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Duke Festival Finals Set For Tomorrow After Triple Arena Day

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Young and old enjoyed a special start to the day at New Brighton, Christchurch this morning (Saturday 16th March) before the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing pushed through dozens of heats to finals of all divisions.

On dawn, Event Founder Warren Hawke gave a warming speech which was followed by a karakia that was taken in by the 200 strong present on the beach.  City officials were present to start the day and the event kicked into action.

The day started out with clean head-high waves and perfect light offshore winds that lasted much of the morning before the sea breeze onshore winds came up and persisted all afternoon.

New Zealand Longboard Tour rankings leader Michael Grendon (Tara) was the first to push through to the final of the Paper Plus Men’s Longboard Final.  Grendon posted a 15.33 point heat total in his semifinals to advance alongside Christchurch’s Hugh Ritchie.

The two surfers along with Paul Culpan (Auck) will contest the second straight final of the year together after Culpan advanced out of the second semifinal.  They will be joined by Luke O’Neill (Chch) who is undefeated at the event so far this year, O’Neill aiming to also defend his title at the event.

In the Paper Plus Women’s Longboard Division, the top seeds marched into the final led by Jo Moore (Tara) and 2018 national representative Sasha Brownlie (Orewa).  The two surfers will be joined by locals Donna Henderson and Estella Hungerford in the final tomorrow.

Hungerford was on double duty as she pushed her cause in the junior divisions.  Competition proved tough with the young 16-year-old surfer making the final of the Under 20 Girls Division but she missed out in the Under 18 Girls Division where she was beaten by Georgia Wederell (Mnt) and Ava Henderson (Chch).  Wederell and Henderson will be joined by Tegen Bishop (Chch) and Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) in the Under 18 Girls Division final tomorrow.

In the Under 18 Boys Division, Muriwai surfer Taylor O’Leary finds himself pitted against three South Island surfers in Reuben Lyons (Kaik), Jai Oakley (Chch) and Myka Black (Chch).

Black was another surfer that had to endure five heats throughout the day as he advanced to the final of three separate divisions from Under 20 through to Under 16s.

The Under 12 Boys and Girls Division got off to a cracker first thing in the morning on their own podium located down the beach.  The young surfers returned to the main podiums for the latter rounds of their divisions surfing through to the respective final four surfers.

Local surfers Eva Wilson, Amelie Wink and Eden Hungerford advanced to the girls final alongside Pauanui surfer Chloe Groube.  Both Groube and Hungerford will contest two finals of Sunday after advancing to the Under 14 Girls Division final where they will meet top seed Anna Brock (Mnt) and Dunedin’s Misha Peyroux.

The Under 12 Boys Division sees Mount Maunganui surfers Tao Mouldey and Indica Corcoran face off against Benji Lowen (Chch) and Alexis Owen (Dun).

All finals will be contested on Sunday from 8:00am at New Brighton Beach.  Officials will assess conditions first thing in the morning and make a call in regards to the order of events.  The prize giving will be held from 6:00pm at the New Brighton Club.

Please see below for results from day two of the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing held at New Brighton Beach, Christchurch today (Saturday 16 March).

Paper Plus Men’s Longboard Division
Heat 1

Michael Grendon (Tara), 15.3, 1, Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 11.8, 2, Sam Sands (Chch), 8.27, 3, Mike Willman (Chch), 7.27, 4
Heat 2
Luke O’Neill (Chch), 15.9, 1, Paul Culpan (Auck) , 12.5, 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 11.7, 3, Fraser Falconer (Auck), 4.4, 4

Paper Plus Women’s Longboard Division
Heat 1

Josephine Moore (Tara), 9.87, 1, Donna Henderson (Chch), 9.77, 2, Tegen Bishop (Chch), 6.17, 3, Tui Rudolph (Chch), 5.87, 4
Heat 2
Sasha Brownlie (Auck), 10, 1, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 7.53, 2, Kath Eddyvean, 6.9, 3, Lucy Johnson (Chch), 5.67, 4

