Tipene Triumphs at the Maori Titles

Bachelor Tipene (Ruanui) led the charge for local surfers at the Auahi Kore Aotearoa Maori Titles today (Sunday 25th October) winning the Billabong Open Men's Division. The Taranaki region secured an additional four champions throughout the day dominating the event in their own waters.

Relocating to Stent Road for the final day of the event pleased everyone as they travelled south down the coast. The waves had cleaned up overnight and the change in venue also saw a slight increase in swell size above the 1.0m mark. The conditions allowed for some dazzling surfing long running waves and clean faces to work with.

Tipene patiently waited for the best waves during the 25 minute final and the strategy paid off as he surfed to an 8.0 point ride on his second scoring ride. He then smashed three big turns for a 6.9 point ride and a 14.90 point heat total.

"The Maori Titles is the one title that I have always wanted to win and it is so good to win on home turf in front of my family" commented an almost speechless Tipene.
 

Tipene has been a stand out at Stent Road at all events held at the break and this event was no different.

"I know how to pick them out there and it is a good wave to know. When the comps are held out there I know I always have a chance because I know the break better than most, I guess I am pretty lucky."
 

Tim O'Connor (Ngapuhi) tried valiantly to chase down Tipene surfing with speed and precision but the 7.91 point ride required for first was too much. With time running out on the clock, O'Connor was forced to catch whatever he could in the dying stages of the heat and the waves on offer were not enough for the big scores required.

Ati Patuwairua (Ngati Maru) placed third in the final. The sole goofy foot surfer scored 11.75 in the final to beat triple finalist Wayne Cooper (Ngai Tai) in fourth.

The Roxy Open Women's Division was a battle of the champions with three-time champion Jessica Santorik (Ngati Raparapa) taking on defending champion Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Ngati Porou). It was the experience of Santorik that prevailed for the win as she attacked the long right-handers on her backhand. Santorik scored 13.25 to win the final over Martin - Fitzharris.

"I was stoked that we got to surf by ourselves at Stent Road let alone winning the event" commented Santorik post final. "I can't remember the last time I surfed a right hand point break. I didn't surf real well but I got some good waves and yeah, I managed to win so it has been a good weekend" added Santorik.

Fitzharris, a double finalist for the day staved off third and fourth placed surfers Thandi Durham - Tipene (Tara) and Sophia Moore (Te Atiawa) in the final.

Daniel Procter (Uepohatu) took out the Longboard Division with a 17.50 point heat total. Procter dominated the heat from the outset scoring an 8.75 on his first ride. He then backed that wave up with another 8.75 point ride to out point his opponents. Local surfer Jamie Andrews (Ruahine) placed second in the final scoring 7.0 points for one great ride that included a vertical re-entry however he was combo'd for the win. Kirk Beyer (Te Atiawa) placed third in the final ahead of James Atutahi (Nga Puhi) in fourth.

The Rip Curl Under 18 Boys Division saw runaway leader Waretini Wano (Te Atiawa) hold on for the entire 25 minute final to win a well deserved title. Wano rode the wave of the heat completing two huge forehand hacks to score 8.0 points and break away from his competitors mid way through the final. Wano finished with a 13.5 point heat total to beat Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Nga Te Rangi) in second, Todd Doyle (Ngapuhi) in third and Peri Matenga (Tainui) in fourth.

Todd Doyle (Ngapuhi) put his younger competitors to the sword in the Rapu Under 16 Boys Division. Doyle scored 13.25 in the final and was only briefly challenged by a determined Dune Kennings (Maniapoto) who finished in second place scoring 12.60. Levi Stewart (Ngati Awa) placed third in the final ahead of Jayda Martin - Fitzharris in fourth.

Jamie Andrews (Ngati Ruanui) laid on the performance of the event in the final of the Electric Eyewear Over 30 Men's Division. A near perfect performance from Andrews saw him score 19.75 points out of a possible 20 in his final. The Waitara local was unstoppable and had the length of the Stent Road car park hooting their horns at his exceptional performance. Such was his dominance, Andrews could have been stripped of his best two waves and still easily won the division. Fellow local surfer Michael Lewis (Te Atiawa) placed second in the final with Wayne Cooper (Ngai Tai) in third and Nick Rowe (Ngati Porou) in fourth.

