Paige Hareb - Image ISA/Watts

Paige Hareb (Tara) has inched closer to the finals of the 2011 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games being held in Panama after winning her one heat she contested early this morning New Zealand time.

Hareb is the sole Quiksilver New Zealand team member remaining in the event as it nears it’s conclusion.  Hareb is searching for a finals berth and a shot at going one better than 2010 by winning the gold medal that she narrowly missed out on at the Peru event last year.

Hareb’s result has also elevated the team three places and into the top ten nations at ninth with two days remaining.

Contesting what was ultimately the last heat of the day, Hareb had to deal with a storm that ripped through the event site making the 1.0m surf conditions below par.  The contest site also took a battering with power cuts and damage to infrastructure which forced and early finish to the day.

However the finish did not come prior to Hareb winning her heat scoring 13.56 points out of a possible 20.  After a slow start she found herself trailing the South African Nikita Robb and unable to find waves that offered up more than one turn. 

After falling off her best scoring opportunity Hareb remained in second place.  As time wound down in the 20 minute heat she went on the defensive to protect her placing by sitting on American Kaleigh Gilchrist to prevent her from getting waves – a tactic that clearly worked to her advantage.

Paige Hareb and team - Image ISA/Watts

Late in the heat Hareb did latch on to two great rides first scoring a 7.6 point ride for a longer lefthander then with one minute to go catching a 5.94 point ride which elevated her into first place and the chance to surf in the next round.

“The comp got called off after my heat because it got super ugly with wind and rain that caused power outages and all sorts” said Hareb today.

“Nikita got a six point ride right at the start and I didn’t have anything so I started to stress a little but I came good in the end” added Hareb on how the heat unfolded.

Two of Hareb’s next opponents are yet to be confirmed although she knows that she will face the South African for a second time.  She requires two more heat progressions to progress to the final of the event.

Action commences at 3:00am on Saturday morning.  Paige Hareb is not scheduled to surf tomorrow but the Quiksilver New Zealand Surfing Team will be in action in the Aloha Cup tag team event.

 

 

The event pitches five surfers from each of the top eight countries against each other in an hour long heat where the cumulative points of each team count toward final placings.  The New Zealand team face off against Australia, USA and South Africa in the second semifinal scheduled to take place at 4:30am.

 

 

Please see below for the results from day five of the 2011 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games being held in Playa Venao, Panama from the 25^th June – 2^nd of July.

Open Women’s Repechage Round 6
Heat 1
1, Paige Hareb (NZL), 2, Nikita Robb (ZAF), 3, Kaleigh Gilchrist (USA)


About International Surfing Association (ISA)
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding, SUP and surfriding.  It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964, and the Junior World Championships since 1980.

The event will be broadcast live over the net via the International Surfing Association website.  Media releases on the team’s performance will be distributed daily throughout the event and posted on the Surfing New Zealand website.

Further Information
For further information on the Quiksilver New Zealand Surfing Team please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

Imagery
High resolution action images of team members will be available to media free of charge upon request.

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