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Fearless Groms Take on Gisborne Washing Machine

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For immediate release

6th October 2018

From:   Surfing New Zealand
Sport:   Junior Surfing
Events: 2018 Sticky Johnson Primary School Championships pres by Skullcandy
Dates:   6th – 7th October
Location: Gisborne
Event Info: Surfing New Zealand

Fearless Groms Take on Gisborne Washing Machine

Nearly a hundred young groms descended on Gisborne’s Midway Beach this morning (Saturday 6th October) for the Sticky Johnson Primary School Champs presented by Skullcandy for a colossal day of surfing.

The conditions looked perfect early in the morning but they unfortunately gave way to a southerly onshore wind which ripped apart the line-up as the swell built to well over 1.5m as the day progressed.

Despite the challenging ocean, a number of groms fronted up and got some great rides either by themselves or with the assistance of their parents.

Two of three round-robin rounds were contested over the day leaving the last round and the finals for Sunday when conditions are expected to improve significantly.

Early standouts in the Year 6 and Below Boys included Theo Morse (Orewa), Taj Millar Dal Bosco (WGM) and Dale Cromhout (HBay) who notched up two wins each.  The boys tackled their heats unassisted catching some solid waves from out the back of the line-up.

Defending champion Tao Mouldey started his campaign with a closely fought second place finish in the first round after being pipped by fellow Bay of Plenty surfer Cooper Roberts (TGA).  He came back in the second round with a win to stay in touch with the front runners.

The round robin format sees the top eight surfers in the boys divisions advance to the semifinals and the top four surfers in the girls divisions progress directly to the finals.

Piha surfer Bill Byers top scored for the premier Year 7&8 Boys Division likening the conditions to his home break.  He was unfazed by the size of the swell or the onshore winds as he surfed to a 13.83 point heat total in his first round.

Byers was joined by Beau Woods (Mnt), Ryder Pennington (Tara), Jack McKenzie (Chch), Jack Tyro (Chch) and Campbell Heasley (Chch) in notching up good heat totals for first round wins.  The same division finished the first-day action late into the afternoon with Christchurch surfers Jack McKenzie and Campbell Heasley notching up wins in the first two heats.

In the Year 7&8 Girls Division, Ava Henderson (Chch) got off to a shaky start before heading off her opposition for a win as she searches for her first title.   Jess Haysom (Piha) claimed the win in the second heat of the division.

In the Year 6 and Below Girls it was Alani Morse (Orewa), Chloe Groube (Pauanui) and Eden Hungerford (Chch) who claimed two heat wins in the opening rounds, Morse being the top scorer and the youngest of the front runners at eight years of age.

Conditions are expected to improve for the final day on Sunday.  The wind is forecast to clock northerly which will provide options at both Midway Beach and Northern Makorori.  Competition will get underway at 8:00am sharp with another full day of surfing required to complete the event.

Please see below for results from day one of the Sticky Johnson Primary School Championships presented by Skullcandy held at Midway Beach, Gisborne today (Saturday 6th October).

Year 7&8 Boys Division Round 1
Heat 1

Jack Mckenzie (Waikuku), 10.5, 1, Spencer Rowson (Tara), 4, 2, Kaden Littlejohn (Waihi Bch), 3.3, 3, Zac Bustin (Waikanae), 3, 4
Heat 2
Bill Byers (Piha), 13.83, 1, Mathias Thompson (Piha), 9.43, 2, Will Hardie (Piha), 6.43, 3, Levi Waller (Pauanui), 2.7, 4
Heat 3
Campbell Heasley (Chch), 9, 1, Rakiatea Tau (Chh), 2.46, 2, Malakai Cromhout (Hbay), 1.7, 3, Zac Pullen (Waihi Bch), 1.24, 4, Otis Baxter (WGM), 0.53, 5
Heat 4
Jack Tyro (Chch), 8.93, 1, Ethan McConnell (Ohope), 5.8, 2, Hunter Lynch, 3.4, 3, Piran Payne (Gis), Riley Tomsett (Red Bch)
Heat 5
Max Phillips (Gis), 8.7, 1, Eli Livingston (Gis), 5, 2, Roman Harries (Waihi Bch), 3.1, 3, Noah Camburn (Ohope), 1.33, 4, Tyce Schumacher (Mnt), 5
Heat 6
Thomas Robertson (Chch), 6.17, 1, Benny Kassel (Gis), 2.33, 2, Noah Porter (Waipu), 1.43, 3, James Charlesworth (Auck), 0.8, 4, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 0, 5
Heat 7
Ryder Pennington (Tara), 8.8, 1, Riku Gordon (Mah), 3.97, 2, Braeden Webster (Ohope), 3.9, 3, Kahu Ruru )Gis), 3.17, 4, Asher O’Donnell (Whngrei), 2.23, 5
Heat 8
Beau Woods (Mnt), 9.83, 1, Lucian Martin (Auck), 6.27, 2, Cooper Ashill (Whngrei), 5.57, 3, Tai Murphy (Ohope), 4.1, 4, Toby Porter (Waipu), 0.4, 5


