Alex Dive - Image Will Hayden Smith / ASP

Alex Dive has finished 13^th as the highest placed Kiwi at the penultimate ASP Australasia Pro Junior held in Tahiti this week – The Rangiroa Pro. Dive was eliminated in the round of 16 by heat winner Keoni Yan (PFY) and fourth seed Thomas Woods (AUS) in what he described as a “real hassle heat.”

“The day when I got knocked out the waves were a lot smaller than the previous days and I completely struggled” Dive said. “It was a real hassle out there, all of the guys in the heat literally hassled me out of every wave, it was gnarly. I only caught one wave the whole 30 minute heat, not the best way to end the comp but that’s heats I guess” added Dive after posting a mere 3.5 point total heat score.

Earlier in the event Dive had posted a near excellent 9.5 point ride to win his first heat and move through to the Round of 16 as one of the stand out surfers.

“I managed to get a hell one in my first heat and got a 9.50 which was the best score I’ve had in the juniors” he said.

However the event will likely be remembered for the amazing waves on the warm up day which Dive described as some of the most perfect barrels that he has ever had even though he was riding on a borrowed board from Iain Buchanan who was at the event judging.

Dive was one of four Kiwi surfers in the event with Johnny Hicks placing 17^th and Ben Poulter and Dune Kennings placing 25^th.

Wade Carmichael (AUS) went on to win the event and is the new ASP Pro Junior Series ratings leader.

There is a further 1-star Pro Junior event to be held in Tahiti starting on Saturday (New Zealand time).  Dune Kennings is the only surfer competing at the event which takes place at Papara Beach.  Ben Poulter heads to Panama with the Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team to compete at the 2012 DaKine ISA World Junior Surfing Championships which commence on the 14^th of April.

Both Alex Dive and Johnny Hicks return to New Zealand with the likelihood that they have competed in their last Pro Junior event after the final event of the year previously scheduled to take place in Australia was cancelled. 

ASP Australasia will be waiting to release the year-end rankings in case further events are added to the calendar.

View current ASP Australasia Pro Junior ratings.  

Alex Dive - Image Will Hayden Smith / ASP	Alex Dive - Image Will Hayden Smith / ASP
Johnny Hicks - Image Will Hayden Smith / ASP