Rough conditions have greeted surfers on the opening day of the World Age Grade Champs at Piha.
But it has been a solid day for the Kiwis in the boys under-16 and 18 divisions, with four competitors through to the second round.
Home advantage was always going to be one of the keys to success for Alex Dive and the New Zealand team but after a tough first up heat in the under-18 division.
Dive was made to sweat out a nervous wait, with only the top two surfers in the heat qualifying for the second round.
The 17-year-old Mt Maunganui local finished second, just behind Argentina’s Santiago Munez.
Dive surfed an 8.25 ride out of a possible 20 points - not a bad effort in the scrappy conditions.
“It was really hard just trying to surf, all week it's been clean and small but today it was messy and all over the show and hard to do turns so I’m just really happy to have made the heat,” says Dive.
While Dive was fighting to catch the waves, his mum was having her own private battle just watching.
“He'd been the heat leader for a while but then the other two guys got really good scores, so it was quite nerve-wracking,” says Mrs Dive.
In the under-16 division Kiwi Ben Poulter and Tane Wallis finished first and second respectively - both qualifying for the second round.
3 News