Year 7&8 Girls Division Round 1
Heat 1

Ava Henderson (Chch), 4.66, 1, Leia Millar (Piha), 3.07, 2, Holly Campbell (Chch), 2.63, 3,
Ruby Armstrong (Chch), 2.63, 4,
Heat 2
Jess Haysom (Piha), 5.5, 1, Amanda Gouldsbury (Tara), 2.34, 2, Amelie Wink (Chch), 1.6, 3,
Maia McGhie (Otaki), 0.84, 4, Lily Honeycombe (WGM), 0.27, 5,

Year 6 and Below Boys Round 1
Heat 1

Theo Morse (Orewa), 1, Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 2, PJ Klein Ovink (Auck), 3, Riley Cameron (Kapiti), 4
Heat 2
Taj Dal Bosco (WGM), 6.2, 1, Mace Harries (Waihi Bch), 4.63, 2, Ryan Adams (Waihi Bch), 3.64, 3, Harley Waller (Pauanui), 2.33, 4
Heat 3
Ollie Hansen (Mnt), 11.33, 1, Beau Fitzgibbon Waihi Bch), 3.73, 2, Kauai Rahui (Whgrei), 3.33, 3, Momo Vera Steffen (Gis), 2.4, 4, Milo Livingston (Gis), .0.0, 5
Heat 4
Cooper Roberts (TGA), 14.76, 1, Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 14.27, 2, Benjamin Porter (Waipu), 6, 3, Ezra Honeycombe (WGM), 3.74, 4, Travis Henderson (Chch), 3.73, 5
Heat 5
Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 3.33, 1, Harrison Biddle (WGM), 2.5, 2, Sev Tolhurst (Auck), 0.6, 3, Maceo Thompson (Piha), 0, 4
Heat 6
Kobi Walker (Whngrei), 5.76, 1, Daniel Cox (WGM), 5.7, 2, Shea Ferguson (Gis), 4.5, 3, Josh Cotterall (Auck), 2.13, 4, Oska Gunness (Gis), .0.0, 5
Heat 7
Benji Lowen (Chch), 6.33, 1, Zen Mouldey (Mnt), 5.2, 2, Taj Robinson (Mangawahi), 4.1, 3, Zepplin Waite (Waikanae), 2.53, 4, Tom Marshall (Parapa), 2.45, 5

Year 6 and Below Girls Division Round 1
Heat 1

Eden Hungerford (Chch), 1, Isla Webster (Ohope), 2, Isolde Camburn (Ohope), 3, India Kennings (WGM), 4, Billie Marshall (Paraparaumu), 5
Heat 2
Alani Morse (Orewa), 1, Lola Groube (Pauanui), 2, Poppy Pennington (Waitara), 3, Rawinia Andrews (Waitara), 4, Indie Fitzgibbon (Waihi Bch), 5
Heat 3
Chloe Groube (Pau), 1, Piper Comrie (Waihi Bch), 2, Portia Millar (Piha), 3, Aaliya Cronin (Kapiti), 4, Savanna Cromhout (Hbay), 5

Full results from day one including all afternoon heats and the overall points for progression can be viewed on the Surfing New Zealand website.

The 2018 Primary School Championships are supported by Gisborne Boardriders, Sticky Johnson and Skullcandy.  The event is made possible with funding from Pub Charity.

For more information on the event please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

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