Nine national champions were crowned on day five of seven at the 2013 Hyundai National Surfing Championships being held at Piha.

The pending 3.0m swell set to pound Auckland's West Coast Beach from Friday afternoon onward forced event organisers to bring forward the finals of several divisions.

New Under 14 Boys Division National Champion Kehu Butler (Mnt) in action at the Hyundai National Surfing Championships held at Piha Beach.

Mount Maunganui's Kehu Butler was crowned champion of the Under 14 Boys section, while six of the other nine titles went to first champions.

Dayna Story, Gis (Under 16 Girls), Phil Wallis, Piha (Over 50 Men's), Bruce Collier, Tara (Over 55 Men's), Clive Barron, Piha (Over 60 Men's), Sam Poulter, Rag (Junior Longboard) and Mischa Davis, Piha (Women's Longboard).
Competitors contested some of the smallest conditions of the week with 1.0m - 1.5m waves on offer.

The westerly wind remained for the fifth consecutive day and strengthened as the day went on making conditions difficult to contest in the afternoon.
The youngest age group of the event, the Under 14 Boys Division was dominated by Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler who ran away with the final posting 17.8 points out of a possible 20 - the highest heat score of the event to date.

Midway through the final, Butler scored an 8.17 point ride before getting half way out the back, turning, and riding another excellent ride that scored 9.63.

His score line left his competitors requiring a combination of scores to catch up and that never looked likely.

Tane Bowden (WGM) placed second in the final scoring 11.0 while Daniel Farr (Tara) placed third and Christchurch surfer Sam Sands finished fourth.
The final two divisions contested were the Senior Women's and Women's Bodyboard.

Anna Jolly feared better in the Senior Women's Division than the longboard winning the final to defend her title. In the Women's Bodyboard, it was Alexis Poulter who went one better than her runner up placing in the longboard to win the final.
The surf is expected to increase significantly today for the penultimate day of the event with 3.0m swells forecast along with a decrease in wind strength.

Results from day five of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships held at Piha Beach, Auckland (Thursday 17^th January).

Under 18 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 10.5, 1, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 5.3, 2, Abby Falwasser-Logan, 3.1, 3,
Heat 2
Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 6.8, 1, Bianca Sansom (Muri), 5.7, 2, Gabriella Sansom (Muri), 2.23, 3

Under 16 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 14.9, 1, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 8.3, 2, Riccardo Lucibella (Tara), 5.13, 3, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 4.27, 4
Heat 2
Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 7.53, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 5.57, 2, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 5.43, 3, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 2.83, 4

Under 16 Girls Final
Dayna Story (Gis), 12.2, 1, Abby Falwasser - Logan (Gis), 9.17, 2, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 7.63, 3, Kea Smith (Mnt), 7.47, 4

Under 14 Boys Final
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 17.8, 1, Tane Bowden (Whmata), 11, 2, Daniel Farr (Tara), 8.93, 3, Samuel Sands, 8.9, 4

Men's Longboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Daniel Proctor (Gis), 12.8, 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 9.37, 2, Ben Poulter (Rag), 8.87, 3, Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 8.23, 4
Heat 2
Matt Cockayne (Mngwhai), 10.4, 1, Ant Mccoll (Mnt), 9.43, 2, Phil Morris (Auck), 8.37, 3, Glen Johnson (Auck), 7.9, 4

Women's Longboard Final
Mischa Davis (Oratia), 10.3, 1, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 9.5, 2, Anna Jolly (Piha), 5.13, 3, Nam Northcott (Tara), 2.27, 4

Under 18 Longboard Final
Sam Poulter (Rag), 10.6, 1, Jordan Griffin (Mnt), 10.6, 2, Elliot Paerata-Ried (Piha), 6.63, 3, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 2.97, 4

Stand Up Paddleboard Semifinals
Heat 1
Shayne Baxter (ChCh), 9, 1, Karlos Aarsen (Whmata), 6.03, 2, Mike Cann (Auck), 5.07, 3, Derek Tingey (Tau), N/S
Heat 2
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 13.5, 1, Armie Armstrong (Rag), 5.9, 2, Daren Jones (Auck), 4.93, 3, Annabel Anderson (Auck), 2.5, 4

Over 50 Men's Final
Phil Wallis (Piha), 10.8, 1, Phill Griffin (Mnt), 9.27, 2, Garry Pike (Piha), 8, 3, Glenn Shuker (ChCh), 7.9, 4

Over 45 Men's Semifinals
Heat 1
Rick Lasch (Piha), 12.5, 1, Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 11, 2, Phil Wallis (Piha), 7.47, 3
Heat 2
Andrew Mann (Auck), 7.73, 1, Tui Eves (Piha), 5.63, 2, David Mann (Auck), 4.97, 3

Over 55 Men's Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Gary Quinn (Gis), 2.00, 1, Ben Hutchings (Gis), 1.00, 2, John Gisby (Gis), N/S
Heat 2
Bruce Collier (Tara), 5.90, 1, David Storck (Auck), 5.10, 2, Michael Trainer (Auck), 4.40, 3

Over 55 Men's Final
Bruce Collier (Tara), 11.7, 1, Ben Hutchings (Gis), 9.43, 2, David Storck (Auck), 8.37, 3, Gary Quinn (Gis), 4.4, 4

Over 60 Men's Final
Clive Barron (Piha), 6.17, 1, Paul Hogan (Auck), 5.67, 2, Hamish Divett (Piha), 4.53, 3, Ross Moody (Gis), 1.07, 4

Over 30 Women's Division Final
Anna Jolly (Piha), 8.83, 1, Belinda Goodwin (Rag), 4.97, 2, Jess Nicolson (Auck), 4.3, 3, Carolyn Millar (Piha), 2.53, 4

Women's Bodyboard Final
Alexis Poulter (Rag), 8.03, 1, Seagh Von Keisenberg (Piha), 5.17, 2, Margaruite Vujich (HBay), 3.67, 3


A complete list of all National Champions are located on the Surfing New Zealand website under History.

Further Information
For further information on the 2013 Hyundai National Championships please contact Surfing New Zealand's Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

Imagery
Web clips and newsfeeds will be distributed free of charge from the event. Please contact Ben Kennings for further details.

High resolution action images of the surfing will be available to media free of charge upon request.

Event Hotline
The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506. This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions.

Partners
Generous support from Hyundai New Zealand and Lion Rock Boardriders has made this event possible.

Surfing New Zealand Newsletter
If you want to keep updated with surfing information delivered right to your inbox then sign up to the SNZ Newsletter.

Follow Surfing New Zealand and the Hyundai National Championships
Results will be fed to the SNZ website via twitter so stay tuned with up to date results. Alternatively follow the action via the SNZ Facebook and SNZ Twitter.

Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by:
Hyundai New Zealand
Sport NZ
SunSmart