Fusion Solutions Men’s Logger Division
Heat 1

Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 11.2, 1, Nick Black (Chch), 9.43, 2, Paul Culpan (Auck), 8.1, 3
Heat 2
Luke O’Neill (Chch), 14.2, 1, Zen Wallis (Piha), 10.5, 2, Jack Hawke (Chch), 7.6, 3

Fusion Solutions Women’s Logger Division
Heat 1

Sasha Brownlie (Auck), 7.77, 1, Annelise Coberger (Chch), 6.73, 2, Lili Bay (Chch), 6, 3, Minnie Robberds (Chch), 0, 4
Heat 2
Lucy Johnson (Chch), 9.03, 1, Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik), 5.33, 2, Brittany Andrews (Chch), 4.67, 3, Nina Young (Chch), 0, 4

Arvida Group Over 50 Men’s Longboard
Heat 1

Mike Pimm (Chch), 13.9, 1, Den Cooke (Chch), 10.5, 2, Mana Tohiariki (Chch), 8.87, 3, Hamish Flood (Chch), 8.37, 4
Heat 2
Mike Willman (Chch), 8.33, 1, Steve Andrews (ChCh), 8.23, 2, Mark Andrews (ChCh), 7.67, 3, Paul Bennett (Chch), 7.13, 4

Arvida Over 60 Men’s Longboard Division
Heat 1

Mike Pimm (Chch), 11.3, 1, Ron Carter (Chch), 5.67, 2, Tim Clemence (Chch), 5.33, 3, Dave Poyner (Chch), 4.33, 4, Cliff Wood (Chch), 3.9, 5
Heat 2
Grant Cochrane (Chch), 10.7, 1, Paul Bennett (Chch), 8.2, 2, Russell Johns (Chch), 6.4, 3, Ray Briggs (Chch), 3.7, 4, Ross Tyson (Chch), 0, 0

PPC Men’s SUP Quarterfinals
Heat 1

Alan Te Moananui (Kaik), 13, 1, Allen Taylor (Chch), 7.3, 2, Mark Calcutt (Chch), 6.9, 3, Dougal Holmes (Chch), 5.03, 4
Heat 2
Shane Baxter (Chch), 12, 1, Sam Loader (Chch), 11.4, 2, Gabriel Taylor (Chch), 6.87, 3, Dean Wink (Chch), 5.33, 4
Heat 3
Steev Peyroux (Dun), 11.7, 1, Blair Cooke (Chch), 11, 2, Dion Findlay (WC), 9.03, 3, Giulio Meda (Chch), 6, 4

Exit Surf Under 20 Men’s Division Semifinals
Heat 1

Neko Tohiariki (Chch), 10.1, 1, Sam Sands (Chch), 10, 2, Thomas Harcourt (Chch), 8.93, 3
Heat 2
Myka Black (Chch), 15.3, 1, Reuben Peyroux (Dun), 8.7, 2, Riley Gibson (Chch), 5.8, 3

Signmark Under 20 Women’s Division
Heat 1

Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 11.4, 1, Liv Haysom (Piha), 9.1, 2, Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 8.63, 3
Heat 2
Estella Hungerford (Chch), 16.5, 1, Ava Henderson (Chch), 10.7, 2, Tegen Bishop (Chch), 8.17, 3, Eve Findlay (WC), 6.1, 4

Joyce and Co Under 18 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1

Reuben Lyons (Kaik), 10.3, 1, Jai Oakley (Chch), 7.9, 2, James Millar (Chch), 7.6, 3, Luke Rogers (Chch), 3.9, 4
Heat 2
Myka Black (Chch), 11.8, 1, Taylor O’Leary (Mur), 10.8, 2, Ruben Peyroux (Dun), 8.3, 3, Jacob Fitzgerald (WC), 6.3, 4

Joyce and Co Under 18 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1

Ava Henderson (Chch), 12.4, 1, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 9, 2, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 8.6, 3
Heat 2
Tegen Bishop (Chch), 8.25, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 7.7, 2, Liv Haysom (Piha), 2.9, 3

