Fitzharris In Up Hill Battle To Retain Title

The final event on the 2007 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour takes place this weekend at Port Waikato and after the most recent event held in Kaikoura last weekend defending champion Michael Fitzharris (Gis) has clawed back some ground on current ratings leader and National Champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) but still has plenty of work to do to retain his title.


The swell conditions this weekend may play a big part in the proceedings with a perfect 2.0m swell forecast along with light winds. The conditions will play into the hands of both surfers who are widely regarded as being at the forefront of modern surfing on the longer boards. For Fitzharris to win the title he will need to win this weekends event and have Kereopa place outside the finals. This is not out of the question after Kereopa bowed out of the most recent event in the early rounds placing 17th. Fitzharris is also the defending champion of this event after beating Kereopa in the final last year.


While both Fitzharris and Kereopa have their eyes on the series title as well as the twelve month lease on the Hyundai Santa Fe for the winner, there are two other factors to the equation sitting quietly in the background. Currently in third equal are Gisborne surfers Kelly Ryan and Daniel Procter, both in contention for the series title. Ryan has had a string of consistent results highlighted by a second placing at the Christchurch event. Procter on the other hand broke through for his maiden Open Men’s Division win at the same event as well as securing other solid results throughout summer. Both surfers would need to win the event and have Kereopa finish ninth (quarter finals) or less and Fitzharris to finish fifth (semi finals) or less.

Auckland's Anna Jolly has stormed away with the series win for the women’s division and will be surfing solely for a win at the last event to cap off a great year. Jolly won the Hyundai National Championships as well as the Christchurch leg of the tour also placing in the finals of every other event this year. Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) is also a runaway leader in the junior men’s division. Barnfield has won the three events that he has contested this year and his prowess on the longboard has him as a hot favourite to win the last event of the year.

In the older men’s divisions Raglan’s Mike Thomson has already made a clean sweep of both the Over 40’s and the Over 50s provided he enters the water this weekend. Thomsen was runner up in Over 40’s in 2006 and will be happy to go one better in 2007 as one of the older competitors in that division. Being the first year he has contested the Over 50’s it will also be a pleasant victory to mark his step up to the older boys division.

Current ratings on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour with one event remaining are set out below.

Open Men
1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2, Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
3=, Kelly Ryan (Gis)
3=, Daniel Proctor (Gis)
5, Ant McColl (Mnt)
6, Daryn Mcbride (Mnt)
7, Jay Reeve (Mnt)
8, Kirk Beyer (Wgtn)
9, Michael Burling (Auck)
10, Trent Lillis Auck

Open Women
1, Anna Jolly (Piha)
2, Rea Ansin (Auck)
3, Daisy Thomas (Chch)
4, Josephine Moore (Mur)
5, Hannah Phillips (Chch)

Junior Men (Under 18)
1, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope)
2, Sam Guthrie (Mnt)
3, Nick Sarjeant (Chch)
4, Sam Hawke (ChCh)
5, Eli Barnfield (Ohope)

Over 40’s
1, Mike Thomson (Rag)
2, Glen Shuker (ChCh)
3, David Storck (Auck)
4, Scotty Riach (Stanmore Bay)
5, Grant Cochrane (ChCh)

Over 50s
1, Mike Thomson (Rag)
2, David Storck (Auck)
3, Paul Bennett (Chch)
4, Viv Treacy (Ocean Beach)
5, Paul Browne (Orewa)

All competitors will meet at Port Waikato at 7.00am on Saturday morning. A full media release will be distributed at the end of each days surfing. High resolution images from the event will be available to media free of charge. For more information on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Event being held at Port Waikato this weekend please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email - benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.