Treacy second in over-50s longboard contest

Over-50s surfer Ocean Beach's Viv Treacy finished runner-up to Raglan's Michael Thomson in round four of the five-event Hyundai Longboard Tour at Mount Maunganui.

The weekend's contest was the first staged at Mount Maunganui since the container carrier Rena shipwrecked on Astrolabe Reef in October.

Thomson scored 10.30 in the final for his second win of the year in the over-50s men's division, surfed in a small 1m swell groomed by offshore winds.

Thomson is searching for his third Hyundai Tour title and his result on Sunday gave him the edge over Orewa's Mark Hoyle who was third behind Treacy.

Treacy scored 7.57 in the final and another Ocean Beach surfer Rupert Newbold placed fourth in the final with 6.14 points.

In the open men's division, Mount Maunganui surfer Ant McColl claimed his maiden tour victory in his home waters at Tay Street. The final was the closest of the tour this year with 0.50 points separating first from third.

McColl staved off Auckland's Matt Cockayne from taking his first tour title while the current ratings leader, Auckland's Thomas Kibblewhite, had to settle for third.

Despite this, Kibblewhite extended his lead on the tour ratings and Cockayne jumped to second ahead of the weekend's winner McColl in third. In the women's longboard division, sole Australian finalist Molly Powell looked superior with her soft footwork working the board; her best ride was her last and she scored 7.60. She claimed the victory ahead of Raglan's Alexis Poulter and current ratings leader Piha's Mischa Davis in third. Defending tour champion Shelley Jones from Auckland was fourth.

It took Mount Maunganui surfer Guy Rencher three consecutive finals to lock in a win in the over-40s but it came on Sunday in relatively easy fashion over Orewa surfer and ratings leader Brian Young.

Christchurch surfer Shayne Baxter squared the tour up at two wins apiece with Raglan's Daniel Kereopa in the stand-up paddleboard division and on Saturday, Auckland's Jeremy Stephenson claimed his first stand-up paddleboard race win over Raglan's Armie Armstrong.

The fifth and final event of the 2012 Hyundai Tour is the six-star contest at Port Waikato from March 2-3.