KEY POINTS:
New Zealand improved its international ranking to finish 10th at the world surfing games in Portugal, a two-place improvement on the 2006 event.
The best New Zealand finish came from Daryn Mcbride (Mt Maunganui), who placed ninth overall in the longboard division.
He was eliminated from the event by Briton Ben Skinner and Miguel Ruivo (Portugal) in the repechage.
Mcbride was third in his final heat, scoring 9.36 points out of the possible 20. He needed a 4.52 point ride for progression, but could only manage 3.53 on his last wave.
Earlier, Gisborne's Maz Quinn and the Raglan pair of Zennor Wernham and Luke Cederman were eliminated from the open men's division.
Quinn produced the best result of the three, but could not forge past the repechage where he placed third in his heat. The small waves and fickle conditions made life difficult for Quinn, who finished with a total heat score of 10.16 and a 7.01 point ride to progress.
Quinn was the highest New Zealand finisher in the open men's team in 17th place. Wernham finished in 25th place, a worthy improvement on his 41st from 2006.
Cederman also fell victim to the small waves. Known for his explosive forehand surfing on lefthanders, Wernham couldn't find that form in the smaller right hand waves on his backhand and finished 33rd to replicate his 2006 placing.
Cederman finished the event in 33rd overall, the same placing he achieved in 2006.
- NZPA
