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High Performance Camps Scheduled for Top Kiwi Surfers

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Three high performance surfing camps have been scheduled into the 2018 calendar as New Zealand surfers head toward International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games and World Junior Championship being held later in the year.

Starting in April, New Zealand’s top surfers will be put through their paces by a team of leading surf coaches.  The camps will be based out of the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance at Mount Maunganui.

One of the first surfers to put his hand up to attend was Gisborne’s Ricardo Christie, the newly crowned National Champion who is seeking requalification for the 2019 World Tour.  Christie heads into a big year of World Surf League qualifying events and knows the importance of fine tuning his performance as part of his build up.

“The high performance camp will be a great opportunity for myself to sharpen up and gain knowledge to help me towards my goal of requalifying for the WCT” said Christie.  He was also quick to emphasise the power of the top Kiwi surfers coming together, feeding off each other and pushing their surfing limits as they head toward international competition including the ISA World Surfing Games and World Junior Championships.

Christie will be joined by six time New Zealand champion and Qualifying Series campaigner Billy Stairmand (Rag) who is also motivated for the workshop as part of his international preparations.

New Zealand’s sole World Tour surfer, Paige Hareb (Tara), will be competing in her third event of the year – the Margaret River Pro during the first camp but will return in June to take part.

The two-day camps will include both senior and junior surfers and will be split into two groups.  Attendees will focus on the ocean in the areas of technique and strategy for a day then switch focus to land based training with an emphasis on strength and conditioning and mental toughness for the other day.

The camps are being led by Matt Scorringe from The Art of Surfing as well as Dr Oliver Farley – Strength and Conditioning Coach and Jhan Gavala – Sports Psychologist.

Regional coaches from around the country are being invited to attend the camp and take learnings back to the regions to help assist surfers at a regional and boardrider club level.  This component of the camps is seen as a vital step to increase the skills base of our coaches and coaching of youth and development surfers on the tier below our elite athletes.

The three high performance camps will be held on the following dates:

  • 14 – 15 April – Camp 1
  • 30 June – 1 July – Camp 2
  • 25 – 26 August – Camp 3

The World Surfing Games are being held in Japan from the 15 – 22 September and will include our top four males and females.  The team will be selected on May 16 at the conclusion of our events season.

Details for the 2018 World Junior Surfing Championship have not been released by the ISA but the event will include twelve juniors in the Under 18 and Under 16 age categories.  This team will be selected on May 23.

The initial stages of the high performance plan were put in place after a successful application to the International Olympic Committee for Olympic Solidarity Funding.  New Zealand’s top surfers and surfing minds came together in December 2017 for the first Olympic Workshop for athletes and coaches.  Since then a working group has been hard at work putting plans in place to lift the level of the high performance structure in New Zealand.

The qualification process for Tokyo 2020 is being determined by the IOC and the International Surfing Association.  New Zealand surfers will be able to qualify via the WSL World Championship Tour or via a top four finish at the ISA World Surfing Games for the men and top five for the women in 2019 and 2020.

A total of 20 males and 20 females from around the world will compete at the Olympic Games.  Kiwi surfers that qualify via the WSL or ISA will also need to be selected by the NZOC to represent New Zealand.

More about our coaching team:

Matt Scorringe – The Art of Surfing Founder/Head Coach
The Art Of Surfing offers surf-specific high performance coaching for all abilities, from the recreational surfer to the pro. Specialising in technique, video analysis, equipment and competition based fundamentals.

Dr Oliver Farley, strength and conditioning coach
Since completing his Masters at AUT researching the physiological aspects of surfing, Olly obtained a role at the Hurley Surfing Australia High Performance Centre as lead exercise physiologist (2013-2016). During this time he completed his PhD researching surfing performance enhancement and worked with professional surfers competing on the World Championship Tour.

Jhan Gavala – Sports Psychologist
Jhan is a performance psychologist at HPSNZ. He currently holds portfolio’s with Yachting New Zealand (Olympic Development Squad and AON Fast Track Squad), Northern Mystics Netball, Canoe Racing New Zealand, New Zealand Women’s and Men’s 7’s Development Squad, and the New Zealand Black Fins. He is the Assistant Mental Skills Coach with The Blues Super Rugby Franchise, and is the Mental Skills Coach at the Auckland Rugby Union High Performance Academy. Jhan will also act as an Assistant Mental Skills Coach at the New Zealand Rugby U20’s Development Camps in 2018. He has been a practicing psychologist for 18 years.

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

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