Bay of Plenty fifth at National Surfing Championships

Bay of Plenty's Luke Griffin competing at the National Scholastic Surfing Championships. Photo / Cory/NZ Surfing Magazine

A pair of impressive individual results on the final day have pushed Bay of Plenty up the ladder at the National Scholastic Surfing Championships at Manu Bay, Raglan.

Georgia Wederell and fellow Bay of Plenty surfer Luke Griffin placed third in their respective Under-18 divisions at the event, moving Bay of Plenty up to fifth on the overall rankings.

Meanwhile, Waikato claimed their first National Scholastic Surfing Championships title in 11 years as the team won two of seven titles and boasted six surfers in the finals.

The five-day event wrapped up in the biggest surf of the week on Friday with a solid 1.5m swell and light onshore winds, the morning rain giving way to clear skies in the afternoon.

Waikato took the points lead early on the final day after a battle with Taranaki and Auckland, who finished in second and third respectively. Waikato eventually surged ahead with close to a 1000-point lead. The points difference between second through sixth was just 300 points, the equivalent of one placing in any of the finals.

Bay of Plenty surfer Georgia Wederell rides a wave at the National Scholastic Surfing Championships at Manu Bay, Raglan last week. Photo / Cory/NZ Surfing Magazine

Taranaki and Canterbury claimed two titles apiece and the two regions shared the coveted Under 18 division titles which went to Tom Butland (Tara) and Estella Hungerford (Chch).

National Scholastic Surfing Championship Results

Team Points:

1st Waikato, 8463

2nd Taranaki, 7485

3rd Auckland, 7305

4th Canterbury, 7265

5th Bay of Plenty, 7233

6th Northland, 7213

7th Gisborne, 6289

8th West Coast, 5133

9th Coromandel, 4959

10th Wellington, 4503

11th Hawkes Bay, 4025

Under-18 Boys' Division Final:
Tom Butland (Tara), 16.4, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 16.0, 2, Luke Griffin (Mnt), 11.7, 3, Neko Tohiariki (Chch)11.5, 4.

Under-16 Boys' Division Final:
Kora Cooper (Rag), 13.75, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 11.95, 2, Myka Black (Chch), 9.95, 3, Finn Vette (Gis), 9.55, 4.

Under-14 Boys' Division Final:
Navryn Malone (Rag), 13.9, 1, Ryder Pennington (Tara), 13, 2, Kalani Louis (Tara), 9.25, 3, Izaak Hayes (Whngrei), 9.15, 4.

Under-18 Girls' Division Final:
Estella Hungerford (Chch), 16.0, 1, Kai Woolf (Rag), 10.4, 2, Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 8.4, 3, Gabrielle Paul (Auck), 6.75, 4.

Under-16 Girls' Division Final:
Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 11.25, 1, Brie Bennett (Rag), 10.25, 2, Ariana Shewry (Tara), 7.5, 3, Leah Wilson (Chch), 6.3, 4.

Under-14 Girls' Division Final:
Ava Henderson (Chch), 12.75, 1, Anna Brock (Mnt), 8.5, 2, Amelie Brady (Mnt), 4.4, 3, Luka Glover (Rag), 0.04, 4.

Under-18 Longboard Division Final:
Ben Counsell (Auck), 13.1, 1, Billy Whelan (Nthlnd), 10.65, 2, Nat Fitt (Auck), 9.85, 3, Sonny Eades (BOP), 6.3, 4.