Barnfield barnstorms

9th March 2010

Mount Maunganui surfers Ant McColl and Owen Barnes finished fifth at the national longboarding championships in Whangamata during the weekend while another Bay rider took out the major spoils.

Ohope's Dylan Barnfield barnstormed his way to a national title - in the fourth event of the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour - to post the biggest win of his young career.

"This win is very different to others that I have had," the 20-year-old Barnfield said. "The prestige around the national title is amazing - this is definitely a good comp to win."

The surf remained large for the final day of the event with 2m waves hammering Whangamata Beach as well as the remaining surfers in the event.

Barnfield posted excellent early rides of 9.65 then an 8.75 (18.40 out of a possible 20 heat total) to put his final opponents in serious trouble from the outset.

"I combo'd TK (Thomas Kibblewhite) but he came back with a 9.0 point ride so I sat on him at the end and held out, luckily."

- Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times.