Raglan teen ends dream run

KELLY HODEL/Waikato Times

RISING STAR: Ben Poulter in action. The Raglan teen finished sixth in the world junior surfing championships in Piha in the under-16 boys' section.

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Ben Poulter's dreams of a podium finish at the junior world surfing championship in Piha were drowned when he was eliminated from the under-16 boys' event yesterday.

But sixth was an amazing overall result for the Raglan teenager, finishing as the highest placed New Zealander and surpassing all aspirations. "Oh yeah definitely, I wouldn't have expected it," Poulter said of his final placing.

"I was stoked with coming sixth but I was disappointed I couldn't make the final."

Yesterday Poulter had two chances to progress to the final four. In his sixth and last main qualifying heat, the 15-year-old caught a wave in the dying seconds but he finished third, just 0.11 points from progressing.

He was back in action less than an hour later in the final repechage round but was outclassed, finishing fourth. "The conditions kind of went a bit strange and I couldn't get a wave that was any good," he said.

Poulter, who finished 19th last year, hopes to continue his impressive form in future events, starting tomorrow at the Billabong Pro in Whangamata, where he's competing in both the juniors and open men's sections.

He said he learnt a lot from the world junior competition, in particular the fight against competitors to get the best breakers.

"There'd be heaps of things. I definitely learnt more about hassling and fighting for waves.

"They're always trying to paddle round you and get a wave off you and then if they're beating you they're trying to hold you off waves."

New Zealand finished in seventh place in the team points standings, with Australia coming out on top after wins by Tyler Wright and Matt Banting in the under-18 girls' and under-16 boys' finals.

Hawaii and the United States came second and third respectively. Brazil finished 14th despite a win by Gabriel Medina in the under-18 boys' final, where he scored a remarkable perfect 10 wave.

A BIG WEEK FOR BEN

Highlight: "Just making every heat and the support that was there."

Lowlight: "Probably getting knocked in the last repechage heat."

Short-term goal: "I want to do my best in open men's events, do better than I have done, and try to win a couple of grom(met) (under-16) comps."

Long-term goal: "I want to improve my surfing and I want to get another good international result."

- © Fairfax NZ News