KEY POINTS:
Daniel Kereopa yesterday emphatically underlined the fact he is the best surfer in New Zealand at the moment.
The 28-year-old from Raglan won his first open men's national title, the open longboard title and the senior men's (over-28) title all on the same day at Oakura in Taranaki.
An emotional Kereopa could say little more than "I'm stoked" after his successes.
After moving through the early rounds of the event in less than dominant form, Kereopa produced a near-perfect performance in the open men's final when he posted 16 out of a possible 20.
His first wave scored 9.0 after he seamlessly strung several big turns together all the way to the inside and over the shallow rocks.
Less than five minutes from the end of the final, he backed up his first wave with a 7.0 point ride and the title was his.
"I am just glad to get rid of that open title haunt. I just want to get back in the water and go surfing now that I have achieved it," said Kereopa. "Now I can just go home and see my family and see what things in my career need to be pushed forward."
Kereopa had won two titles during the day before the open men's, which can be taxing on the body. But the surf, average at best, helped Kereopa familiarise himself with the line up.
"I wasn't the fittest guy out there but I made sure I carefully selected my waves, catching two to three waves in each heat, and I pulled it off," he said.
Gisborne's Maz Quinn waited until the dying stages of the final before attacking Kereopa's lead but his final wave score of 6.40 was well short of the 8.26 he required to pull off his fifth national title.
Kereopa has often been in Quinn's shadow. Quinn has travelled the world and is clearly New Zealand's most successful surfer.
Kereopa, on the other hand, tried his luck internationally before returning home where he felt more comfortable.
His surfing always remained of the highest calibre - his numerous national series wins are evidence of this - but the last feather in his cap has now been claimed.
"Sometimes you have got to lose and take them as good as your wins. For Maz, you know, I hope it hits him hard," said Kereopa with a cheeky laugh.
Raglan's Leon Santorik finished third in the final, one place below that of 2005, when he came agonisingly close to the open title.
Local Taranaki surfer and crowd favourite Motu Mataa placed fourth in the final, unable to find the good waves he had throughout the event.