Exit Surf Under 16 Boys Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1

Jai Wallis, 12.5, 1, Jacob Fitzgerald, 8.97, 2, Tom Boothroyd, 8.27, 3, Koby Cameron, 6.97, 4
Heat 2
Jai Oakley, 13.2, 1, Dara Omalley, 9.37, 2, Campbell Heasley, 8.83, 3, Tyler Perry, 7.93, 4
Heat 3
Myka Black, 13.1, 1, Jack Tyro, 9.47, 2, Reuben Lyons (Kaik), 9.2, 3, Liam Heasley, 8.67, 4

Hellers Under 14 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1

Tyler Perry (Chch), 10.2, 1, Bill Byers (Piha), 9.2, 2, Jack Tyro (Chch), 9, 3, Indica Corcoran (Mnt), 5.3, 4
Heat 2
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 10.8, 1, Jack Mckenzie (Waikuku), 8.17, 2, Mathias Thompson (Piha), 8.13, 3, Tai Erceg-Gray (Whngrei), 8.05, 4

Hellers Under 14 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1

Anna Brock (Mnt), 10.7, 1, Chloe Groube (Pau), 4.37, 2, Ana Tau (Chch), 3.27, 3, Holly Campbell (Chch), 3.03, 4
Heat 2
Misha Peyroux (Dun), 8.8, 1, Eden Hungerford (Chch), 5, 2, Amelie Wink (Chch), 4.6, 3, Jess Haysom (Piha), 3.9, 4

Seventh Wave Under 12 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1

Indica Corcoran (Mnt), 6.9, 1, Alexis Owen (Dun), 6.4, 2, Tai McKenzie (Chch), 4.9, 3
Heat 2
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 12.5, 1, Benji Owen (Chch), 6.9, 2, Billy Cameron (Chch), 6.3, 3

Stoked Under 12 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1

Chloe Groube (Pau), 4.2, 1, Eden Hungerford (Chch), 4.1, 2, Lucy Macefield (Chch), 2.2, 3, Tessa Gabbott (Dun), 1.7, 4
Heat 2
Eva Wilson (Chch), 7.7, 1, Amelie Clark (Chch), 5.7, 2, Poppy Entwhistle (Chch), 3.1, 3, Georgia Macefield (Chch), 2.3, 4

The three day event celebrates the sport of surfing under the name of legendary Hawaiian waterman and Olympic swimmer Duke Kahanamoku with surfers from the length of the country heading to New Brighton to take part. While many enter the event for the festivities and the great cause behind the festival which brings to life New Brighton, there will be some fierce rivalries for positions within the New Zealand Team.

The surfing events conclude a week-long celebration of surfing related art, movies, workshops and music.

The Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing features over $15,000 in prizes making it one of the richest events on the New Zealand and South Island Surfing Circuits in 2019.

About the Duke Festival of Surfing
In 2015 Ross Tyson made the amazing replica of the Duke’s surfboard as part of the centenary celebrations of Duke Kahanamoku’s surfing and swimming displays in the area. Ross designed the support framework; the pattern for the board was kindly drawn out in full size by Mark Calcutt; Dave Poyner finished the board surface with a beautiful high spec coating.

These celebrations spurned the inaugural “Duke Festival” the following year and the festival is now one of New Zealand’s largest surfing events.

The Duke Festival is about more than just the sport of surfing; it’s about the culture of the beach and those who love the sand between their toes and salt in their hair.

The Duke Festival uses the sport and culture of surfing to raise pride in, and the perception of, the wider New Brighton area.

Information
For more information on the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing please contact Warren Hawke on 021 293 5735 or wajhawke@yahoo.com or Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

Follow Surfing New Zealand
Keep in touch with all the surfing info from around the country by following @surfingnz on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.  Follow the Ray White Duke Festival of Surfing on Instagram – @dukefestivalofsurfing, Facebook – @Dukesfestival and @dukefestivalof2 on Twitter.

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