Surfing: Kiwis slip to 11th

New Zealand finished 11th at the world surfing games in Costa Rica, one place down on their effort last year.

The New Zealanders' run ended on the penultimate day of the event, when the final two surfers were eliminated. The tag team contesting the Aloha Cup also bowed out in the semifinals.

Gisborne surfers Jay Quinn and Daniel Procter went into the seventh day hoping for an individual podium finish, as well as looking to push the Kiwi team up the world rankings.

Quinn, contesting the open men's division, was third in his heat behind young Brazilian surfers Miguel Pupo and Gabriel Medina, scoring a total heat score of 8.32 out of a possible 20.

He had needed an average score of only 5.14 to progress but the 1.20-1.83m conditions proved too fickle. He finished 13th overall, surpassing his brother Maz's 17th placing in last year's event as the top Kiwi surfer.

Procter also placed 13th overall as the highest-placed New Zealand surfer for his longboard division.

New Zealand came up against Australia, France and locals Costa Rica in the hotly contested tag team semifinal, and placed fourth. Australia went on to win the Aloha Cup.

The United States won the world surfing games for the first time in 13 years. Jeremy Flores (France) won the open men's division, while compatriots Courtney Conlogue and Antoine Delpero won the open women's and longboard divisions respectively.

- NZPA