Longboarders Kick Off the Competitive Season In NZ

The 2007 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour kicks off this weekend at Mount Maunganui – widely regarded as the capital of longboarding in New Zealand. The event is the first of six events on the tour that stretches from Sandy Bay, Whangarei in the north to Christchurch in the south. Predictably small summer conditions have prevailed on the East Coast over the Christmas Holidays and these look intent on continuing throughout the weekend. This will test the mettle of all competitors in the event including Hamish Carter, more well known for his exploits in Triathlon than riding a longboard.

Hamish Carter will be in Mount Maunganui over the weekend watching the Tauranga Half Ironman. However, like most athletes, he is never content with just sitting and watching sport so Carter has decided to try his hand at competitive surfing for the first time. Defending Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour champion Michael Fitzharris (Gis) was surprised at the entry and while Carter is unlikely to rival New Zealand’s best longboarders Fitzharris commented on the popularity of surfing amongst top New Zealand athletes. “Carter is just one of many top athletes that try surfing, most of them on a longboard. A number of All Blacks give surfing a go over summer as do the league players” commented Fitzharris.

Fitzharris is six times defending national longboard champion and stormed away with the series win in 2006 after winning the first three events. At the end of the tour Fitzharris drove away in a new Hyundai Terracan which has since been seen all over the beaches of New Zealand. This year Hyundai will award the new generation Santa Fe to the winner of the tour, a prize that has the rest of the elite ranks chomping at the heels of the current champ.

There are a number of guys capable of taking the title as the pool of top longboarders grows. 2006 runner up and New Zealand representative Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) played bridesmaid on three occasions in 2006 and will hope to turn these results into wins in 2007. Along with Kibblewhite you have a group of young surfers lead by Dylan Barnfield (Ohope) and Kirk Beyer (Wgtn) who continue to improve. These guys join the ranks of the upper echelon alongside the winner of the Gisborne leg in 2006 Michael Burling (Tonga) and defending event champion Daryn McBride who will be surfing at his home break this weekend.

Surfing New Zealand Executive Officer, Greg Townsend, can’t wait to see the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour kick back into action for 2007 commenting “The 2007 tour follows on from the success of 2006. It’s a brilliant opportunity for longboarders to stake a claim on a tour specifically designed for them. This type of tour would not be possible without the support of Hyundai so we (Surfing New Zealand) continue to push this discipline of the sport with their support”.

As well as the premier division there will also be a further four divisions contested including the Open Women, Junior Men and Over 40s and 50s. Hyundai will also have fun and games for spectators at the beach along with their unrivalled hospitality tent at the beach. Make sure you drop by and check out the action in the water. Vern Jacobson, the local Hyundai Dealers will also be on site offering test drives of the latest Hyundai vehicles.

Hyundai have been involved with Surfing New Zealand since 2004. 2006 saw the relationship go from strength to strength with sponsorship of the national champs and the longboard tour. The relationship is now having a serious impact on the sport of surfing and particularly longboarding in this country.

The event dates for the 2007 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour are as follows:

Hyundai Pro Longboard, Mount Maunganui – 6th – 7th January
Hyundai National Surfing Championships, Taranaki – 13th – 20th January
Northland Longboard Classic in association with Hyundai, Sandy Bay – 3rd – 4th February
Hyundai Pro Longboard, Christchurch – 17th – 18th February
South Island International Longboard Pro-Am in association with Hyundai, Kaikoura – 16th – 18th March
Hyundai Pro Longboard, Port Waikato – 24th – 25th March

Source: Surfing New Zealand

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