Southern Ocean Predicted To Deliver For Dunedin Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event

The Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour makes an appearance at Dunedin for the first time in its four year history this weekend (20th - 21st February) when event three of five takes place. The lure of good southern waves has attracted some of the top surfers in New Zealand to Dunedin, Otago, to compete at the event.

After the first event of the tour was cancelled and the second event was stitched up by visiting American surfer Taylor Jensen, the local New Zealand surfers will be keen to secure their first win of the 2010 Tour.

Local Dunedin surfer Leroy Rust will be the locals biggest hope for a title at the event. Rust placed sixth on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour in 2009. He also placed runner up in the Under 18 Boys - a division he is now to old to contest.

At the first contested event of the year, Rust finished 17th - what he described as "a disappointment".

"It is good to be back at home now after that event and surfing in familiar surrounds" commented Rust. "I want to take advantage of competing at home because this is the first time I have had the chance to rally on the home town support" he added.

Being in home waters is always an advantage and Rust looks forward to seeing all the visiting surfers experience what he thinks will be the biggest waves of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour over the past two years and waves that will have more 'grunt' - something that he hopes will favour his surfing being one of the taller guys on tour.

Rust will be up against some stiff opposition with a number of top longboard surfers travelling south for the event.

Ohope surfer Dylan Barnfield will go into the event as the number one seed after winning the Sandy Bay leg of the tour two weeks ago. Barnfield won his first major title of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Division in 2009 at the first event held at Mount Maunganui. After that win he went on to place fourth overall.

This weekend Barnfield will face off against local favourite Rust in their first round match up which is certain to get everyone watching. "Awesome" commented Rust. "Dylan is a good friend and I am looking forward to the match up".
 

Current National Champion Daniel Procter (Gis) will be one of many surfers who hope to get their season back on track after being swept aside by the international surfers at the first event where he placed 17th.

Procter went head to head with Michael Burling (H Bay) for the Tour victory in 2009 but came up short at the last event and had to settle for runner up.

Other North Island surfers heading south include Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), Owen Barnes (Mnt), Ant McColl (Mnt) and Steve Morris (Auck).

A strong contingent of Christchurch surfers will be making their way to Dunedin. Leading them will be Shane Baxter who at the Sandy Bay event had an excellent start to the year placing seventh in the Open Men's Division and first in the Stand Up Paddleboard Division - new to the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour in 2010. He will be accompanied by the likes of young hot shot Luke O'Neill, defending Open Women's Champion Daisy Thomas, winner of the Over 50s Division at Sandy Bay Grant Cochrane and Mark Calcutt.

A decision on the location of the event will be made at 7.00am on Saturday morning with the likely venue being St Clair Beach. The Surfing New Zealand event hotline will be updated by 7.00am each day with venue, order of events and swell conditions. The number is 021 1134506.

The remaining events for the 2010 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour follow:

Hyundai National Longboard Championships, Whangamata - 6th - 7th March
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 5, Port Waikato - 26th - 27th March

Entry into remaining events can be completed at www.surfingnz.co.nz under events. Complete the entry process online or download entry forms and send them in. The 2010 tour is expected to receive high entry levels so entrants will need to be in well before the cut off dates to assure themselves a slice of the action.

Hyundai have been involved with Surfing New Zealand since 2004 and also sponsor the most prestigious event in New Zealand - The Hyundai National Championships.