Surfing: Hansen battles through to Billabong Pro semis

Gisborne's Bobby Hansen in action. Photo / Getty Images

Gisbourne's Bobby Hansen continued his comeback to the competitive arena yesterday, progressing through to his second consecutive semifinal berth at the Billabong Pro at Whangamata.

Hansen posted an event-high 18.03 points out of 20 in his quarter-final match-up, with a powerful yet progressive display of surfing. He recently returned from the competitive wilderness after an injury-plagued two years and, after surfing to a fifth place at the national championships in January, the comeback is proving fruitful.

"I am enjoying being back in the competitive frame," Hansen said. "It is good to travel around the country and measure yourself against the best surfers in New Zealand."

Progressing alongside Hansen was local Dune Kennings, who caused an upset in eliminating Maz Quinn. The quarter-final match-up caused an abundance of interest with the 16-year-old Kennings and Elliot Paerata-Reid surfing against two of the country's most celebrated surfers.

Kennings started the heat well and then caught a brilliantly surfed left-hander that he hit all the way to the beach for an 8.5 point ride. Quinn had one last chance to progress with 20 seconds remaining and requiring a 6.28 point ride but fell 0.15 short.

"Personally I thought I got that score on the last wave but that is the way it goes, sometimes they go your way and sometimes they don't and today there was a flip of a coin in it," Quinn said.

Kennings couldn't have been happier in claiming the biggest scalp of his short career: "I am stoked, Maz has won so many national titles and to beat him gives me heaps of confidence going into the last day of the event."

Matt Scorringe was another local surfer to excel, winning through to the semifinals scoring 16.33 for an easy heat win. Stalwarts Blair Stewart and Larry Fisher also moved through to the semifinals. In the women's division, Ella Williams and Jessica Santorik produced yet another high scoring heat, with Williams getting the nod by scoring 13.70 to Santorik's 12.0. In the second semifinal, it was Jayda Martin-Fitzharris who edged Thandi Durham-Tipene.