Photo / WSL / Tim Hain
Elliot Paerata-Reid (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) has got through to the last 16 at the Krui Pro world surfing competition in Indonesia but has been beaten in his heat and finishes the event in 9th place overall.
The Piha local put on an "epic" showing at Ujung Bocur in Sumatra to win his Round of 32 matchup with a heat total of 9.64 points but could only manage 3rd place in the Round of 16 on Saturday.
The earlier heat included fellow Kiwi, Billy Stairmand, who is fresh from qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics at the World Surfing Games in El Salvador.
Paerata-Reid finished ahead of second-placed Kyuss King of Australia (9.17), Stairmand in third (9.00) and Australia's Micah Margieson in fourth spot (8.67) to advance to the Round of 16 heat.
The result continued Paerata-Reid's impressive form at the competition after he earned the highest heat total of the first day with 14.16 (out of a possible 20).
“I’ve been here before several times and I feel like this wave really suits my surfing. I’m taking it heat by heat, but I’m keen to do better this year for sure,” he said earlier this week.
The 27-year-old's Round of 16 heat was won by Australia's Axel Curotta with a total of 11.60 points, with Japan's Daiki Tanaka second on 10.50 points. Both surfers now advance to the quarterfinals.
Paerata-Reid's 9.14 total - and best wave of 6.57 - saw him finish third in 9th place overall in the competition, narrowly ahead of Indonesia's I Nyoman Artana who ended the heat with 9.04 points and also exited the event.
The Kiwi finished equal third at the 2019 Krui Pro.
