Northland surfer Wini Paul ignored the pain of a badly bruised hip to surf into the final stages of the under-16 girls' competition at the national scholastic surfing championships in Taranaki today .
Paul injured her hip and her shoulder while surfing earlier in the week and had withdrawn from the event before her competitive nature forced her to change her mind.
Paul won her quarterfinal yesterday and despite her injury is surfing very well and is expected to make it through to the final today.
Two other Northland surfers, Oliver Bone and Paco Divers, have also qualified for today's semifinals, while Mark Simpson and Joseph Anderson were knocked out in the quarterfinals.
There were two further Northland surfers alive in the competition from the team of 15, with under-14 surfers Ryan Calquhoun and Shane Koland still to surf their quarterfinal when the Advocate went to press.
The Northland team has performed well throughout the competition and at one stage was unofficially ranked in third place in the team competition.
The three finalists should be fairly confident of bagging at least a podium finish after a successful preparation for the competition last weekend, also in Taranaki.
Bone and Divers were second and third respectively in the under-16 Rip Curl Gromsearch, won by the Bay of Plenty's Tim O'Connor.
Paul had to settle for second in the women's under-16 Gromsearch, continuing an ongoing battle with Paige Hareb that has lasted all summer.
Surfer overcomes pain determined to compete
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