NZ's junior surfing worlds challenge over

New Zealand’s presence at the world junior surfing championships evaporated this morning when their last two hopes Ben Poulter and Sarah Mason were both eliminated short of the finals.

Poulter, the Raglan natural foot, had the best chance of success, having two lives going into the final day of the boys' under-16 division.

But he quickly lost both of those in small but clean conditions on Auckland’s west coast.

Poulter suffered his first loss in the last heat of qualifying competition when he finished third with a two wave total of 12.02. That left him a frustrating 0.1 point behind Japan’s Hiroti Arai.

That dropped him into the last repechage heat but still with a grand chance of making the final with the best two of the four surfers in the heat progressing.

Poulter started well but was overhauled to finish fourth in a tight heat won by Hawaiian Koa Smith with American Jake Halstead second.

American pinup Kolohe Andino finished third to be the other eliminated surfer.

Poulter ended the championships as the best performed New Zealander and could be well satisfied with his effort.

Australian-based Mason was the last Kiwi girl involved in the championships but found herself in a tough round seven repechage heat in the under 18 girls’ division today.

She had a disappointing two wave total of 10.76. which left her fourth in the heat and saw her eliminated.

American Lakey Peterson and Hawaiian Alessa Quizon were the two surfers to progress through to the last round of repechage action.

Brazilian Gabriel Medina put in a stunning display - including a perfect 10 for a late wave - to dominate the boys under 18 final and claim the world title.

Australians Matt Bantring (boys under 16) and Tyler Wright (girls under 18) won the other divisions.

- © Fairfax NZ News