Hansen Completes Comeback At Billabong Pro

Gisborne surfer Bobby Hansen completed his comeback to the winners dais at Whangamata today (12th February) when he claimed the Open Men's Division of the Billabong Pro presented by Sony.

After 24 months of battling injuries, Hansen is back to full fitness and his surfing was sublime throughout the entire event including the today's final.

In deteriorating 1.0m stormy conditions, Hansen posted 16.10 out of a possible 20 points to defeat Raglan's Larry Fisher. Hansen now leads the New Zealand Pro Series with two events remaining.

"I was thinking just before the final that it had been a while since I have won a national event, even made a final for that matter" said Hansen.

It was in fact at Whangamata where Hansen claimed his last win back in 2009. He now heads into the next event at Gisborne with home town advantage and the hope of securing back to back wins.

Today Hansen used his powerful backhand to notch up a 9.25 point ride for three huge powerful turns. He then extended his lead with a 6.85 point ride to put the pressure on his opponents. Hansen also won the Sony Performance of the Event Award for his surfing in the earlier rounds.

Placing runner up today was Larry Fisher (Rag) who was in the best form of his career.

Fisher scored 14.37 in the final after starting out with a 7.8 point ride for two huge forehand hacks. Fisher however finished the final still requiring an 8.44 point ride to catch up to Hansen.

"I thought he was ripping the whole event, I have never seen him surf that good before so I am stoked form him actually" commended Hansen of Fisher's performance.

Placing third in the final was Matt Scorringe (WGM) scoring 10.03 as the highest placed local surfer in the Open Men's Division. Taranaki surfer Keone Campbell placed fourth in the final.

Earlier in the day Fisher and Campbell defeated Leon Santorik (Rag) and Blair Stewart (Gis) in the first semifinal and Hansen and Scorringe eliminated Tim O'Connor (Mnt) and Dune Kennings (WGM) in the second semifinal.

All the elements finally came together for Whangamata surfer Ella Williams to win the Billabong Open Women's Division. Williams has been knocking on the door of a victory for over twelve months placing in finals and winning age group events but today the win that she has been looking for finally eventuated.

"This is my first win in the Open Women's Division and it couldn't have been better than to do it in my hometown with all the support of my family and friends, I am just so happy" said Williams.

Williams and runner up Jessica Santorik (Rag) opted to surf on the lefthanders and exchanged blows throughout the final with Williams getting the upper hand scoring 13.17 to Santorik's 10.43. Williams placed third at the National Championships last month and goes into the next event in two weeks time as the ratings leader on the New Zealand Pro Series.

Placing third in the final was Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Gis) with a score of 9.77 while National Champion Thandi Durham placed fourth.

Sean Kettle (Tara) claimed the biggest win of his career winning the Under 20's Division. Kettle went wave for wave with Tane Wallis (Piha), the battle going right down to the final hooter when both surfers were up and riding. Wallis completed a big air reverse to get the score he required for the win but it was Kettle on a wave behind him the carved a wave to the beach to edge back in front scoring an 8.0 point ride for a 15.27 point heat total.

This is the first year out of the Under 16 Boys Division for Kettle and he looked every bit a force in the Under 20 Men's Division.

Wallis had to settle for second after the last exchange with Dune Kennings (WGM) scoring 12.63 in third and unable to match the flare of Kettle. Gisborne's Adam Grimson placed fourth in the final.

The Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge shared the final day with all the senior surfers and gave the crowd some awesome surfing to watch.

On his last wave of the final, Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha) snatched victory in the Under 16 Boys Division with an air reverse for a 6.13 point wave score to jump from third to first leaving no time on the clock for his opponents to fight back. Finishing with a 12.3 point heat total he defeated Dune Kennings (WGM) for the second event in a row and now holds a big lead going into the final event of the series at Piha in March.

Kennings had only just moved into the lead in the final after Jordan Griffin (Mnt) held pole position for much of the heat. Kennings finished with a 12.27 point heat total ahead of Griffin in third and Te Rapai Barbarich - Love (Tara) in fourth place.

