The first event of the 2012 Northland Scholastics Surfing Series was held at Sandy Bay on Friday 23rd March 2012. With a clean 1.0m-1.05m swell running and light, variable winds, the conditions were ideal and contest organisers couldn’t have hoped for a better start to the year.

With a good level of entry in the Girls Division, young Breeze Durham (Kerikeri High School) surfed her way into her first victory at the Northland Scholastics event. The youngster from Kerikeri is no stranger to surfing contests as her older sister Thandi Tipene is the current 2012 National Open Women's Champion. With 8 entries in the girls division this was the highest number so far for an NSSS event. In the Under 18 Girls Robyn Turnbull (Mangawhai / Raglan Area School) won the final ahead of good friend Julia Smith (Rodney College).

In the Under 14 Boys Division current National Champion Manu Scott-Arrieta blitzed his opponents winning the final comfortably. Showing local knowledge at his home break, Scott-Arrieta showed why he is a the top if his age-group nationally, linking vertical lip bashes with fast, powerful cutbacks. With only 4 entries in the Sandy Bay event, the Under 14 Boys was a straight final, and for at least one of the surfers, it was their first time in a surfing contest. It is always great to see young, up and coming surfers taking on the challenge of competition, and the likes of Zac Springford (Whangarei Boys High School) and fellow team mates Spencer Harrison (WBHS) and Tait Mehrtens (WBHS) did exactly that.

The Under 16 Boys Division hosted the largest field of surfers with 32 entries, featuring a handful of top groms who have been regularly competing on the national surfing circuit. Matt McGregor (Kamo High School) was an early stand-out along with Matt Jensen (Bream Bay College), Sergio Hansen (Kaitaia College) and Joe Palmer (Kerikeri High School). Conditions were near perfect for the Under 16 heats and every surfer showed good talent and style. In the finals Waipu Cove surfer and 2010 Northland team surfer Rhys Whitaker made his first finals appearance in 2 years, and placed a well deserving 4th overall. Sergio Hansen (Kaitaia College), who was dominant in the earlier rounds, went head to head with Mangawhai Heads surfer Ryan Renall (Rodney College) with both surfers exchanging great scoring waves. Renall edged ahead of Hansen after the goofy footer destroyed a solid left hander, moving him into 2nd place. Joe Palmer (Kerikeri High School) was a stand-out from the start of the day, and picked off the best waves in the 20 minute final to take his first series win for 2012. Palmer, who was a member of the 2011 Northland Team, was wrapped with his win and showed a huge step up in his performance at Sandy Bay.

2012 saw the most entries in the Under 18 Boys since the NSSS started in 2010 with 28 surfers competing. William Bowden (Whangarei Boys High school) dominated every heat he surfed, linking some powerful lip bashes with smooth cut backs. Bowden has spent a lot of time surfing at Sandy Bay and his performance showed this. 2011 Northland Team member Fraser Seymour (WBHS) was also another stand-out along with Ari Tidyman (Rodney College) and Flynn Hart (WBHS). But nobody could get close to 2012 New Zealand Junior Team surfer Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) from the start of the day. Moretti, who regularly competes in the Under 20 Division at national events, showed a massive improvement and confidence absolutely destroying every wave that came his way. In every heat he was methodical in his approach towards his surfing, and he showed why he is one of the brightest surfing stars in Northland at the moment. In the final, Moretti dominated the 20 minute heat from start to finish, winning easily. In second place was Flynn Hart (WBHS) who pipped fellow team mates William Bowden (WBHS) and Fraser Seymour for his best result so far in an NSSS event.

Overall the level of surfing showed a massive step up from previous years, and Head Judge Kevin Piper commented that it was obvious that many of the entrants had been competing nationally. Please see below a summary of results from the Sandy Bay event.

2012 NSSS Event One @ Sandy Bay Results:
Under 14 Girls : 1st Breeze Durham (KHS) 2nd Katrina Howe (KHS) 3rd Tasha Burton (KHS)
Under 16 Girls : 1st Michelle Howe (WGHS)
Under 16 Girls Longboard: 1st Aleishya Halvorsen (WGHS) 2nd Paige Arneson (WGHS)
Under 18 Girls : 1st Robyn Turnbull (RC) 2nd Julia Smith (RC)Under
14 Boys: 1st Manu Scott-Arrieta (WBHS) 2nd Zac Springford (WBHS) 3rd Tait Mehrtens (WBHS) 4th Spencer Harrison (WBHS)
Under 16 Boys: 1st Joe Palmer (KHS) 2nd Ryan Renall (RC) 3rd Sergio Hansen (KC) 4th Rhys whitaker (BBC)
Under 18 Boys: 1st Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) 2nd Flynn Hart (WBHS) 3rd William Bowden (WBHS) 4th Fraser Seymour (WBHS)

Kind thanks to the North Coast Boardriders for hosting us at Sandy Bay and Quiksilver NZ. The next event of the 2012 NSSS is scheduled for Friday 4th May 2012 (Venue to be decided).

For more information about the 2012 Northland Scholastics Surfing Series please don't hesitate to get in contact.