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| Matt Hewitt - Image PhotoCPL |
Richard Christie (Gis), ranked 43rd in the world was today (Wednesday 18th January) eliminated from the Hyundai National Surfing Championships at the hands of two young Bay of Plenty surfers Matt Hewitt and Alex Dive of Mount Maunganui.
As forecasted the Piha surf dropped overnight leaving the national field of
surfers a decent 1.0m swell with light sea breeze winds.
The bigger framed Christie struggled with the smaller waves and low tide
conditions which allowed the lighter more nimble and lighter Hewitt and Dive to
thrive.
Hewitt won the heat scoring 12.27 out of 20 points to move through to the
semifinals ahead of Dive who scored 11.0 points.
“It was hard out there. It was slow
and you had to pick the right ones that didn’t close out” Hewitt said adding
“Our heat was stacked (full of talent) for the quarters, I was confident that I
could progress, I just had to catch the best waves and I did.”
Hewitt has predominantly contested Australasian Pro Junior events over the
past three years. He has only managed to
compete in selected New
Zealand events since he last won the
National Championships here at Piha in 2009.
Hewitt is now waiting on official confirmation that he has been given an
injury replacement position in the final Association of Surfing Professionals
(ASP) World Pro Junior event to be contested in Australia starting this
weekend. He now has the dilemma about
how to successfully juggle contesting the two events.
“I am frothing that I am in the main round and not the trials of the Pro
Junior. If I make the final at this
event I should be able to compete in it before I fly over to Aussie for the
next event, I hope it works out.”
The ASP World Pro Junior Series comprises three events. Hewitt has only contested one of the first
two events where he placed ninth. Hewitt
is the only surfer to be given a slot in the main round with Gisborne surfer
Buck Woods comntesting the trials of the event on Friday.
Tim O’Connor (Mount) rounded out a top day for the Bay of Plenty
surfers winning the fourth quarterfinal scoring 12.93 points. O’Connor is in search of his first win at
national level in the Open Men’s Division and today he showed that he possesses
all the right attributes to make it through to the final and challenge the best
to get his name on the most coveted trophy in New Zealand surfing.
Defending National Champion Jay Quinn (Gis) made easy work of his
quarterfinal posting the day’s highest heat score – 15.83. Quinn found the best set waves and late in
the heat posted an 8.17 point ride to seal the win and advance one step closer
to a finals berth and hence title defence.
Later in the day Quinn went on to win his heat in the Over 28s Division.
While Billy Stairmand (Rag) placed second to the now eliminated Christie in
their first heat, today he excelled in the smaller lefthanders scoring 15.67 points
to confidently win. His speed and style saw
him overcomes day three stand-out Bobby Hansen (Gis) who progressed through to
the semifinals in second place.
Only eight surfers remain in the Open Men’s Division. With three days remaining in the event, the
best conditions will be utilised to run the premier division.
The first round of the Open Women’s Division was contested today with the
top three seeds being rewarded with convincing heat wins. Grace Spiers (WGM) fresh back from Australia,
where she has been competing in the Australasian Pro Junior Series, posted the
highest heat score of the round – 13.17 out of 20.
“Pretty stoked about the win because this morning when I was practicing I
was ‘kooking’ it but it worked out in the end after I got a good start to the
heat so that makes me happy.”
Spiers is only back in New
Zealand briefly to see her family and
contest two domestic events here before she heads back to work and more
Australian surfing events. However, at
the moment her main focus is this event where she aims to at least make the final
which would be a first for the 18-year-old surfer.
Earlier in the day the Under 18 Boys battled the early morning conditions. Raglan’s Ben Poulter led the way from the first
heat with an easy win. The defending
champion in the Under 18 Boys Division has his work cut out to make it two in a
row with several local surfers shining in the quarterfinals. Tane Wallis won his heat over fellow local
Elliot Paerata-Reid and Waretini Wano was the third local grommet to advance to
the semifinals.
