Butler and Ensor both finished runner up in their respective Under 17 Divisions today in clean but small wave under 1.0m at Fitzroy Beach.  As a result of their performances they will head to Brazil in little over a month to represent New Zealand at the International Rip Curl GromSearch Final.

Butler was a stand out all event, beating Dextar Muskens on two occasions, but he could not match him in the final finishing with a 13.67 point heat total compared with Muskens’ 15.0.

Butler missed the opportunity to represent New Zealand at the event in 2014 but today he defeated last year’s champion Daniel Farr (Tara) who placed third ahead of first time finalist Harry Macintosh (Auck) who placed fourth.

Ensor finished runner up to Paris Whitaker (AUS) who defended her title today.  Whitaker posted an excellent score early in the final and finished with a 12.1 point heat total.  That forced the Kiwi girls to vie for the minor placings with Ensor coming out 0.20 points ahead of Britt Kindred (Mur) in third and Kea Smith (Mnt) in fourth.

“I was in second toward the end of the heat but Britt got a good wave in the last two minutes of the final and I wasn’t sure if I held second place until they announced the results at the prize giving” explained Ensor.

“This is so cool.  To have an opportunity to go over to Brazil and represent New Zealand with Kehu will be amazing.  I am going to take Dad with me and I will have more time off school but I can’t wait” added Ensor.

Dylan Preston (WGM) was another surfer to defend his title today winning the Under 14 Boys Division.  Preston was the stand out surfer throughout the event and posted a 13.3 point heat total to defeat Luke Griffin (Mnt).  Caleb Cutmore (Ham) had to settle for third place ahead of William Van Der Beek (Mnt) who equalled his personal best result by making the final today.

After three consecutive final berths and fourth placings, Georgia Wederell (Mnt) claimed her maiden victory in the Under 14 Girls Division.  Wederell posted a 10.90 point heat total for the win over Gabi Paul (Piha), Grace Pevats (Whangarei) and Toni Power (Mnt)

In the Under 12 Divisions it was local Oakura surfers Tom Butland and Ariana Shewry that claimed victories.  Both finals were contested down to the final hooter.  Butler posted a 12.3 point heat total to beat Jai Oakley (Chch), Tom Robinson (Whangarei) and James Ririnui (Mnt).

Shewry posted a 10.9 point heat total to beat Ruby Hutchieson (Tara), Kahana Ngaia (Tara) and Maia Ensor (Mnt).

*Entry into the international Rip Curl GromSearch final is for New Zealand citizens only.

Please see below for final results from the Rip Curl GromSearch completed at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth today (Sunday 22^nd March).

Under 17 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Joshua Farr (Tara), 11.5, 1, Sonny Rapira – Martin (Tara), 8.73, 2, Tayne Hutchieson (Tara), 5.1, 3, Jack McLaren (Mnt), 4.4, 4
Heat 2
Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 8.33, 1, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 6.3, 2, Jamahl Moselen (Whangarei), 6.07, 3
Heat 3
Ihaia Ngata (Tau), 10.93, 1, Reef Matthews (Tara), 9.77, 2, Conor Mclennan (Chch), 8.3, 3, Caleb Moratti (Tara), 7.1, 4
Heat 4
Daniel Farr (Tara), 15.2, 1, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 9.83, 2, Corban Williams (Tara), 4.2, 3
Heat 5
Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 14.3, 1, Dextar Muskens (NSW), 13.9, 2, Zac Curle (Katikati), 8.67, 3
Heat 6
Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 12, 1, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 7.9, 2, Thomas Dixon – Smith (Gis), 5.5, 3, Ziggy Knuiman (Rag), 5.23, 4
Heat 7
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 17.5, 1, Joel Clegg (Tara), 9, 2, Jack Wilson (ChCh), 8.83, 3
Heat 8
Samuel Sands (ChCh), 9.7, 1, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 8.47, 2, Tom Norton (Waipu), 7.07, 3, Zak Condon (Lennox), N/S,

