Surfing delayed

Press, 12 January 1981, Page 6

Surfing delayed

PA . Whangarel “The most fierce first round of ; a surf contest I have ever seen,” ; is how a member of the North I Coast Board Riders’ Club, Mai- i colm Pullman, described the first day of the 1981 national surf 1 championships on Saturday. i ■AU the “name” surfers .did i well in the 24 heats of the first s round of the. stoior men’s divl* ' slon held- at • Northland’s Sandy < Bay. The most likely championship winner would be either lan < Buchanan or Tom Egnot, both of ; Chmtehurch, Gisborne’s Gregan ( Faulkner or reigning New Zea-p land: champion, - Tom Deken, -of TWanaH.' 1 . ■! <4®ut It’s ;still wide opent* t There’s, ? plenty .Of room . for 1 Upsets. ’’ said Pnitoian- * t

Heavy onshore winds and podsurf forced th* canceilatldri of yesterday’s events. The- charipionships ar* expected 1 tinue today, provided condjfiora improve. - Saturday saw a good staps-t* the contest with one to a half metre surf. Althoughtuap«red slightly by a croSMtwrr south-east wind, th* condltfMu-> were good enough for cellent surfing. , There are about 197 surfets - contesting th* titles withW men,: 24 juniors, 12 veterans, elftt';,.Cadets, eight knee boarder*, five women and 10 reserve*. v.' Eight teams have entered,,rte.. resenting Northland, Auekj*n< Taranaki, Magian, Gisborne, W;. llngton, the Bay of. Plenty th* South Islshd. ;. ' - - ;