The Star: January 18, 2018

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Thursday January 18 2018 3
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Fire rages, homes at risk
Surfing success all in the family
• By Gordon Findlater
IT WAS a family vacation which
turned into a national medal
haul for Donna Henderson,
Ava Henderson and Estella
Hungerford at the national surf
championships in Gisborne last
week.
The highlight of the week was
when Donna and Ava created
history by becoming the first
mother and daughter combo to
win titles at the same national
championships.
The family tie doesn’t end
there . . . Donna also made it
to the women’s longboard final
where she lined up against
Estella, who is also her stepdaughter.
The Taylors Mistake family left
for Gisborne in their campervan
on January 4.
“We got to Gizzy and it was
pumping. It was six foot plus on
the first day of the competition,”
said Donna.
The 43-year-old had the highest
score overall of 10.2 in the
women’s senior event, which
saw her take gold in the over 40
category. Her daughter Ava won
the girls under-14 final with a
score of 13.7.
“Essentially, I won the oldest
title and Ava won the youngest
which is quite special,” said
Donna.
While tasting her own success
was sweet, the highlight for the
proud mum was watching Ava
secure her first national title.
“It was great. She came pretty
close last year in Piha but was
the bridesmaid so this year she
was pretty determined to win.”
“Straight off the buzzer she
got a really good wave and
then she just kept backing it
up so it was really awesome to
watch.”
Donna – who is the founder
of the Christchurch School of
Surf at Sumner Beach – began
surfing in her early 20s and won
her first national title at the age
of 42 in 2017. Ava on the other
hand rode her first board at six
and has now already claimed her
YOUNG GUN: Ava Henderson won her first national title in the girls under 14.
SURF’S UP: Estella Hungerford finished second in the women’s longboard and fourth in the
girls under 16.
first national crown at the age of
just 12.
“She’s doing pretty well and
she does want to be a pro surfer.
We’ll see how that goes.”
There was more of a
competitive element to her
step-daughter’s success when
Donna and Estella met in the
longboard final.
“Both of us were going headto-head
in the longboard. I was
coming second but in the last
minute Estella got a bomb from
out the back and pipped me.”
“I was really happy for her.”
Estella also finished fourth in
the girl’s under-16 final.
There could be a third Henderson
gunning for a national
title in the not too distant future
as well. Donna’s son Travis is
eight and recently took up surfing
competitively.
“He’s certainly got a bit of a
taste for it, so we’re hoping to
add another one.”
In Brief
CRASH VICTIM A PRIEST
The man killed in a crash on
Monday was the assistant priest
at Our Lady of Victories Parish
on Main South Rd, Sockburn.
Father Graeme Joseph Blackburn,
33, died after a collision
between a motor-cycle and a
vehicle on Purau Port Levy
Rd, Purau, at about 5.30pm.
Father Blackburn had only been
ordained in July last year. The serious
crash unit is investigating
the incident. A vigil for Father
Blackburn is to be held on Friday
at Our Lady of Victories Church.
The Requiem Mass will be held
on Saturday at St Mary’s Pro-
Cathedral on Manchester St.
VEHICLE BREAK-INS
A man was arrested after being
“grabbed” by onlookers as he
allegedly broke into vehicles in
Cashmere. Police responded to
the incident on Hunter Tce at
about 11.54am on Tuesday. “It
would appear he was breaking
into cars so some people have
grabbed him and phoned
police,” a police communications
spokesman said.
SPORTS PARK DELAYED
The reopening of Sydenham
Park has been delayed for a
fourth time due to wet and
extreme weather conditions.
City council neighbourhood and
sports parks operation manager
Al Hardy said the work to install
four cricket blocks and three
sand carpet playing fields will
be completed by April 1. The
work started in April last year.
Originally the park was meant to
be finished by July, but that was
pushed back to October, then
February, and now April.
BUSKERS START TODAY
The World Buskers Festival
starts today, bringing
comedians, daredevils, dancers,
singers and acrobats to the city
for 10 days. Fifty-five performers
representing 14 countries are
in the annual festival. A full
line-up, dates and ticket sales
can be found at http://www.
worldbuskersfestival.com/
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