Surfing: Butler dominates quarter-finals

Kehu Butler continues to show just how far in front of the curve he is at the 2015 Billabong National Surfing Championship.

Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler's stock continues to rise at the 2015 Billabong National Surfing Championships at Piha Beach.

The 14-year-old dominated the quarter-finals of the Junior Men's Division in a continuation of the form that has marked him as a star performer from the outset of the event on the weekend.

The Mount Maunganui College pupil took the rest of the field to school in the Under-18 and Under-16 divisions on Monday's day two, winning through to the semifinals of both.

Butler is also contesting the Open Men's Division, giving up as much as 20 years of experience against some of his opponents, though early form in the junior divisions suggests he is about to give his older counterparts a run for their money throughout the latter rounds of the competition this week.

Butler will face off against Tauranga surfer Callum Chuter as well as Taylor Hutchison (Rag) and Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay) in the under-18 semifinals after posting a 14.2 point heat total to advance alongside Chuter who scored 12.10.

Butler showed his silky skills in the junior divisions held in often challenging conditions with the 1.0m swell heavily affected by the low tides during the morning and light sea breezes.

The juniors were set for a day off on day three after the semifinalists had been found, with the Open Longboard, Junior Longboard, Women's Longboard and all SUP Surf divisions taking centre stage yesterday.

The Mount Maunganui contingent revelled in the challenging conditions in the Open Women's Division on Monday. New Zealand representative Elin Tawharu led the pack posting 10.67 points out of a possible 20 to win through to the quarter-finals.

Tawharu now faces top seed Jasmine Smith (Gis) and Britt Kindred (Mur) in her next match-up, with youngsters Zhana Hutchieson (Tara), Milly Crewe (Mur), Dayna Story (Gis) and Kea Smith (Mnt) also progressing.

Smith had top scored across both junior divisions with a 14.3 point heat total in the Under-18 Girls, easily reaching the semifinals in that division as well as in the Under-16 Girls.

National Championships, January 12

Under-18 Boys Division

Heat 1: Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.23, 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 8.63, 2, Joshua Farr (Tara), 8.33, 3, Joel Clegg (Tara), 7.97, 4.

Heat 2: Kehu Butler (Arataki), 14.17, 1, Callum Chuter (Tau), 12.1, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 8.73, 3, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 6.1, 4.

Heat 3: Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.2, 1, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 8.07, 2, Andrew Fraser-Mackenzie (Tau), 7.63, 3, Rory Edmonds (Chch), 3.83, 4.

Heat 4: Nick Tuhikarama (Chch), 8.97, 1, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 8.3, 2, Moss Thompson (Chch), 7.63, 3, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 6.67, 4

Under-14 Boys Semifinals

Heat 1: Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 10.1, 1, Tom Butland (Tara), 8.2, 2, James Ririnui (Mnt), 6.83, 3, Lucca Lind (Tara), 6.1, 4.

Heat 2: Kaya Horne (Aus), 8.83, 1, Dylan Preston (Whmata), 7.93, 2, Thomas Robinson (Whangarei), 7.73, 3, Taylor O'Leary (Mur), 7.13, 4.

Over-30 Women's Division

Heat 1: Anna Jolly (Piha), 13, 1, Stephanie Leece (Piha), 3.47, 2, Shelley Jones (Piha), 2.93, 3, Jess Nicolson (Auck), 2.47, 4.

Heat 2: Carolyn Millar (Piha), 5.43, 1, Fleur Blackie (Auck), 4.77, 2, Lucy Parkes (Auck), 3.83, 3, Marguarite Vujich (Nap) , 0.5, 4.

Under-18 Girls

Heat 1: Dayna Story (Gis), 10.2, 1, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 6.9, 2, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 5.67, 3, Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 3.67, 4.

Heat 2: Abby Falwasser-Logan (Gis), 7.4, 1, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 7.1, 2, Tiana - Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 5.27, 3.

Heat 3: Kea Smith (Arataki), 14.3, 1, Milly Crewe (Muri), 4.47, 2, Jennifer Rockwell (Auck), 2.97, 3.

Heat 4: Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 11.6, 1, Britt Kindred (Muri), 11.2, 2, Billie Scott (Whrei), 4.67, 3, Indica Ratima (Rag) , 2.97, 4.

Under-16 Girls

Heat 1: Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 7.17, 1, Tiana - Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 6.8, 2, Holly Wood (Piha), 2.7, 3, Annabella Schabel (Auck), 1.2, 4.

Heat 2: Kea Smith (Arataki), 7.77, 1, Zhana Hutchison (Tara), 6.13, 2, Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 2.73, 3.

Heat 3: Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 11.7, 1, Georgia Wederall (Mnt), 5.57, 2, Billie Scott (Whangarei), 3.77, 3.