. . . Gisborne’s Dayna Story in action in round one heats of the under-16 girls’ division at the national scholastic surfing championships at Fitzroy Beach, New Plymouth.

Story was part of an impressive performance by Gisborne’s female contingent in difficult one-metre waves on day three of the champs.

Jasmine Smith won her round one heat with the highest score of the day for girls — 12.30 out of 20 — while Story was second in her heat with 7.40.

The Gisborne pair then advanced to the final after contesting the same semifinal. Story won with 8.47, including an excellent 7.0 wave highlighted by a huge forehand turn, while Smith (7.87) was second.

Story was one of two New Zealand surfers recently awarded an International Surfing Association Scholarship for surfing and academic abilities. She and Smith are among those vying for selection for the New Zealand junior squad announced next week.

Another Gisborne surfer, Abby Falwasser-Logan, comfortably won her heat to progress to the second round of the u14 girls’ division.

The Gisborne girls were supported by longboarder Sunny Brown, who looked powerful in winning his u18 boys’ semifinal with an impressive 13.8. Leroy Shaw was third and knocked out in the second semifinal.

Ben McCulloch is still alive in the u14 boys’ division after winning his requalifying round yesterday and his requalifying semifinal this morning. Blake Brown was knocked out in the requalifying semi to finish 10th-equal.