Mount Maunganui surfer Jack Hinton has claimed a long-awaited top prize at the inaugural Neon Surf Comp at Pauanui.

Two other Mount Maunganui boys completed a clean sweep in the competition at Under 16 and Under 14 level.

Hinton has been competing nationally for years through the age groups and on Sunday his relentless persistence paid off with a win in the Under 18 Boys Division.

Hinton has been in exceptional form this season placing in the past four finals, three of those finishing runner-up.

But on this occasion Hinton posted 13.53 points out of a possible 20 in the final edging out his closest rival by just under a point.

'Yeah it is pretty good to win aye,” comments a stunned Hinton.

'Pauanui is kind of like home at Mount Maunganui so I am pretty used to surfing those conditions. All the boys were ripping and I am pretty stoked to beat them.

'I am not sure what the difference is between this win and all my others finals this year, I got a bit lucky with the waves in the final. I have never won a national event before.”

Hinton didn't secure the win until after the final hooter had sounded when closest rival Tom Robinson surfed a nice late wave. The wave concerned Hinton but it ultimately came up short of the 6.94 required to win.

Robinson, who surfed to the highest heat score of the event in the semifinals (17.1 points) and single highest wave score (8.83 points), had to settle for second place in the final after his explosive semifinal performance.

Natasha Gouldsbury found herself winning her second event in as many weekends in the Under 18 Girls Division. Gouldsbury left her best surfing for the final and secured the highest single wave score of 8.1 in the final, going on to finish with a 12.37 point heat total.

There was more Mount success in the in the Under 16 Boys Division as Beau Woods took his first win at national level. The win comes off the back of a finals berth at the South Island Championships last weekend.

Woods completed a big forehand closeout turn, momentarily disappearing in the white water before re-emerging to the surprise of everyone. The one turn netted the natural footer a 5.67 point ride and differentiated him from his opponents who were all within touching distance for the win.

Tai Erceg-Gray finished up in second less than a point behind Woods with Tai Murphy in third and Cooper Ashill in fourth.

Ava Henderson claimed her third straight win in the Under 16 Girls Division with a comfortable victory.

Tao Mouldey completes a clean sweep of Mount winners in the Boy's categories, stepping back down into his age group in the Under 14 Boys Division for this event and found himself in the tightest final of the day. Tairua surfer Zeke Wyper exchanged the lead with Mouldey several times before Mouldey clinched the win with a long running left for a 6.83 point ride.

Maya Mateja continued her run of wins making it four on the trot in the Under 14 Girls Division. Mateja looked like the form surfer all weekend and in the final she posted an 11.33 point heat total for the win which comes on the back of a hat-trick of wins in the Grom Series leading into this event. Alani Morse finished in second with Indi-Lee Ruddell in third and Talia Da Silva in fourth.

The day was completed with several major spot prizes being handed out to participants before the winners were announced.

The 2021 Neon Surf Comp would not be possible without the support of the following event partners – Neon Surf, Domain Orthopaedics, Sticky Johnson, Smoothstar, Vans, Santa Cruz, Outback Surf Shop, Richardson's Real Estate, Clif Bars, Earls Corn Curls.

Please see below for final results from the inaugural 2021 Neon Surf Comp completed at Pauanui Beach today, Sunday 11th April 2021.

Under 18 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 17.1, 1, Ari D'Anvers (whngrei), 11.16, 2, Ben Moretti (Ahipara), 8.1, 3, Isaac Klein - Ovink (Mnt), 3.0, 4
Heat 2
Jack Hinton (Mnt), 13.93, 1, Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 13.56, 2, Kora Cooper (Rag), 11.7, 3, Jayden Willoughby (Rag), 9.0, 4

Under 18 Boys Division Final
Jack Hinton (Mnt), 13.53, 1, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 12.6, 2, Josef Jungwirth (Rag), 10.8, 3, Ari D'Anvers (whngrei), 9.67, 4

Under 16 Boys Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Spencer Rowson (Tara), 9.67, 1, Cooper Ashill (Whngrei), 5.93, 2, Ollie Greetis (Rag), 5.54, 3, Luke Dymond (Mnt), 5.2, 4
Heat 2
Kalani Louis (Tara), 11.7, 1, Tai Murphy (Whaka), 7.57, 2, Nate Florence (Tara), 4.27, 3, Navryn Malone (Rag), 4, 4
Heat 3
Tai Erceg - Gray (Whngrei), 13.5, 1, Will Hardie (Piha), 8.76, 2, Noah Camburn (Whaka), 6.66, 3, Kaden Littlejohn (Kati), 4.84, 4
Heat 4
Bill Byers (Piha), 10.5, 1, Beau Woods (Mnt), 9.03, 2, Tana Clapham (Rag), 8.23, 3, Hunter Cooney (WGM), 7, 4

Under 16 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Tai Murphy (Whaka), 9.07, 1, Cooper Ashill (Whngrei), 8.16, 2, Kalani Louis (Tara), 7.34, 3, Spencer Rowson (Tara), 6.37, 4
Heat 2
Tai Erceg - Gray (Whngrei), 12.2, 1, Beau Woods (Mnt), 9.14, 2, Will Hardie (Piha), 8.14, 3, Bill Byers (Piha), 7.13, 4

