Luke Hughes takes out SOL Super 16!

Local Raglan surfers dominated the final event of the SOL Surf Series for 2010/11 held at Raglan today. 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.  Today dawned to a clean 1.0m swell that died throughout the day but had everyone amped to hit the line up for each heat during the innovative round robin format.

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. 

The final was a game of patience as Hughes waited 20 minutes before getting a decent ride.  In the last five minutes, a fairy tale win seemingly slipping away, Hughes blew up on a wave scoring 7.67 points out of a possible 10 points before racing back out the back and getting the last wave of the final to score 8.17 to jump from fourth to first in a matter of minutes.

“Without a doubt this is so special” said an emotional Hughes.

“I guess I had a form of self confidence going into the event with the conditions on offer.  Being inconsistent it was going to be who caught the best waves.  I knew if I got that right wave my ability would give me the scores needed to win” added Hughes.

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.”

“As soon as I got the whisper that is was going to be here, I checked reports, I knew there would be swell, it was just a matter of what the conditions were going to be like.” 

Funnily enough Hughes warmed up in a local boardriders competition on Saturday and could only muster a second placing.

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...

For a full rundown of the final check out: http://www.surfingnz.co.nz/hughes_takes_sol_super_16_but_quinn_makes_it_four_series_wins_in_a_row.htm