The New Wave Primary School Champs took place at Gisborne last weekend with pumping waves on offer at "The Pipe". Young local surfers dominated the event with Korbin Hutchings (Gisborne Intermediate) taking out the boys title.
The sport at this level provides an opportunity for new entrant surfers to develop their contest experience and to compete in a professionally organised surfing event with their peers. It test each surfers ability and enables them to decided whether they are ready to commit to the sport and move to the next level and compete in the Surfing New Zealand Grommet Series.
Surf ranged from 1.0m – 1.5m with excellent but challenging conditions for New Zealand’s best young surfers.
Hutchings was impressive all weekend winning every heat before taking out the final. Likewise Milly Crewe (Waimauku School) was unstoppable in the Girls Division winning every heat through to the final where she eventually beat Britt Kindred (Waimauku School) on a ‘count back’.
“I was impressed with the standard of surfing and saw a lot of new talent over the weekend” commented Contest Director Steve Ria. “The surf was pretty big on Sunday morning so we used ‘seasoned’ competitors Jayda Martin Fitzharris, Adam Grimson and Kahu Craig Ranga, who are all qualified lifeguards, as our water patrol to keep an eye on all the new comers”.
Hutchings posted a 12.83 point total heat score in the final to beat Jordan Griffin (Mnt Intermediate), Quinn (Mnt Intermediate) and Mahorahora McLeod (Waitara).
