KEY POINTS:
A shark attack at the age of 10 has not deterred a young surfer from competing in multiple age groups at Piha this week.
Elliot Paerata-Reid, 12, punched above his weight yesterday in the National Surfing Championships, winning an Under-18 heat at his local break at South Piha.
After winning the heat with scores of 8 and 5.5, he was back in the water after only 1 hours, competing in the under-14 competition.
In December 2006, Paerata-Reid was surfing with his father at Manu Bay, Raglan, when a shark bit into his foot, leaving him on crutches.
At the time, he said he was not fazed, and fulfilled his promise to return to surfing as soon as the wound healed. Two years later, officials at the National Championships say Paerata-Reid's success is well deserved. Surfing New Zealand spokesperson Ben Kennings said Paerata-Reid was the youngest-ever surfer to win an Under-18 heat.
"It was an upset, but was not completely surprising. Elliot is a really good surfer who we expect great things from."
Head judge Iain Buchanan said the youngster fulfilled all the criteria of a competitive surfer: "He makes committed manoeuvres right in the pocket - in the high-risk part of the wave - and never just relies on the same moves."
Paerata-Reid said he was "completely stoked" about the win. "I didn't really think I had a chance because there were such good surfers in my heat.
"Dad said just be patient and wait out the back until you get a bomb. So that's what I did."
