Taylor Jensen : photo PhotoCPL
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event #4
Surfing New Zealand
Sumner Beach, Christchurch New Zealand
21 - 22 February 2009
Jensen Cruises To Victory
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 22 February, 2009 : - - . Christchurch -- The ex World number two is in New Zealand on holiday and took the opportunity to compete in the fourth event of the tour trouncing his Kiwi competitors. The surf was smaller for the final day of the event with less than 1.0m of swell that was affected by the moderate northerly cross-shore winds that blew throughout the day.
Jensen posted huge score after huge score all weekend and the final was no different as he surfed to a 17.07 heat total. Jensen scored 9.0 on his first wave to put the pressure on his fellow three competitors. He then shot out into the lead with an 8.07 and never looked back. “I’ve grown up surfing pretty ordinary beach breaks all my life so I was actually quite stoked to see it being held out here at New Brighton today” commented Jensen fresh out of the water. “
The wind came up a bit but I was surprised at how fun it was out there, I have heard it can be worse so I think we were lucky to get the good waves we had”. Jensen continues his holiday in New Zealand until Tuesday when he will then travel to Australia where his partner Nava Young lives and compete in the three ASP Longboard Qualifying Series events in Australia.
While the large crowd on the beach as well as New Zealand’s top longboarders all enjoyed the display put on by Jensen, they also knew they were battling for tour points in a bid to catch ratings leader Daniel Proctor (Gis). Michael Burling (Gis) fought hard to keep in touch with Jensen for an upset win and was the only surfer not ‘combed’ in the final.
However Burling looked uncharacteristically shaky in the final falling several times in a bid to keep up with the big moves of Jensen. Burling finished with a score of 13.77 requiring a near perfect 9.8 point ride to catch Jensen. He jumped from fifteenth to fifth on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour ratings and having only surfed three of the four events to date, is now well placed to challenge for the tour title. New ratings leader Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) placed third today after reaching his fourth straight final of the year.
Despite not having won an event Kibblewhite is well out in front on the ratings. Today he posted 12.27 in the final. “Yeah I am happy about that” commented Kibblewhite after being asked of his front runner status. “I just need a very good result in one of the last events, I know I won’t be able to win the tour by just placing in the finals, I need a win” he added. Local surfer Shane Baxter placed fourth in his first ever finals appearance.
Baxter has followed the tour all season while touring around the North Island and now finds himself well inside the top ten on the ratings at seventh place. Japanese surfer Juli Warisaya was a late entrant in the event but went all the way in the final to win with a total heat score of 10.67. Warisaya stumbled across the event on day one. She is in New Zealand filming a surfing documentary which today ended up focusing on her win. Warisaya was light footed on the way to her win beating Australian Nava Young (7.9 points).
Young is also in the country on holiday with her partner Taylor Jensen. Placing third today was Shereen Lobb (Port Wai) and in fourth was Belinda Galley (Gis). Sam Guthrie (Mnt) made it back to back wins in the Junior Men’s Division today with 10.0 points. The win cemented his number one rating as he moves into the last two events of the year at Whangamata and Port Waikato. Dunedin surfer Leroy Rust came back late in the heat but requiring a 5.01 to move into the lead, fell short scoring 4.0.
Rust finished in second ahead of Rick Williamson (Ohope) in third and Sam Hawke (Chch) in fourth. Glenn Shuker (Chch) won a low scoring affair in the Over 40 Men’s Division. Shuker who is the National Over 40 Champion, posted a total heat score of 8.17 in the final to outpoint Steve Andrews (Chch) in second with a score of 7.17.
Michael Willman (Chch) placed third with Paul Bennett (Chch) in fourth. By way of his second placing, Andrews moved up into third place on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour ratings behind Lynden Kennings (WGM) and Mal Brady (Mnt). Daivd Pimm (Chch) took out the Over 50 Men’s Division scoring 10.23 total heat score. Pimm stole the win from under Grant Cochrane’s nose scoring a 4.67 on his last wave to jump from second to first.
Cochrane (Chch) ended the heat in second place ahead of Paul Bennett (Chch) in third and David Storck (Piha) in fourth. The fourth event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour is the only event of six that ventures down to the South Island. Please see below for results from event four of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour completed at New Brighton Beach today (Sunday 22nd February).
Open Men Final
Taylor Jensen (USA), 1, Michael Burling (Gis), 2, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 3, Shane Baxter (Chch), 4
Open Women’s Final
Juli Warisaya (JPN), 1, Nava Young (Aust), 2, Shereen Lobb (Port Wai), 3, Belinda Galley (Gis), 4
Over 40 Men’s Final
Glen Shuker (ChCh), 1, Steve Andrews (ChCh), 2, Michael Willman (ChCh), 3, Paul Bennett (ChCh), 4
Over 50 Men’s Final
David Pimm (Chch), 1, Grant Cochrane (ChCh), 2, Paul Bennett (Chch), 3, David Storck (Auck), 4
Under 18 Men’s Final
Sam Guthrie (Mnt), 1, Leroy Rust ((Dun), 2, Rick Williamson (Ohope), 3, Sam Hawke (ChCh), 4
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