SURFING - Hale turns heads while catching perfect waves

Kaitaia College's Todd Hale turned heads all day at the Northland Scholastic Surfing Championships at Sandy Bay on Sunday.
The 1-1.5m swell made conditions excellent for surfing and Hale showed he was on top of his division from the first heat of the day.
"He was surfing really fast and powerfully and in a confident way and it wasn't long before he had everybody hooting," North Coast Boardriders president Malcolm Pullman said.
"It was all about his wave selection and execution really, the other kids were doing the big slashes and gashes but his speed across the wave face saw him make some nearly impossible sections."
Hale won the Under-18 division clearly beating the other finalists, with Whangarei Boys' High School's Jack Thomas and Isaih Anderson in second and third, with Bream Bay College's Kyle Taylor fourth.
The Boys' U16 competition provided the closest surfing of the day, with all four finalists scoring well.
Joe Moretti, a member of the New Zealand junior team to contest the world championships in Ecuador next month, was expected to win the division, but Kamo High School's Paxti Scott-Arrieta pipped him in the final.
"That was a bit of a surprise really, Paxti came out tops with a series of controlled and aggressive moves and the judges gave him the nod in a very close final," Pullman said.
Whangarei's Boys' High School's Jack Treacy and Kamo High School's Darcy Bowden surfed well to finish in third and fourth, respectively.
Moretti's younger brother Paul was clearly the top surfer in the U14 final, outclassing Tauraroa Area School's Dane Vette-Welsh in second and Seth Roselt and Fraser Seymour, who were third and fourth, respectively.
There was a low turnout of women for the competition this year and organisers decided to hold only the U18 contest - and group all the girls together.
Whangarei Girls' High School's Demi Poynter regained her title with Kaitaia College's Ellen Koland in second place. Kerikeri College's Candice Williams was third with Rodney College's Alana Thrasyvoulou fourth.
The results of Sunday's competition will go a long way toward determining the make-up of the team to compete at the National Scholastic Championships in Raglan in April.
Pullman said the Northland team for nationals will be named by the end of the week.