New Zealand finished seventh at world junior surfing championship today after being eliminated from the competition in the morning heats.
Ben Poulter was the highest placed New Zealander in the competition, finishing sixth overall in the under-16 boys division.
The 15-year-old had two chances to progress to the final this morning, but placed third in his first heat after surfing to a 12.02 point heat total.
He got a wave in the dying seconds of the heat requiring 5.72 to progress through to the final and it was not until he was back on the beach surrounded by his team members that the scores were read out as 5.60.
"Yeah I don't know how to describe that loss. It sucked, I don't know, it was so close I don't know any other way to describe it," Poulter said following the heat.
The Raglan surfer was back in action less than 40 minutes later with a last ditch effort to make the finals.
This time around Poulter (10.50) was outclassed by Hawaii's Koa Smith (14.46), and Americans Jake Halstead (12.62) and Kolohe Andino (11.00).
However, Poulter was upbeat about his sixth-place finish, saying it was better than what thought he would achieve.
Meanwhile, Sarah Mason finished eighth overall in the under-18 girls division after failing to make the finals.
The 14-year-old's performance in the second heat of the day was do-or-die and she ultimately placed fourth, scoring 10.76 compared with America's Lakey Peterson (16.34), Hawaii's Alessa Quizon (15.80) and France's Canelle Bulard (12.50).
Mason said the loss in the heat was disappointing but that she was happy with her overall placing.
"There were some good waves in the morning for my heat, it was real fun, I just was simply not in sync with the best waves," Mason said.
"I would have liked to do better but I am happy because this is my first time around. I want to come back and compete in this event and do the best I can and hopefully win a title before I move up a division."
Wins to Tyler Wright and Matt Banting in the under-18 girls and under-16 boys finals lifted Australia into top spot in the team placings, followed by Hawaii and the United States.
Brazil failed to claim a top-five place in the team's rankings despite a win by Gabriel Medina in the under-18 boys.
NZPA