Under 17 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Reef Matthews (Tara), 11.1, 1, Joshua Farr (Tara), 10.8, 2, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 6.5, 3, Travis Morton (Waihi Bch), 6.1, 4
Heat 2
Daniel Farr (Tara), 10.5, 1, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 8.6, 2, Sonny Rapira – Martin (Tara), 7, 3, Ihaia Ngata (Tau), 5.2, 4
Heat 3
Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 10.9, 1, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 9.67, 2, Joel Clegg (Tara), 8.63, 3, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 8.5, 4
Heat 4
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 15.4, 1, Dextar Muskens (NSW), 11.8, 2, Isaac Kettle (Tara), 9.9, 3, Samuel Sands (ChCh), 6.1, 4

Under 17 Boys Semifinals
Heat 1
Daniel Farr (Tara), 12.8, 1, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 10.6, 2, Reef Matthews (Tara), 8.47, 3, Joshua Farr (Tara), 6.3, 4
Heat 2
Kehu Butler (Arataki), 13.5, 1, Dextar Muskens (NSW), 12.9, 2, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 11, 3, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 7.5, 4

Under 17 Boys Final
Dextar Muskens (NSW), 15, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 13.67, 2, Daniel Farr (Tara), 11.6, 3, Harry Macintosh (Auck), 8.4, 4

Under 14 Boys Final
Dylan Preston (Whmata), 13.3, 1, Luke Griffin (Mnt), 11.7, 2, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 9, 3, William Van Der Beek (Mnt), 6.5, 4

Under 12 Boys Final
Tom Butland (Tara), 12.3, 1, Jai Oakley (Chch), 11.6, 2, Tom Robinson (Whngrei), 9.83, 3, James Ririnui (Mnt), 8.3, 4

Under 17 Girls Round 1
Heat 1
Kea Smith (Arataki), 10.5, 1, Britt Kindred (Muri), 8.83, 2, Aimee Brown (Auck), 7.1, 3, Indica Ratima (Rag) , 3.43, 4
Heat 2
Kai Woolf (Gis), 14.68, 1, Billie Scott (Whangarei), 9.33, 2, Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 8.13, 3
Heat 3
Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 10.87, 1, Tiana – Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 10.77, 2, Milly Crewe (Muri), 8.83, 3
Heat 4
Paris Whitaker (Aus), 13.8, 1, Zhana Hutchison (Tara), 11.5, 2, Maaia Reid – Bennett (Mnt), 10.13, 3, Janee Armstrong (Chch), 4.27, 4

Under 17 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 10.2, 1, Kea Smith (Arataki), 9.83, 2, Zhana Hutchison (Tara), 8.2, 3, Billie Scott (Whangarei), 4.9, 4
Heat 2
Paris Whitaker (Aus), 11.8, 1, Britt Kindred (Muri), 7.1, 2, Kai Woolf (Gis), 6.23, 3, Tiana – Breeze de Mooj (Mnt), 5.97, 4

Under 17 Girls Final
Paris Whitaker (Aus), 12.1, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 10.6, 2, Britt Kindred (Muri), 10.4, 3, Kea Smith (Arataki), 8.5, 4

Under 14 Girls Final
Georgia Wederell (Mnt), 10.9, 1, Gabrielle Paul (Piha), 8.47, 2, Grace Pevats (Whngrei), 6.77, 3, Toni Power (Mnt), 4.03, 4

Under 12 Girls Final
Ariana Shewry (Tara), 10.9, 1, Ruby Hutchieson (Tara), 10.2, 2, Kahana Ngaia (Tara), 7.17, 3, Maia Ensor (Mnt), 2.43, 4

WWF-New Zealand has teamed up with Alphero to launch a mobile app making it easier for boaties, surfers and beach goers to report sightings of the world’s smallest and rarest marine dolphin while on the go.

