17 Apr 2010

Sarah Mason narrowly pipped in semi-final

7:33 am on 17 April 2010

After eliminating the world champion, New Zealand teenage surfer Sarah Mason knocked out New Plymouth's Paige Hareb to reach the semi-finals of the ASP women's pro tour event in Taranaki.

Now based on the Gold Coast in Australia, the 15-year-old Mason proved her win over the world champion Stephanie Gilmore of Australia was no fluke.

But after getting the better of Hareb she was unable to beat 17-year-old Carissa Moore of Hawaii in the semi finals, who went on to beat Sally Fitzgibbons of Australia in the final.

Speaking immediately afterwards, while signing autographs for children - some of them taller than the diminutive Mason - she said she was pleased she more than held her own in her first professional event, for which she won $6000.

She says she just needed one more good wave and she could've won - and, coming so close against the eventual winner, it's clear this may not be the last time two New Zealanders compete against each other on the ASP Tour.