Surfboating: Welcome to the wild west

A rough introduction to Piha. Photo / Dean Purcell

Australian surfboat club Tugun had a rough introduction to Piha on Saturday, swamped in the surf in round three of the Big Wave Surfboat Classic.

The Queensland club was one of several clubs to damage gear in almost unmanageable West Coast conditions.

Officials reduced the round robin competition to two events before holding semifinal and final races.

Victorian club Jan Juc won the open men's final in 2m swells, but Wellington's Titahi Bay held the overall lead in the series, ahead of Mt Maunganui and Piha.

In the open women's section Mt Maunganui took the final, and hold the overall lead over Titahi Bay and Waihi. The crews will hope for quieter waters in the final round at Waihi Beach next weekend.