Gisborne surfer Daniel Procter stormed back to the top of New Zealand's longboarding ranks after claiming victory in the first event on the Hyundai Tour today.
The final day of action was played out in 0.5m conditions at Manu Bay, Raglan, but Procter found the small swell to his liking as he edged Ohope surfer Dylan Barnfield.
Procter went into today's action as the sole forehand surfer of the eight remaining contestants, and his smart noseriding ability suited the conditions and took him to the final.
After taking the lead with five minutes remaining in the final, Procter went on to ride a 9.33 point buzzer-beating ride to extend his lead on a victory-lap wave.
"Dylan got the first wave in the final and it was a good one, so I knew I had to wait and grab a bigger set wave," Procter said. "I was lucky a few came through to get me into the lead, then I blocked him on that last wave and got the 9.33. That is just how it goes sometimes."
Procter's win gives him the early advantage on the Hyundai Tour ratings with four events to come. He will now head into the national championships starting in Piha on Sunday where he will look to make it back-to-back victories.
"If I keep winning then I will keep going to the tour events," he said. "This win has given me the ticket to get to the nationals so we will see how they go in a week's time."
Procter has yet to claim a title in eight years of the Hyundai Tour, with his second place in 2009 coming the same year he won the national championship.
