Surfing: Burling becomes serious title contender

Gisborne surfer Michael Burling won the fifth event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour completed at Whangamata on Sunday to become a major tour-title threat with only one event remaining.

The surf at Whangamata remained under 1.0m for the final day with onshore winds making life difficult for New Zealand's best longboarders. The Whangamata event was five star rated, with $4,500 in prize money and additional rating points for the competing surfers.

Burling placed second at the previous two events held at Sandy Bay and Christchurch but took the honours scoring 15.95 out of a possible 20 with his powerful approach to the waves.

"I was lucky to find the waves out there. It got better and better throughout the day but was still pretty small and messy to surf at your best," commented Burling.

Due to his Tongan descent, Burling is ineligible to surf in the National Champs which makes up one of the six events on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour. Despite this handicap he sits in third place on the ratings and is now positioned extremely well to make a full on assault for the Tour title.

"The title race is realistically down to three surfers now and I am sitting in third place so I am looking forward to the final event and going for the title. I am super happy to be part of the title race," commented Burling. "If I win the event then I win the Tour so the equation is simple for me."

- NZ HERALD STAFF