Shaun Coffey (Ngati Ruanui) relished the move to Stent Road for the final day and used his knowledge of the break to win the Ocean and Earth Over 35 Men's Division. Coffey, a former winner of the division (2007), scored 14.75 in the final to edge out Motu Mataa (Te Arawa) who scored 13.25. Double finalist and local surfer Stacey Lamb (Ngati Whatua) finished third ahead of Phillip Willoughby who bagged his second fourth placing of the event.

Pipi Ngaia (Te Atiawa) won the Seed Over 40 Men's Division with a clinical display of backhand surfing. Ngaia scored 13.35 out of a 20 in the final to beat fellow locals Stacey Lamb (Ngati Wahtua) in second, Andy Makutu (Te Atiawa) in third and the only surfer from outside the region, Phillip Willoughby (Ngapuhi) in fourth.

Final results from the Auahi Kore Aotearoa Maori Titles

Billabong Open Men's Semifinals
Heat 1
Ati Patuwairua (Ngati Maru), 1, Wayne Cooper (NgaiTai), 2, Jeremy Grainger (Ruanui), 3, Jesse Martin (Tainui), N/S
Heat 2
Bachelor Tipene (Ruanui), 1, Tim O'Connor (Nga Puhi), 2, Jamie Andrews (Ruahine), 3, Conan James (Pukerangiuroa), 4

Billabong Open Men's Final
Bachelor Tipene (Ruanui), 1, Tim O'Connor (Nga Puhi), 2, Ati Patuwairua (Ngati Maru), 3, Wayne Cooper (NgaiTai), 4,

Rip Curl Under 18 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Peri Matenga (Tainui), 1, Waretini Wano (Te Atiawa), 2, Levi Stewart (Ngati Awa), 3, Haami Martin (Tainui), N/S
Heat 2
Kahu Craig-Ranga (Ngai Te Rangi), 1, Todd Doyle (Ngapuhi), 2, Dune Kennings (Maniapoto), 3, Kane Stewart (Ngati Awa), 4

Rip Curl Under 18 Boys Final
Waretini Wano (Te Atiawa), 1, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Ngai Te Rangi), 2 Todd Doyle (Ngapuhi), 3, Peri Matenga (Tainui), 4

Rapu Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Dune Kennings (Maniapoto), 1, Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Ngati Porou), 2, Kahu Craig-Ranga (Ngai Te Rangi), 3, Kane Stewart (Ngati Awa), 4
Heat 2
Todd Doyle (Nga Puhi), 1, Waretini Wano (Atiawa), 3, Levi Stewart (Ngati Awa), 2, Peri Matenga (Tainui), 4

Rapu Under 16 Boys Final
Todd Doyle (Ngapuhi), 1, Dune Kennings (Maniapoto), 2, Levi Stewart (Ngati Awa), 3, Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Ngati Porou), 4

Roxy Open Women's Finals
Jessica Santorik (Ngati Raparapa), 1, Jayda Martin - Fitzharris (Ngati Porou), 2, Thandi Durham (Tara), 3, Sophia Moore (Te Atiawa), 4

Longboard Finals
Daniel Proctor (Uepohatu), 1, Jamie Andrews (Ruahine), 2, Kirk Beyer (Te Atiawa), 3, James Atutahi (Nga Puhi), 4

Electric Over 30 Men Final
Jamie Andrews (Ngati Ruanui), 1, Michael Lewis (Te Atiawa), 2, Wayne Cooper (Ngai Tai), 3, Nick Rowe (Ngati Porou), 4

Ocean and Earth Over 35 Final
Shaun Coffey (Ngati Ruanui), 1, Motu Mataa (Te Arawa), 2, Stacey Lamb (Ngati Whatua), 3, Phillip Willoughby (Nga Puhi), 4

Seed Over 40 Men's Final
Pipi Ngaia (Te Atiawa), 1, Stacey Lamb (Ngati Whatua), 2, Andy Makutu (Te Atiawa), 3, Phillip Willoughby (Nga Puhi), 4,