Hero photograph
 
Photo by Melanie Taite-Pitama

Champion Surfer - Estella Hungerford 

Melanie Taite-Pitama —

Haeata Community Campus is host to many talented ākonga and Estella Hungerford is certainly one keen surfer to keep your eyes on. 

The Canterbury Scholastic Surf Champs were held at New Brighton pier on Sunday 21 May.

The freezing southerly flow affect the country didn't stop over 30 secondary school aged surfers tearing apart the waves at New Brighton Beach. The early heats enjoyed clean 2-3 ft waves (0.6 -1.0m) but as the morning progressed the swell pulsed as a huge 8 m plus southerly ground swell pushed past Banks Peninsular. Competitors in the later heats battled 2.0 m plus waves and strong northerly drift. Despite the challenging conditions the top surfers found some great waves.

Estella Hungerford (Haeata) showed great tactics to wins the Girls Final (mixed age group) ahead of Tegen Bishop (Rangiora HS) who waited patiently out the back for a big set wave that unfortunately never came.

This event is the trial for the Canterbury Scholastic Surf Team, a training squad will be announced before the 11th June in preparation for the National Scholastic Surf Champs in Gisborne in October.

Well done Estella, we are very proud of you!