Raglan Turns On For Longboarders

A big day of surfing ushered in the first event of the 2012 Hyundai Tour today (Saturday 7th January) with the longboarders scoring perfect 1.0m waves at Manu Bay, Raglan.

The clean conditions and lack of wind made for some exceptional performances from the surfers in the Open Men's Division who surfed through to the final eight surfers.

Defending New Zealand Longboard Champion and 2011 Hyundai Tour runner up Thomas Kibblewhite (Hibiscus Coast) surfed to the highest score of the round posting 17.5 out of a possible 20 points in the quarterfinals. Kibblewhite was explosive on his backhand moving through to the semifinals alongside Australian Nic Jones.

"You don't know how you are going to go at the start of each season so you basically see how everyone else goes, have fun and take it from there. But it all worked out well for me today" said Kibblewhite who has been in 'holiday mode' on the East Coast for much of the holidays.

Kibblewhite placed runner up to Australian Josh Constable in 2011 so went into this event as the favourite and will hope to carry that tag through to the final day of the event tomorrow (Sunday). "I am looking forward to tomorrow. Hopefully the swell picks up some more and lets us battle it out in more good conditions."

Kibblewhite will match up against Nic Jones again along with winner of the first quarterfinal and 2010 Tour Champion Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) and Ant McColl (Mnt).

New Zealand representative Phil Morris (Auck) was another surfer to dominate his quarterfinal today scoring 15.07 to win the closest heat of the day. Along with Gisborne's Sam Johnson, the two surfers eliminated 2009 Hyundai Tour Champion Michael Burling (Ham) and French surfer Marlon Clamp.

"Little bit rusty today, I haven't surfed on a longboard in a while at least since Panama anyway" Morris said in reference to his last competitive outing at the ISA World Surfing Games in October 2011.

"Can't really go wrong at Raglan to be honest" Morris said. "We are just lucky Hyundai have put it on the point for us. The sun hasn't come to the party but you can't get everything when the surf is this good" added Morris glancing across the rain drenched line up of perfect Manu Bay waves.

Earlier in the day the Stand Up Paddleboard Division got to sample the cleaning morning conditions and it was no surprise that Daniel Kereopa (Rag) completely dominated proceedings to move through to the quarterfinals.

"Loved it out there this morning" Kereopa said. "I had a chuckle out there with only a couple of other SUPs out there and no one yelling at me, you couldn't ask for more - 2-3ft swell and clean conditions."

"I am going to get my groms down here tomorrow for some support and then hopefully I can surf good for them and win" added Kereopa of his family support on the final day of the event.

Kereopa was joined by fellow locals Armie Armstrong and Robert Hawkins as heat winners. Others to win included Shane Murrell (Auck), Sean Hovell (Gis), Karl Aarsen (WGM) and Mike Cann (Auck).

Late in the day the Women's Division got their chance to surf uncrowded waves and it was goofy footers Mischa Davis (Piha) and Belinda Goodwin (Rag) who shone with clean forehand walking of the board.

Anna Jolly (Piha) and Jess Roberts (Aus) also won their first round heats to move through to the semifinals.

The new Hyundai Bach played host to a variety of guests and spectators as well as the Phil Edwards Band who played a set for everyone present.

A full day of surfing and the Stand Up Paddleboard Race will take place on Sunday with the finals set to take place from 1:00pm.

Please see below for results from day one of the first event of the 2012 Hyundai Tour held at Manu Bay, Raglan today (Saturday 7th January).

Men's Longboard Round 1
Heat 1

Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 15.5, 1, Dave Elley (Rag), 12, 2, Michael Cottier (Sydney), 7.27, 3, Sam Bound (Tara), 7, 4

Heat 2

Ant McColl (Mnt), 13.83, 1, Craig Anderson (Mnt), 12.77, 2, Ray Finlay (Rag), 7.83, 3, Wyn Hoogerbrugger (Kaukapakapa), 7.7, 4

Heat 3

Nicolas Jones (Sunshine Coast, Aus), 13.87, 1, Morgyn Bramely (Whtane), 11.9, 2, Chris Malone (Gis), 10.5, 3, Tony Baker (Mngwhai), 8.4, 4

Heat 4

Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 13.67, 1, Bevan Gooch (Auck), 7.73, 2, Warwick Gray (Hawaii), 5.4, 3, Greg Skinner (Auck), 4.27, 4

Heat 5

Zen Wallis (Piha), 11.3, 1, Phil Morris (Auck), 9.83, 2, Tim Renouf (Gis), 3.83, 3, Jonny Fenton (Rag), 2.4, 4

Heat 6

Sam Bradford (Pakiri), 11.97, 1, Marlon Clamp (Fra), 10.47, 2, Paul Culpin (Auck), 6.9, 3, Branko Vela (Auck), 6.33, 4

Heat 7

Michael Burling (Gis), 15.67, 1, Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai), 11.93, 2, Andy Collins (Tau), 5.63, 3, Takahiro Shirai (Auck), 4.83, 4

