Holiday Parks Over 60 Men’s Division with a close win over Christopher Wilson (Orewa) 11.80 vs 11.0 points. Cochrane left his best surfing of the weekend until the final. Ray Le Feuvre finished in third place ahead of Paul Browne (Orewa) in fourth.
The Under 18 Divisions were claimed by Lucy Macefield (Chch) in the Neufound Eyewear Under 18 Girls and Archie Whithear (Chch) in the C-Skins Under 18 Boys Division.
The Volkswagen Highest Single Wave Score Award went to Matt Newdick for 9.13 point ride in the semifinals of the Men’s Longboard Division.
Full results from the New Zealand Festival of Longboarding can be viewed here – https://liveheats.com/events/194186.
Further Information
For further information on the 2024 New Zealand Festival of Longboarding please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Event details
Please visit Liveheats.com for live scores https://liveheats.com/events/194186
Imagery
High resolution action images of the surfing at the event will be available to media free of charge.
Partners
Generous support from Morris Surfboards, Switch Stance Surf & Skate, Pineline Fins, Tasman Holiday Parks, Alt Surf Works, C-Skins, Neufound Eyewear, Defy Clothing and Emroce Swimwear, D Creative, Four Winds Trust and Papamoa Boardriders have made this event possible.
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Ends
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Author: Ben Kennings