Conditions for day five are expected to be good despite a drop in the swell
size. Light variable winds are
forecast. Day five will see many of the divisions contested down to the finals.
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| Bachelor Tipene - Image PhotoCPL |
Grace Spiers - Image PhotoCPL |
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| Tane Wallis - Image PhotoCPL |
Tim O'Connor - Image PhotoCPL |
Please see below for results from Day four of the 2012 Hyundai National Surfing
Championships held at Piha Beach, Auckland today (Wednesday 18th
January).
Open Men’s Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Billy Stairmand (Rag), 15.67, 1, Bobby Hansen
(Gis), 12.93, 2m Larry Fisher (Rag), 6.17, 3, Leon Santorik (Rag), 5.55, 4
Heat 2
Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 12.27, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 11, 2,
Richard Christie (Mahia), 8.6, 3, Matt Scorringe (Whmata), 5.97, 4
Heat 3
Jay Quinn (Gis), 15.83, 1, Zen Wallis (Piha),
13.43, 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 7.1, 3, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 7, 4
Heat 4
Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 12.93, 1, Chris Malone (Gis),
8.83, 2, Scott Casey (Auck), 7.2, 3
Keone Campbell (Tara), 4.87, 4
Under 18 Boys Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Ben Poulter (Rag), 12.5, 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 11.33, 2, Jordan Griffin
(Mnt), 7.97, 3, Jordan Hart (Tara), 4.53, 4
Heat 2
Waretini Wano (Piha), 10.1, 1, Adam Grimson (Gis), 7.5, 2, Kahu Craig-Ranga
(Rag), 6.67, 3, Corey Asplin (Ham), 4.3, 4
Heat 3
Tane Wallis (Piha), 15, 1, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 11.83, 2, Mackenzie
Christie (Tau), 8.93, 3, Josh Taylor (Tau), 6.77, 4
Heat 4
Mckenzie Bowden (Whmata), 9.4, 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 9.2, 2, Eli
Macdonald (Waitara), 8.73, 3, Jules Craft (Gis), 7.73, 4
Open Women’s Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 9.27, 1, Thandi Durham - Tipene (Tara), 8.92, 2, Nicola
Colson-Koster (Auck), 7.77, 3, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 7.4, 4
Heat 2
Grace Spiers (Whmata), 13.17, 1, Mischa Davis (Auck), 10.1, 2, Jasmine Smith
(Gis), 5, 3, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 0, 4
Heat 3
Ella Williams (Whmata), 12.23, 1, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 7.67, 2, Rachel
von Zalinski (Auck), 3.2, 3, Dayna Story (Gis), 2.93, 4
Under 16 Girls Semifinals
Heat 1
Jasmine Smith (Gis), 10.5, 1, Dayna Story (Gis), 6.4, 2, Demi Hewitt (Mnt),
5.77, 3, Nam Northcott (Tara), 2.03, 4
Heat 2
Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 12.67, 1, Claudia Fraser (Auck), 7.73, 2, Bianca
Sansom (Auck), 7.33, 3, Jennifer Rockwell (Auck), 0.63, 4
Over 28 Men’s Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Bachelor Tipene (Tara), 11.33, 1, AJ Matthews (Whmata), 11.13, 2, Jamie Andrews
(Tara), 10.77, 3, Cale Tolley (Mnt), 8.8, 4
Heat 2
Jay Quinn (Gis), 11.33, 1, Liam Joyce (Phia), 9.67, 2, Danny Carse (Ota), 7.6,
3, Bevan Wiig (Auck), 4.33, 4
Heat 3
Jarred Hancox (Tara), 8.37, 1, Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 8, 2, Jason Ruddell
(Whgrei), 6, 3, Sean Hovell (Gis), 2.8, 4
Heat 4
Larry Fisher (Rag), 9.07, 1, Josh Thickpenny (Dun), 8.87, 2, Baydon Hill
(Auck), 3.97, 3, Paul Greenland (Auck), 2.77, 4
Over 35 Men’s Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Rick Lasch (Auck), 14.17, 1, Cale Tolley (Mnt), 11.67, 2, Andrew Robinson
