Raglan surfer Taylor Hutchison, has claimed his first win for the season. The committed regular foot surfer won the Te Kaika South Island Surfing Championships held at St Clair Beach and Blackhead, Dunedin over Easter Weekend.
Hutchison joined Christchurch’s Estella Hungerford who won her second event of the year in the Open Women’s Division after winning the Women’s Longboard division at the National Championships at Piha in January.
The final day of the event was held in pumping 1.0m waves and light breezes at Blackhead beach.
Hutchison claimed the win after standout performances throughout the event. His first wave of the final gave him a comfortable lead against an in-form Jarred Hancox, Jack Hinton, and Max De Groot. With all the boys keeping busy it was Hutchisons third wave that sealed the deal scoring a 7.77 leaving his competition scratching for at least 9 points to knock him from the top spot.
Hutchison pipped Hancox who, himself, was in line for another Open Mens South Island victory. Hancox finished in second posting a 11.90-point heat total compared with Hutchison’s 15.44 points, Hancox later got redemption in the senior divisions with a win in the Over 40s. Jack Hinton finished in third on 11.40 points ahead of Max de Groot in fourth.
Participants in the junior divisions thoroughly enjoyed the fun conditions throughout the weekend and made the most of the final day. Jack Tyro (Chch) claimed the Under 18 Boys Division while Theo Morse (Rag) won the Under 16 division. Sol Fritchley (Mnt) came away with the win in the Under 14 Boys Divisions. Kalani Summerton won the Under 12 Boys Division.
Anna Brock (Mount) backed up her stellar start to the year with a win in the Under 18 Girls Division. The unstoppable Alani Morse claimed the Under 16 Girls and Under 14 Girls Division while Zara Owen won the Under 12 Division.
The three-day event is hosted by South Coast Boardriders and is dual sanctioned by Surfing New Zealand and the South Island Surfing Association. The event features 17 divisions ranging from Open Men and Women through to Under 12 Boys and Girls, Longboard, Seniors and Bodyboard.
