Interference and penalties were not enough to stop Mount Maunganui surfer Alex Dive from winning the under-20 section of the Sol Series Power Balance Pro held at Tay Street at the weekend.

Alex finished with an 11.68 point total despite losing half of his second scoring ride as a penalty for interference called when two surfers were tangled up with each other.

Double finalist Alex Dive at Tay Street. Photo By Cory NZ Surfing Magazine.

'To tell the truth I was pretty gutted,” says Alex of the interference.
'I thought it was pretty hard to come back from there and I was gutted on myself, I thought the interference could have gone either way but I got a seven at the end of it and it was alright eventually.”
Alex is splitting his time between Australia and New Zealand focusing on the ASP Pro Junior Series, but is always stoked to come back home and compete.
'It is real good to come back and win, it will give me some confidence; I haven't won for a while,” says Alex.

'It is so much harder over there (Australia) so hopefully I can keep the momentum going and get some big results over there.”
It was a tiring day for Alex as he was also competing in, and making the final of, the open section of the competition.

He surfed a massive six heats on the final day and by the time he got to the finals he was 'real tired” and simply 'running on adrenaline” to get to the podium.

The open category was won by Gisborne surfer Jay Quinn, who has now claimed his third victory from four events in the SOL Series this summer.
Jay, a world top 100 surfer, blasted his opponents into submission scoring 16.37 out of a possible 20 points in the final.

A near perfect 9.33 point ride out of a possible 10 early in the final helped his cause and it was a wave that his fellow three finalists could not match.
The win follows his first victory of the season at home in Gisborne back in November before winning the National Championships held at Dunedin in January and then placing an agonising runner up at the Whangamata two weeks ago.
He extends his lead on the SOL Series beyond 2400 points which is a massive lead that will take a miracle to bridge by any of his fellow surfers.
'It's a crazy, but definitely a good start to the year, hopefully I can continue this form through to the international events this year.”
The surf remained in the 1m range today, which suited Quinn and his equipment.

'If you could find the right waves out there it was fun surf. For the Mount it was good – especially for two days straight.”
Alex Dive finished second in the open category and Raglan surfer Luke Hughes battled it out with double finalist Buck Woods of Gisborne for third place, but got the nod scoring 10.80 to Woods' 9.67.

Sarah Mason from Gisborne made it two wins in two weeks after taking out the Women's Division with a staggering 15.67 point heat total.

The young 15 year old surfer has stunned the New Zealand surfing community after returning from Australia with her family at the start of the year.
'I wasn't certain of winning when I came back to New Zealand, but I really wanted to try and do my best in the events here and I am stoked to win both of the ones I have entered so far.
'I got some good waves and was able to get some good scores in the final,” she added in reference to her 8.50 and 7.17 point rides.

The Mason family now have three titles between them after older sister Airini Mason won the National Championships in January.
Another young surfer in 16 year old Ella Williams from Whangamata left it until her last wave of the final to jump into second place scoring 7.03.

Ella extends her lead on the SOL Series ratings further after beating Jessica Santorik from Raglan, who placed third in the final, 0.30 behind Williams. Gisborne surfer Jayda Martin-Fitzharris placed fourth in the final.

Open Men's Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Chris Malone (Gis), 13.8, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 10.8, 2, Tim Thompson (Auck), 9.9, 3, Ben Poulter (Rag), 9.85, 4
Heat 2
Jay Quinn (Gis), 13.7, 1, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 10.6, 2, Leon Santorik (Rag), 9.05, 3, Felix Dickson (Dun), 6.75, 4
Heat 3
Luke Hughes (Rag), 12.9, 1, Maz Quinn (Gis), 12.2, 2, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 10.9, 3, Larry Fisher (Rag), 10.5, 4
Heat 4
Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 9.1, 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 8.5, 2, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 8.2, 3, JC Susan (Mnt), 7.7, 4

Open Men's Semifinals
Heat 1
Jay Quinn (Gis), 17.55, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 15, 2, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 12.7, 3, Chris Malone (Gis), 10.8, 4
Heat 2
Luke Hughes (Rag), 12.05, 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 11.9, 2, Maz Quinn (Gis), 9.45, 3, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 9.4, 4

Open Men's Final
Jay Quinn (Gis), 16.37, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 14.57, 2, Luke Hughes (Rag), 10.80, 3, Buck Woods (Gis), 9.67

Under 20 Men's Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Robert Courian (Mnt), 14, 1, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 11.35, 2, Sam Courtney (ChCh), 8.7, 3, Nat Hughes (Rag), 8.4, 4
Heat 2
Alex Dive (Mnt), 16.35, 1, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 14.75, 2, Ben Poulter (Rag), 13.2, 3, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 11.95, 4
Heat 3
Ryan Hawker (Piha), 12.5, 1, Tyler Lawson (H-Bay), 10.95, 2, Tim Thompson (Auck), 10.15, 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 9.4, 4
Heat 4
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 13.6, 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 11.8, 2, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 10.9, 3, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha0, 10.3, 4

Under 20 Men's Semifinals
Heat 1
Alex Dive (Mnt), 12.25, 1, Robert Courian (Mnt), 12, 2, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 7.85, 3, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 6.05, 4
Heat 2
Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 13.3, 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 12.45, 2, Tyler Lawson (H-Bay), 11.7, 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 11.15, 4

Under 20 Men's Final
Alex Dive (Mnt), 11.68, 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 10.12, 2, Robert Courian (Mnt), 9.90, 3, Mackenzie Christie (Tau), 6.20, 4

Open Women's Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Sarah Mason (Gis), 13.5, 1, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 10.4, 2, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 6.25, 3, Rachel von Zalinski (Auck), 3.75, 4
Heat 2
Ella Williams (Whmata), 13.15, 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 10.15, 2, Emma Philson (Waihi Bch), 6.75, 3, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 1.75, 4
Heat 3
Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 11.55, 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 9.85, 2, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 6.4, 3, Anna Gooding (Mt), 3.65, 4

Open Women Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 11.25, 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 9.25, 2, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 8.75, 3
Heat 2
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 14.75, 1, Sarah Mason (Gis), 14.25, 2, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 8.35, 3

Open Women's Final
Sarah Mason (Gis), 15.67, 1, Ella Williams (Whmata), 10.30, 2, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 10.0, 3, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 5.5, 4