Surfing: Surfers ride California wave

The New Zealand surfing team have finished twelfth at the World Surfing Games held at Huntington Beach, California, over the past nine days.

The result is one placing higher than the team secured in 2004 at the biennial event. AJ Matthews (Whangamata) and Mischa Davis (Piha) were outstanding, finishing 25th in the open men's and 15th in the open women's respectively.

Huntington Beach produced some excellent waves during the event and Matthews made it through to the fifth round, only to lose in the dying seconds by 0.06.

Luke Cederman (Raglan) finished 33rd in the open men's and Zennor Wernham (Raglan) and Morehu Roberts (Gisborne) were 41st.

Andrew Low (Dunedin) finished 29th in the men's bodyboard and Hayden Parsons (Dunedin) 42nd. Mihi Wells (Auckland) was 12th in the women's division.