One minute on the clock. Fourth place. WSL wildcard or back to school. Alani Morse didn\u2019t fancy the prospect of yet more maths. With deteriorating conditions, thunder and lightning approaching and heavy onshore winds, it was Manu Bay local knowledge that gave her an upper hand. The final horn sounded, she’d climbed the leaderboard into first but was blind to the judges’ decision. It took a throng of screaming groms rushing down the boat ramp to deliver the news. Tears, gasps, slaps of her board – it was sporting emotion at its purest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forty-eight hours later, she was laughing about it: “To be honest, the WSL wasn\u2019t really the plan,” the Raglan local and wildcard entrant for the WSL\u2019s upcoming New Zealand Pro explained. \u201cThe family house is actually being rented during the comp as I always thought I\u2019d be heading to the US for Stab high. So yeah, I guess I\u2019ll be homeless during the comp\u2026\u201d she joked. Easy to laugh when you\u2019ve just pulled off the heat of your life. Those with a close eye on the Surfing NZ competitive circuit would argue that an achievement of this magnitude had been a long time coming. This year alone the 15-year-old has won five national titles, her ascent timed perfectly. New Zealand surfing is done waiting in Australia’s shadow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n