Under 16 Boys Division Final
Beau Woods (Mnt), 10.67, 1, Tai Erceg - Gray (Whngrei), 10.06, 2, Tai Murphy (Whaka), 8.9, 3, Cooper Ashill (Whngrei), 7.5, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Round 2
Heat 1
Kauai Rahui (Whgrei), 9.90, 1, PJ Klein Ovink (Mnt), 6.50, 2, Harley Waller (Pau), 4.34, 3, Zen Mouldey (Mnt), 1.50, 4
Heat 2
Tava Santorik (Mnt), 11.10, 1, Ashton Rogers (WGM), 10.70, 2, Zeke Pregert (Piha), 6.30, 3, Beau Rogers (WGM), 2.40, 4
Heat 3
Ben Milne (WGM), 9.04, 1, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 5.44, 2, Ollie Tong (Gis), 5.16, 3, Jay Tingle (Pau), 1.57, 4
Heat 4
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 13.00, 1, Zak Becroft (Auck), 6.26, 2, Hunter Lynch (Gis), 5.60, 3, Jesse Frazerhurst (Auck), 3.50, 4
Heat 5
Taj Dal Bosco (WGM), 7.33, 1, Remy Sale (Auck), 6.56, 2, Rio Bidois (Piha), 3.66, 3, Maceo Thompson (Piha), 2.64, 4
Heat 6
Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 11.33, 1, Theo Morse (Orewa), 8.1, 2, Manu Roberts (Tai), 5.86, 3, Harrison Biddle (WGM), 4.2, 4
Heat 7
Sev Tolhurst (Piha), 7.13, 1, Indica Corcoran (Mnt), 7.07, 2, Tyler Stenzel (Mnt), 3.40, 3, Beau Fitzgibbon (Waihi Bch), 3.07, 4
Heat 8
Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 5.60, 1, Ezekiel Wyper (Tai), 4.37, 2, Daniel Cox (WGM), 3.04, 3, Noah Henderson (Pau), 0.90, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Tava Santorik (Mnt), 9.9, 1, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 6, 2, Kauai Rahui (Whgrei), 4.53, 3, Zak Becroft (Auck), 3.96, 4
Heat 2
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 15.27, 1, Ben Milne (WGM), 6.27, 2, Ashton Rogers (WGM), 6.17, 3, PJ Klein Ovink (Mnt), 6.13, 4
Heat 3
Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 11, 1, Ezekiel Wyper (Tai), 8.87, 2, Indica Corcoran (Mnt), 7.03, 3, Taj Dal Bosco (WGM), 5.33, 4
Heat 4
Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 8.77, 1, Theo Morse (Orewa), 8.43, 2, Remy Sale (Auck), 4.87, 3, Sev Tolhurst (Piha), 3.92, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 13.00, 1, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 10.93, 2, Tava Santorik (Mnt), 9.13, 3, Ben Milne (WGM), 8.57, 4
Heat 2
Ezekiel Wyper (Tai), 12.30, 1, Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 10.20, 2, Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 9.77, 3, Theo Morse (Orewa), 8.83, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Final
Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 13.2, 1, Ezekiel Wyper (Tai), 13.1, 2, Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 7.93, 3, Gabriel Lobb (Gis), 5.86, 4

Under 18 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Natasha Gouldsbury (Levin), 10.7, 1, Liv Haysom (Piha), 10, 2, Alice Westerkamp (Auck), 8.77, 3
Heat 2
Anna Brock (Mnt), 10.2, 1, Brie Bennett (Rag), 7.47, 2, Ariana Shewry (Tara), 6.5, 3, Jada Morris (Dun), 3, 4

Under 18 Girls Division Final
Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 12.37, 1, Liv Haysom (Piha), 10.83, 2, Brie Bennett (Rag), 10.13, 3, Anna Brock (Mnt), 4.3, 4

Under 16 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Ava Henderson (Chch), 12.5, 1, Asia Braithwaite (Gis), 5.6, 2, Amanda Gouldsbury (Tara), 4.03, 3, Ariana Schafer (Tara), 3.97, 4
Heat 2
Leia Millar (Piha), 9.03, 1, Skylar McFetridge (Tara), 8.7, 2, Sophia Brock (Mnt), 6.93, 3, Pia Rogers (WGM), 3.73, 4

Under 16 Girls Division Final
Ava Henderson (Chch), 11.36, 1, Leia Millar (Piha), 8.43, 2, Skylar McFetridge (Tara), 5.24, 3, Asia Braithwaite (Gis), 5.03, 4

Under 14 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Maya Mateja (Rag), 10.1, 1, Alani Morse (Orewa), 7.64, 2, Chloe Groube (Pau), 3.56, 3, Ruby Milne (WGM), 0.57, 4
Heat 2
Talia Da Silva (Whngrei), 5.77, 1, Indi-Lee Ruddell (Whngrei), 5.44, 2, Lola Groube (Pau), 3.97, 3, Jess Sinton (Mur), 3.6, 4

Under 14 Girls Division Final
Maya Mateja (Rag), 11.33, 1, Alani Morse (Orewa), 7.73, 2, Indi-Lee Ruddell (Whngrei), 6.76, 3, Talia Da Silva (Whngrei), 3.84, 4