(Auck), 9.37, 3, Stuart Millar (Piha), 5.17, 4
Heat 2
Ben Kennings (Wmata), 10.23, 1, Nat Barron (Piha), 7, 2, Shaun Coffey (Tara),
5.07, 3, Tui Eves (Nth), 0, 4
Heat 3
Scott Casey (Auck), 14.5, 1, Larry Fisher (Rag), 12.8, 2, Deane Hishon (Rag),
6.03, 3, Zain Thompson (Auck), 3.93, 4
Over 40 Men’s Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 14.1, 1, Mike Mulcahy (Auck), 10, 2, Andrew Mann
(Auck), 8.6, 3, Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 5.6, 4
Heat 2
Rick Lasch (Auck), 16.17, 1, Deane Hishon (Rag), 11.23, 2, Morgan Cronin
(Auck), 9.03, 3, David Farr (Tara), 6.5, 4
Over 45 Men’s Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 8.5, 1, Kelvin Louie (Piha), 6.67, 2, Tui Eves (Nth),
5.47, 3, Blair Walker (Auck), 3.67, 4
Heat 2
Phil Wallis (Piha), 10.57, 1, David Mann (Auck), 8.9, 2, Glen Shuker (ChCh),
7.03, 3, Ahu Teua (Piha), 3.6, 4
The all encompassing
seven day event runs from the 15th – 21st of
January. Please see below for a guide to
when remaining divisions are expected to be contested.
Day 5 (Thurs 19th
Jan) - Open Men, Under 18, 16, 14
Boys, All Women’s, All Seniors, Kneeboard
Day 6 (Fri 20th Jan) - Open
Men, Under 18, 16, 14 Boys, All longboard, SUP Surf, All Women’s, All Seniors,
Potentially some finals
Day 7 (Sat 21st Jan) - Finals,
All Bodyboard
The Hyundai National Championships were first held in 1963 when they took
place at Mount Maunganui. In its
infancy, the event comprised Open Men’s and Women’s as well as Under 18 Men’s
divisions only. Since then it has grown
to comprise a colossal 25 divisions across all disciplines and the 2012 edition
will crown New Zealand’s
500th national champion.
Twenty five national titles will go up for grabs at the Hyundai National
Championships. As well as the premier
Open Men’s and Open Women’s Divisions, there will be a further 23 divisions
comprising of age groups from Under 14 through to Over 50s and also longboard,
Stand Up Paddleboard, Bodyboard and Kneeboard disciplines.
Further
Information
For further information on the 2011 Hyundai National
Championships please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732
or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz. Alternatively contact Hyundai New Zealand representative Emma Ryan on 0274785217 or email eryan@hyundai.co.nz.
Imagery
Web clips and newsfeeds will be distributed free of charge from each
event. Please contact Ben Kennings for
further details.
High resolution action images of the surfing at all events will be available to
media free of charge upon request.
Nationals Blog
Be sure to get a different perspective on the event via the SNZ Nationals
Blog. This will be updated throughout
the seven days with news views and interviews to keep you entertained.
Event Hotline
The Surfing New Zealand
event hotline is 0211134506. This will
be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and
conditions.
Partners
Generous support from Hyundai New Zealand
and Lion Rock Boardriders has made this event possible.
Surfing New Zealand Newsletter
If you want to keep updated with surfing information delivered right to your
inbox then sign up to the SNZ
Newsletter.
Follow Surfing New Zealand and the Hyundai
National Championships
Live results will be fed live to the SNZ website via twitter so stay tuned with
up to date results. Alternatively follow
the action via the SNZ
Facebook and SNZ Twitter.
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