Small waves stall beginning of Longboard Tour

Small waves stall beginning of Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour

Next to no surf on the entire northern east coast of the North Island combined with a poor swell forecast for the coming days has forced the postponement of the first event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour, scheduled to take place at Mount Maunganui this weekend (2-3 January 2010).

The event was to be the first of five major events held throughout New Zealand including one new event location (Dunedin), and a change to the National Longboard Championships, which will now be held as a separate event.

“Unfortunately the swell around the Bay of Plenty has been in decline since Christmas Day,” says Contest Director Ben Kennings.

“The waves have barely been surfable for the past couple of days but they may have been contestable. The recent howling offshore winds have put paid to any remote chance of seeing the swell increase enough for the event to take place.”

Renowned as one of the sharpest yet fun surfing tours in New Zealand, the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour was set to kick off in style with all day fun at the beach and great hospitality courtesy of Tauranga Hyundai dealer, Jacobson Hyundai in the evening.

Organisers will now go back to the drawing board and look at what options are available to reschedule the event. Surfing New Zealand CEO Greg Townsend is disappointed to see the event postponed this weekend.

“Everyone is frustrated that this event won’t kick off the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour – the surfers, organisers, sponsors and the local Mount Maunganui surfing community. Unfortunately we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and this time round she has not cooperated,” says Townsend.

Six divisions are contested on the tour – Open Men, Women, Junior Men (under 18), Over 40 and Over 50 and Stand Up Paddleboarding.

The complete calendar of events for the 2010 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour follows:
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 1, Mount Maunganui – Rescheduled details yet to be confirmed
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 2, Sandy Bay – 5th – 7th February
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 3, Dunedin – 20th – 21st February
Hyundai National Longboard Championships, Whangamata – 6th – 7th March
Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour Event 5, Port Waikato – 26th – 27th March

Entry into remaining events can be completed at www.surfingnz.co.nz under events. Complete the entry process online or download entry forms and send them in. The 2010 tour is expected to receive high entry levels so entrants will need to be in well before the cut off dates to assure themselves a slice of the action.

ENDS