“We are down to the last 55 Maui’s dolphins, so every sighting is valuable in building up a picture of where the animals are found and their behaviour,” says WWF-New Zealand’s Marine Species Advocate Milena Palka. “Maui’s dolphins live only off the west coast of the North Island, yet less than half of their habitat is protected. The more we know about where they swim the better we can protect them.”

The app will allow users to easily report sightings, including time, date and location using GPS coordinates. This information is collected by WWF, and the report is verified by an independent dolphin expert. WWF shares the data with the Department of Conservation, government and scientists to advocate for full protection for Maui’s dolphins throughout their entire range.

Alphero designed and developed the app for WWF pro-bono. Caroline Dewe, Director, Alphero said: “The team at WWF won the hearts of our designers, who begged us to do the project when they discovered an infant Maui’s dolphin is the size of a rugby ball. How could we resist? The team had fun creating a beautiful app that we hope will contribute towards protecting this amazing species.”

Maui’s dolphins are the genetically distinct North Island relative of Hector’s dolphins. Both are threatened with extinction; fishing with nets is the main cause of death. Internationally, scientists identify Maui’s dolphin habitat as ranging from Dargaville in Northland to the Whanganui river mouth, out to waters 100 metres deep, and have recommended the government take urgent action to fully protect this area from set net and trawl fishing.*

“Summer is the best time to see Maui’s dolphins, as they travel closer to shore to feed and ‘surf’ in the waves,” says Milena Palka, who is encouraging coast-loving Kiwis to download the app this summer.

“What could be even better than sighting a pod of critically endangered Maui’s dolphins playing alongside your boat or surfing the waves with you? Sharing that experience to help save these treasured dolphins or taonga from extinction.”

ENDS

Notes

*International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee Reports, 2013 & 2014

• WWF has run a Maui’s Dolphin public sightings hotline (0800 4 MAUIS) since 2003
• WWF is campaigning to get fishing nets out of the water wherever Maui’s dolphins swim, and is calling on the government to work with the fishing community to transition to dolphin-safe alternatives. Seismic surveying also poses a significant risk to Maui’s, and WWF is calling on a moratorium on this risky activity.
• The ‘Maui’s dolphin’ app is available for free download from the iTunes App Store (for iPhones) and Google Play (for android phones).

Images of screengrabs and video content available on request.

Contact:

Rosa Argent, WWF-New Zealand Communications Manager, rargent@wwf.org.nz, 027 212 3103 or 04 471 4292

Caroline Dewe, Alphero, Director, caroline@alphero.com, 021 682 609

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

About Alphero

Alphero delivers beautiful mobile and digital experiences that transform the way businesses engage with their customers on mobile, tablet and desktop. Alphero is New Zealand’s largest specialist mobile solutions company.

www.alphero.com

Nixon Mix Tape text for #170 – NZSM

1.Yall- Hundred Miles

2.LDRU-Keeping Score

3.Robin Schulz-Headlights

4.Kwabs-Walk

5.mø- Final Song

6.Evangeline-My Kingdom (William Black Remix)

7.Kygo & Dillon Francis-Coming Over

8. Maala-Kind of Love

9.Black Coast- Trndsttr (Lucian Remix) [feat. M.Maggie]

10.David Guetta- Memories (Ft. KiD CuDi)

“This issues Nixon Mix Tape winner Is Logan Sanko from Havelock North. He sent us this playlist which gets him and his mates amped on the way to the beach! Congrats Logan you have won the mini blaster this issue”.

“To get your hands on a Nixon Mini Blaster send your ten tracks to – will@pacificmedia.co.nz “

NIXON Mix Tape x Chippa Wilson

Think you have a Nixon Mix Tape that’ll get us more amped then this? Then send you 10 favourite tracks to will@pacificmedia.co.nz and be into win one of these bad boys.

NIXON Mix Tape

Think you have a Nixon Mix Tape that’ll get us more amped then this? Then send you 10 favourite tracks to will@pacificmedia.co.nz and be into win one of these bad boys.