Northland’s student surfers shine at Northland Scholastic Surf trials
Cooper Ashill from Whangārei Boys' High School shows the form that won him first place in the Under 18 Boys section at the Northland Scholastic Surf trials. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The interest of surfing in Northland is strong among its youth, as illustrated by the numbers taking part in last week’s Northland Scholastic Surf trials.
More than 70 plus high school students from Kaitaia College in the north to Otamatea High School down south gathered at Sandy Bay for the final event of the surf trials.
Students arrived early, keen to make an impression on the NSA selection committee to secure their spot in the 12-person team heading to Gisborne in September for the National Scholastics Surfing Champs.
Although the waves were on the small side, the banks held enough energy to make for contestable conditions throughout the day. There were some good scores locked in by surfers with a number of surfers posting excellent scores in the finals of their divisions. An excellent score is in the 8-10 range scale.
Kerikeri High School went home happy at the end of a busy day with eight students making the finals.
Results:
Under 14 Girls:
1. Indi-lee Ruddell, WGHS
2. Thea Holland, Kerikeri High
3. Taylor Wright, Kerikeri
4. Eva Steenkamp, Kerikeri
Under 14 Boys:
1. Kentaro Mitchell, Kaitaia College
2. Taj Philips, Kaitaia
3. Nixon Edwards, Kerikeri
4. Ryan Wakarua, Kaitaia
Under 16 Girls:
1. Grace Gundry, Kerikeri
2. Gemma Viccars, Kamo High
3. Shantal Curtis, Bream Bay College
4. Paige Pullman, Huanui College
Under 16 Boys:
1. Oska Robinson, Kerikeri
2. Tommy Lodge, Kerikeri
3. Indy Chave-Hefferman, WBHS
4. Reef Taylor, WBHS
Under 18 Girls:
1. Alicia Moir, Otamatea High
2. Katie Matuschka, Kaitaia
Under 18 Boys:
1. Cooper Ashil, WBHS
2. Asher O’Donnell, WBHS
3. Tai Martin, WBHS
4. Connor Williams, Bream Bay