Kiwi Boys Battle Big Azores Swell

Jonas Tawharu on his way to round three in the Under 18 Boys Division. Image courtesy of ISA / Rezendes

The Kiwi boys have had to battle the biggest swell of the week on day five of the 2016 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship being held in the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal this week.

The swell, in excess of two metres has made conditions dangerous with multiple boards being snapped including one from our own Manu Scott – Arrieta (Sandy Bay).  The size and power of the swell forced the event organisers to withhold all female heats on day five and also on the upcoming day six of the event.  Competition was held on only one of the two podiums today.

The New Zealand Team held their own in the big surf with critical heat wins that saw three surfers advance to the third round joining Mount Maunganui team mates Kehu Butler, Jonas Tawharu, Elin Tawharu, Kea Smith and Raiha Ensor. 

The youngest of the team, Kaya Horne, had a tough second round match up where he was relegated to the repechage round which he will contest first thing on day six.

Ohope surfer and first-time team member Jared Gebert was full of confidence after winning his way in to the third round of the Under 16 Boys Division with an 11.34 point heat total.  

“Feels so sick to win a heat at the Worlds” exclaimed Gebert.  “I was pretty fired up after yesterday. I knew I could surf better than that Round 2 heat when I lost so I just went out to prove I can surf.  I started the heat at the other end of the beach and didn't find much so had to move down. Luckily I found two lefts down the other end where our coach had been watching earlier and they ended up being my best two waves and that got me through.  I am learning heaps here and can't wait for the next heat” he added.

Elliot Brown (Dun) also advanced out of his Under 16 Boys heat late in the day finishing in first place with a 7.84 point heat total out of a possible 20.  

“I've started to get used to what the judges want to see and the sand banks at the contest site so my confidence is starting to build! I'm looking forward to the next heat and I hope the team keeps going strong” Brown said.

In the Under 18 Boys Division it was Manu Scott – Arrieta (Sandy Bay) that advanced out of the repechage rounds to join Jonas Tawharu in Round 3.

“Oh yeah, stoked as to make it through.  It was a heavy heat but I managed to get a pretty good score then got pounded when I was paddling back out but I eventually made it.  Waves should be better tomorrow so I am pumped to get back out there in Round 3.”

Earlier on day four of the event, the team advanced three surfers through to the third round as well as suffering three exits from the event.

Raiha Ensor (Mnt) forced her way out of the repechage rounds back to the main event making up for an earlier loss that she lamented.

“I just want to take it heat by heat and try and give my all in each one. Everyone rips in these comps by the time you get to the later rounds so I think I'll just need to be confident in myself and my surfing” said Raiha of the path that lies ahead.

Meanwhile fellow Mount Maunganui surfer Kea Smith also battled her way out of the repechage rounds in the Under 16 Girls Division.

“Most of your effort is put into your paddle back out after waves, it is very dangerous also, a lot of teams have complained saying the heats should not held in the conditions” commented Smith after her day four heat and before the swell increased further.

Kehu Butler made easy work of his day four match up in the second round advancing to the top half of the draw with confidence.

“My game plan heading into my heat was to be selective and try and catch the two best waves to save me from duck diving heaps” a strategy that clearly worked for the sixteen year old.

The three losses came from our surfers in the Under 18 Boys and Girls Divisions.  Daniel Farr (Tara) and Lee Ririnui (Mnt) had low-scoring heats on day four of the event and could not find any decent waves among the relentless close outs.  The two surfers finished tbird in their respective heats and 97thequal overall.

Britt Kindred (Mur) suffered a loss in the second round of the repechage also finding the conditions difficult.  Kindred finished 41st equal in the event.

Day six of the event will see only the boys in action while the girls have a lay day.

Please see below for results from days four and five of competition held at Praia do Monte Verde on the Azores Islands.

