Surfing: Junior surf team exits world finals

Manu Scott-Arrieta, Northland's sole surfer at the 2015 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship in California, slays a backhand re-entry. Photo / ISA / Chris Grant

Sandy Bay's Manu Scott-Arrieta has been knocked out of the 2015 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship, placing 65th overall in the Under 18 Boys Division.

As the senior members of the New Zealand Junior Surfing team took to the water on day three of competition, Scott-Arrieta faced some stiff competition in his repechage round 2 heat.

Winning his repechage round 1 heat by a comfortable margin, hopes were high for the Northlander to work his way back up the standings with a good outing in the second round.

However, after holding an advancing position for much of the repechage round 2 heat, Canadian surfer Sean Forester stormed to the lead ahead of Scott-Arrieta to win with a solid 14.60 heat total from his best two waves.

Only managing a total heat score of 7.83, Scott-Arrieta placed third behind Forester and Japan's Daiki Tanaka who scored 14.50 - the top two surfers of the heat progressing to the next round.

The New Zealand Junior Surfing Team exited the 2015 Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championship yesterday after their final six surfers bowed out of competition.

Day five of the event, being held at Oceanside Beach, California, US, saw more conditions in the 1.0m range with light onshore winds often making good waves hard to find on the beach break.

Elin Tawharu (Mount Maunganui) was New Zealand's top placed surfer finishing 17th in the Under 16 Girls division.

Tawharu was ousted in the dying stages of her afternoon heat when British surfer Ellie Turner posted a 6.10 ride in the last minute to pip Tawharu by 0.20 points - 12.53 vs 12.33.

Kehu Butler was New Zealand's top ranked male surfer finishing 29th overall. After progressing through his first two heats of the day, Butler's luck ran out and the often fickle waves deserted him.

It was a tough day for the Kiwi team who now sit in 17th place overall and will at best climb a few spots if results of other teams go their way during the final two days of the event.