After placing runner up at the first event held at Mount Maunganui one week ago, Jasmine Smith (Gis) went one better this weekend winning the Under 16 Girls Division. Smith left her opponents requiring a combination of scores to catch her 14.50 point heat total which comprised of a 7.5 and 7.0 point rides. The Sansom twins claimed second and third with Gabriela getting the nod over Bianca this time around. Gisborne's Dayna Story placed fourth in the final for the second consecutive weekend.

Sean Kettle's younger brother Isaac claimed his first victory in the Under 14 Boys Division scoring a 6.43 on his last wave to pip Kehu Butler (Mnt). The performance was enough to give Kettle the Sony Breakthrough Performance Award. Kehu Butler had led the heat for much of the 20 minutes but ended up in second place ahead of Manu Scott - Arrieta (Sandy Bay) in third and Joshua Farr (Tara) in fourth.

Abby Falwasser - Logan (Gis) took another girls title back to Gisborne winning the Under 14 Girls Division. Falwasser - Logan edged out Milly Crewe (Mur) for the win, Crewe finishing in second ahead of Britt Kindred (Mur) in third and Raiha Ensor (Mnt) in fourth.

Victories in the Under 12 Divisions went to Mount Maunganui surfers Kehu Butler and Elin Tawharu. Butler has now claimed two titles in the Billabong Grom Series while Tawharu betters her runner up placing from the first event.

Please see below for final results from the Billabong Pro presented by Sony and the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge completed at Whangamata Beach today (Sunday 11th February).

Open Men's Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Larry Fisher (Rag), 11.5, 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 10.5, 2, Leon Santorik (Rag), 7.77, 3, Blair Stewart (Gis), 2.37, 4
Heat 2
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 14.63, 1, Matt Scorringe (Whmata), 12.07, 2, Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 11.77, 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 8.73, 4

Open Men's Division Final
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 16.10, 1, Larry Fisher (Rag), 14.37, 2, Matt Scorringe (Whmata), 10.03, 3, Keone Campbell (Tara), 7.30, 4


Open Women's Division Final
Ella Williams (Whmata), 13.17, 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 10.43, 2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 9.77, 3, Thandi Tipene (Tara), 6.8, 4


Under 20 Men's Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Sean Kettle (Tara), 12.33, 1, Adam Grimson (Gis), 9.3, 2, Waretini Wano (Piha), 8.5, 3, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 8.4, 4
Heat 2
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 12.2, 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 12.17, 2, Levi Stewart (aihi Bch), 10.67, 3, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 6.2, 4

Under 20 Men's Division Final
Sean Kettle (Tara), 15.27, 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 13.37, 2, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 12.63, 3, Adam Grimson (Gis), 8.37, 4


Under 16 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 19.07, 1, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 12.37, 2, Mahorahora McLeod (Waitara), 10.63, 3, Caleb Braithwaite (Whtane), 4.87, 4
Heat 2
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 11.67, 1, Te Rapai Barbarich Love (Waitara), 11.17, 2, McKenzie Bowden (Whmata), 8.83, 3, Matt McGreggor (Whngrei), 7.27, 4

Under 16 Boys Division Final
Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 12.3, 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 12.27, 2, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 11.23, 3, Te Rapai Barbarich Love (Waitara), 8.13, 4


Under 14 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 10.13, 1, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 8.73, 2, Daniel Farr (Tara), 7.43, 3, Ben McCulloch (Gis), 5.17, 4
Heat 2
Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 9.9, 1, Joshua Farr (Tara), 8.27, 2, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 8.07, 3, Jonas Tawharau (Mnt), 5.23, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Final
Isaac Kettle (Tara), 12.73, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 12.57, 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 10.50, 3, Joshua Farr (Tara), 5.43


Under 12 Boys Final
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 11.4, 1, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 10.10, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 8.9, 3, Shane Kraus (Piha), 4.5, 4


Under 16 Girls Final
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 14.5, 1, Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 7.63, 2, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 7.13, 3, Dayna Story (Gis), 6.57, 4


Under 14 Girls Final
Abby Falwasser-Logan (Gis), 12.27, 1, Milly Crewe (Muri), 12.2, 2, Britt Kindred (Muri), 11.37, 3, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 5.37, 4


Under 12 Girls Final
Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 9.3, 1, Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 9, 2, Kea Smith (Tau), 8.73, 3, Tiana - Breeze de Mooij (Mnt), 4.1, 4