Surfing: Kalani Hansen requalifies for scholastics team

Kalani Hansen

Ahipara's Kalani Hansen is the only Far North boardrider to make selection into the Northland team competing at the national scholastic surfing championships in Gisborne from October 9-13.

This year represents Hansen's fifth year with the team which was selected from a series of three competitions held earlier in the year where 100 surfers were competing for a chance to win a provincial age group title and gain selection for provincial honours.

The following were named by Northland team selector/coach Jaimie Scott to contest the annual scholastic champs in a field of 12 regions across New Zealand next month. U18 boys: Tom Norton (Bream Bay College), Joseph Critchfield (Rodney College), Kalani Hansen (Kaitaia College), girls: Billie Scott (Whangarei Girls High School); U16 boys: Max Brunker, Oscar Harper (Whangarei Boys High School), Tom Parker (Huanui College), girls: Grace Pevats (Whangarei Girls High School); U14 boys: Tom Robinson (Whangarei Boys High School), Jacob Buckle (Huanui College), girls: Ely Backhouse (Bream Bay College); longboard: Bassie Waldron (Rodney College); travelling reserve: Cory Vercoe (Rodney College).

The respective Northland champions for 2017 were T Norton, B Scott, M Brunker, G Pevats, T Robinson and E Backhouse.

Team manager Mark Pevats said Northland had a very strong team this year with excellent prospects of improving on last year's very credible fourth placing.

"A feature of the team was that for the first time the region is represented in every division, which should help in the quest for points. Plus we have a number of surfers who have competed credibly during the year at Surfing New Zealand-sanctioned events.

"Despite the lack of surf lately for the team to practise in, the members have been training hard with sessions in the gym under the instructions of Marcia Aperahama from Northtec."