Kia Ora. I’m fresh off the road from a long trip south. Blair and I headed to Dunedin last Wednesday night to sneak in a few waves before the South Island Champs over easter weekend.

On Thursday we surfed St. Clair sort of lumpy, fun 2-3 foot. Then from Friday full comp mode took over, including early morning meetings at St. Clair to assess the days line up.

With the Womens heats held in limbo for a few days it was free-surfing to occupy the time, along with a few hot chocolates (Thanks Kristi and Leathy!). The Open Womens final was a last minute scramble for me, having secured a 7.7 on my first wave, I had the lead. But deciding to make it more difficult for myself I took off on a wave with a fellow finalist and scored myself an interference call. Needing not that much to get back into first and one minute to go I had to get a wave. One approached and as soon as I saw it I turned and paddled for my life, lucky to catch it and score enough to regain the lead. It was crazy!!!@! Man I tell ya what! Hayley and I were joking about it later over a few cold ones so all good. Apart from the eventful womens final there was plenty else on offer. South Islands top surfing talent was all over St. Clair , competition heating up slightly this year I felt with more cash up for grabs. Local Dunedin boardriders club, South Coast offering up several quality competitors to challenge the more frequent participants of the South Island Circuit.

Lyndon Hutton ended up taking out the Open Mens just ahead of fellow local Danny Carse and ChCh’s top surfers Hayden Brain and Manu Schaufer. Carsey pleasing the crowds troughout the weekend with a sound preformance of stylish radical maneouvers. The event had a total of 110 competitors and the most spectators I’ve seen at a South Island comp in ages! Good on all the local businesses and the major sponsor International Frieght Logistics Ltd. for making it happen, and of course to the South Coast Boardriders and the wave genie for turning it on in Dunedin once again. Shot!

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