The SOL Super 16 went mobile for the first time this year and during the week all signs pointed toward Raglan for the final event with a clean swell forecast for the weekend. Jessica Santorik kept the local roll intact by winning the Women’s Division – her second win of the year after a win at the first event back in November. The unstoppable goofy footer proved too much for her younger opponents today as she gave them a lesson in surfing her local break. “It was so good to be able to surf three heats and a final and win then all today” said Santorik. “It was good to be able to surf in surfable waves instead of knee high waves which we have been unluckily dealt at some events this season… in good waves you can let the surfing do the talking.”
Santorik scored 13.93 points out of 20 in the final, a win she calls ‘a consolation’. However, despite her win, she was unable to lift herself past third overall for the year – only her second SOL Surf Series defeat in seven years.
Luke Hughes was the form surfer of the day notching up several big heat scores throughout the round robin to qualify for the semifinals in third place. Hughes grew up surfing the points at Raglan and like many that learnt to surf on the points, his backhand surfing is impeccable. The decision to run at Raglan was always going to work in his favour. “It was a fun 2-3ft today, that’s what I have been surfing the majority of my life.” Hughes has always impressed at the SOL Super 16, a factor he puts down to the different format with no immediate knockouts where you can relax with your surfing “You kinda get a roll on and consistency is a big thing, maybe it suits my style of surfing. I enjoy these events, hanging with the boys and mixing it up” said Hughes.