Heat 8

Sam Johnson (GIS), 14.6, 1, Glen Johnson (Auck), 9.23, 2, Marc Bayes (Auck), 7.17, 3, Darren Smith (Auck), 5.57, 4



Open Men's Longboard Quarterfinals
Heat 1

Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 15, 1, Ant McColl (Mnt), 12.07, 2, Morgyn Bramely (Whtane), 9.27, 3, Bevan Gooch (Auck), 8.23, 4

Heat 2

Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 17.5, 1, Nicolas Jones (Sunshine Coast, Aus), 15.67, 2, Dave Elley (Rag), 10.87, 3, Craig Anderson (Mnt), 9.1, 4

Heat 3

Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai), 13.3, 1, Zen Wallis (Piha), 10, 2, Glen Johnson (Auck), 9.5, 3, Sam Bradford (Pakiri), 6.6, 4

Heat 4

Phil Morris (Auck), 15.07, 1, Sam Johnson (GIS), 14.23, 2, Michael Burling (Gis), 13.83, 3, Marlon Clamp (Fra), 9.73, 4


Open Men's Longboard Semifinals (to be surfed)
Heat 1

Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), Ant McColl (Mnt), Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), Nicolas Jones (Sunshine Coast, Aus)

Heat 2

Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai), Zen Wallis (Piha), Phil Morris (Auck), Sam Johnson (GIS)


Women's Longboard Quarterfinals
Heat 1

Mischa Davis (Oratia), 13.87, 1, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 11.03, 2, Tsuneyo (Sunny) Yoshida (Rag), 9.33, 3, Denise Piper (Whngrei), 4.1, 4

Heat 2

Anna Jolly (Piha), 9.5, 1, Shelly Jones (Auck), 8.83, 2, Katja Oberhofer (Raglan), 4, 3, Ashley Vanwyngaard (Auck), 1.73, 4

Heat 3

Jess Roberts (Katikati), 10.27, 1, Hannah Howard (Auck), 6.93, 2, Kelsi Efford (Mt), 5.9, 3, Cheryl Lowe (Mnt), 4.33, 4

Heat 4

Belinda Goodwin (Rag), 15.83, 1, Anna Gooding (Tau), 10.3, 2, Sasha Brownlie (Auck), 8.8, 3, Ai Sumihira (Auck), 6.23, 4


Women's Longboard Semifinals (yet to be surfed)
Heat 1

Mischa Davis (Oratia), Shelly Jones (Auck), Jess Roberts (Katikati), Anna Gooding (Tau)

Heat 2

Anna Jolly (Piha), Alexis Poulter (Rag), Hannah Howard (Auck), Belinda Goodwin (Rag)


Stand Up Paddleboard Round 1
Heat 1

Shane Murrell (Auck), 11.17, 1, Keith Redman (Rag), 5.37, 2, Scott Eliott (Auck), 3.57, 3, Tom Mulholland (Auck), NS, 4

Heat 2

Armie Armstrong (Rag), 13.83, 1, Te Roha Farlie (Gis), 10.07, 2, Raman Patel (Auck), 5.77, 3, Hiria Minnell-Rolleston (Tau), NS, 4

Heat 3

Robert Hawkins (Rag), 10.5, 1, Daren Jones (Auck), 9.27, 2, Gretchen White (Rag), 3.13, 3, John Darby (Auck), NS, 4

Heat 4

Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 17.67, 1, Charlie Crews (Ham), 9.43, 2, Deon Boonzaier (Auck), 6.27, 3

Heat 5

Shayne Baxter (ChCh), 1, Mark Jackson (Auck), NS, Hamish Imrie (Port Wai), NS

Heat 6

Mike Cann (Auck), 8.33, 1, Gavin Broadbent (Auck), 6.6, 2, Warwick Gray (Hawaii), 4.47, 3, Jeremy Stephenson (Auck), 3.13, 4

Heat 7

Sean Hovell (Gis), 13.53, 1, Regan Fairlie (Gis), 11.17, 2, Damon Mark (Port Wai), 7.73, 3, Shaan Miller, 3.27, 4

Heat 8

Karlos Aarsen (Whmata), 10.43, 1, Paul Culpan (Auck), 7.83, 2, Darren Hardy Auck), 5.43, 3, Adam Bouzaid (Huntly), 5, 4

Seven divisions are contested on the tour - Open Men, Women, Junior Men (Under 18), Over 40, Over 50 and Stand Up Paddleboarding and the SUP Race. Overall the Hyundai Tour boasts $20,000 in prize money.

The 2012 Hyundai Tour travels to Raglan, Piha, Sandy Bay and Mount Maunganui before the season concludes at Port Waikato in early March.

The remaining events for the 2012 Hyundai Tour follow:

Hyundai Tour Event 2, 15-21 January, Piha (5-star) - National Championships
Hyundai Tour Event 3, 3-6 February, Sandy Bay (SNZ 6-star / ASP LQS 1-star)
Hyundai Tour Event 4, 18-19 February, Mount Maunganui (4-star)
Hyundai Tour Event 5, 2-3 March, Port Waikato (6-star)