Tuesday, 09 March 2010
OHOPE surfer Dylan Barnfield thrived in the big surf at Whangamata at the weekend to become a national champion.
The 20-year-old took out the open men’s division at the Hyundai national longboard championships to capture the biggest title of his burgeoning career.
Barnfield stormed through the early rounds, posting 18.4 out of a possible 20 and dealt with a serious challenge from Aucklander Thomas Kibblewhite in the final.
Barnfield said he was stoked with the result.
“It was the highlight of my career so far. I just kept my focus and I knew what I needed to do. I built up to the final and tried not to peak too early,” he said.
Barnfield said the surf reached four metres at times but he was not perturbed.
“You have to be quite a bit fitter to deal with the big surf. But I enjoy the big stuff - it doesn’t bother me what kind of surf I get,” he said.
Barnfield spent most of his younger days in the water at Ohope beach and said it was a great place to learn the sport. He now lives in Christchurch where he is in his third year of an engineering degree.
“It was always a plan to get a degree, because you can’t rely on surfing to make your living. I also have to think about what I will do after surfing.
“It has been a good challenge - juggling work, surfing and study. But I have been able to manage. It has been a test of not just my surfing skills, but balancing everything as well, he said.
Barnfield played rugby while at high school but when he fractured his clavicle and dislocated his shoulder, which tore his acromioclavicular joint while snowboarding, rugby had to be put on hold to prolong his surfing career.
The weekend’s event was the fourth round of the tour and doubled as the national championships.
Barnfield’s victory extended his lead in the tour standings with the final round at Port Waikato on March 26. He had a 135-point lead on Gisborne’s Daniel Proctor going into the Whangamata round of the tour after he scored 1340 and 1095 in rounds one and two.
“I am confident going into the last round of the tour and it would make a good double.”
Barnfield’s best placing on the tour is fourth, which achieved in 2008 and 2009. Barnfield’s father Mark said it was a good reward for the hard work Dylan had put in.
“Dylan’s development has been a natural progression. He was always around the beach while I was surfing. His ability came along well and he developed a real competitive edge. It was great for him from a social aspect as well.
“Dylan has developed a good level of composure and this has been a key factor to him consistently making finals. Being at university has given him confidence which I think has been a big help to his surfing,” he said.