Under 18 Boys Main Event Round 2
Heat 5
Luis Diaz, ESP, 9.26, 1, Jonas Tawharu, NZL, 8.83, 2, Luís Perloiro, POR, 8.76, 3, Ariel Sanin, ISR, 1.03, 4

Under 18 Boys Repechage Round 1
Heat 11
Noa Mizuno, HAW, 12.74, 1, Max Self, CAN, 10.50, 2, Daniel Farr, NZL, 6.84, 3, Jordan Gibson, CAN, 2.34, 4
Heat 14
Spencer Bridges, UK, 6.43, 1, Roni Sheyngard, ISR, 5.90, 2, Lee Ririnui, NZL, 5.77, 3, Arpad Leclère, BEL, 0.00, 4

Under 18 Boys Repechage Round 2
Heat 4
Jácome Correia, POR, 8.10, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta, NZL, 7.80, 2, Sebastian Soto, PUR, 6.73, 3, Bouaouda Aboubakr, MAR, 3.04, 4


Under 18 Girls Repechage Round 2
Heat 1
Delfina Morosini, URU, 8.30, 1, Havanna Cabrero, PUR, 7.00, 2, Mathea Olin, CAN, 4.87, 3, Britt Kindred, NZL, 2.50, 4
Heat 7
Nina Reynal, FRA, 13.50, 1, Raiha Ensor, NZL, 5.83, 2, Sanoa Olin, CAN, 2.17, 3, Ben-Aid Oumaima, MAR, 1.00, 4


Under 16 Boys Main Event Round 2
Heat 5
Erwan Blouin, FRA, 8.43, 1, Eno James, UK, 7.33, 2, Riaru Ito, JPN, 7.10, 3, Jared Gebert, NZL, 4.27, 4
Heat 9
Kehu Butler, NZL, 11.67, 1, Barron Mamiya, HAW, 8.10, 2, Joaquim Chaves, POR, 5.96, 3, Oscar Urbina, CRC, 5.70, 4
Heat 15
Warren Peckett, TAH, 13.50, 1, Kade Matson, USA, 9.03, 2, Kaya Horne, NZL, 5.30, 3, Gonçalo Magalhaes, POR, 3.33, 4

Under 16 Boys Repechage Round 2
Heat 3
Elliot Brown, NZL, 7.84, 1, Gabriel Vargas C., PER, 6.37, 2, Hernan Alvira, URU, 4.73, 3, Stellio Bobet, TAH, 3.00, 4
Heat 6
Jared Gebert, NZL, 11.34, 1, Jerónimo Ane, ARG, 8.77, 2, Cristobal Montecinos, CHI, 5.80, 3, Oscar Cauchi, BEL, 3.50, 4


Under 16 Girls Repechage Round 2
Heat 7
Uhaina Joly, FRA, 7.00, 1, Kea Smith, NZL, 5.10, 2, Francisca Veselko, POR, 3.63, 3, Tebbai Lilias, MAR, 2.63, 4

Team Points
1 USA, 10240
1 FRANCE, 10240
1 HAWAII, 10240
1 AUSTRALIA, 10240
1 JAPAN, 10240
6 COSTA RICA, 9700
6 BRAZIL, 9700
8 PERU, 9158
8 ARGENTINA, 9158
10 SPAIN, 9071
11 SOUTH AFRICA, 8900
12 URUGUAY, 8800
13 GREAT BRITAIN, 8547
14 NEW ZEALAND, 8466
15 TAHITI, 8158

Please see below for the day six schedule which will be held overnight tonight (Thursday 22nd September).

Podium 1
8:40pm – Manu Scott – Arrieta (Under 18 Boys Main Event Round 3)
9:40pm – Jonas Tawharu (Under 18 Boys Main Event Round 3)
1:20am – Under 18 Boys Main Event Round 4 – heats to be confirmed

Podium 2
9:40am – Kaya Horne (Under 16 Boys Repechage Round 2)
11:40am – Elliot Brown (Under 16 Boys Main Event Round 3)
12:40am – Jared Gebert (Under 16 Boys Main Event Round 3)
1:40am – Kehu Butler (Under 16 Boys Main Event Round 3)

Further heats pending Kaya Horne’s progression.

The Azores Islands are located off the coast of Portugal.  The event location picks up a lot of swell and when the surf gets over 1.5m, it becomes a powerful beach break with challenging waves.

The New Zealand Team finished 15th at the 2015 ISA World Championship which was won by the home team USA over France in second and Hawaii in third.  The team is expected to climb back up the rankings this year given the experience of the selected surfers and a surf break that will suit the surfers.  For the first time, the ISA will also utilize a four-man priority system eliminating the need to hassle for waves.

The World Junior Surfing Championships is an annual event having been held since 2003.  New Zealand has competed at the event since its inception as well as competing at the World Grommet Titles as it was formerly known since 1989. 

Looking for $40000 University of Waikato Study Scholarships CLICK HERE

Looking for Sport Exchange Opportunities to Australia CLICK HERE ​​​​​​​ ​​

---