Airini Mason - Image Organoff/ISA

The Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team has finished sixth at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships in France overnight (Saturday), the team result highlighted by a fourth placing in the under 18 girls division by Airini Mason (formerly from Gisborne).  Mason was the highest placed Kiwi at the event and equalled the result she achieved in 2006.  Mason was also part of the triumphant New Zealand team who won the tag team event beating powerhouse nations Australia, France and South Africa in the final.

Earlier New Zealand’s hopes rested on Paco Divers (Sandy Bay) and Eli Jacobs (Qld) in the under 18 boys division.  Divers placed sixth after suffering successive losses in the qualifying semi and then the repercharge semi.  Things did not go his way in the two heats but the result is the best achieved by a New Zealand under 18 surfer in seven years.  Jacobs started the day well winning through to the eighth round but came unstuck against Granger Larson (Haw) and Marc Lacomare (Fra).  Jacobs placed 9^th overall.

Johnny Hicks (Gis) also finished his campaign in the eighth round when he was eliminated by Connor Coffin (USA) and Gabriel Medina (Bra).  Hicks only scored 6.17 in the heat but could have progressed with a 6.10 point ride.  Hicks finished 9^th overall to be the highest placed Kiwi surfer in the under 16 boys.

After the individual finals the tag team event was held.  The Rip Curl New Zealand team comprised Matt Hewitt, Eli Jacobs, Alex Dive, Paco Divers and Airini Mason.  The team placed second to Australia in the semi final but then turned the table on it’s foes to win the final scoring 52.57 with Australia second (45.85), France third (45.25) and South Africa in fourth (43.25).  Matt Hewitt got the team off to a flyer with two 8.0 point rides then Eli Jacobs surfed to rides of 7.45 and 7.3.  Dive was next out and scored 5.1 and 5.2.  With time running out Paco Divers got two quick rides of 4.10 and 3.0 before Mason had to sprint into the water and catch two waves in the shore dump and run back to the team box to avoid the time penalty.  This was the second time New Zealand have won the tag team event, the last time being 2001.  

Please see below for results and final placings of the Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team members at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships.

Overall Team Results
1^st Australia
2^nd Brazil
3^rd Hawaii
4^th USA

6^th New Zealand

Boys Under 18
1^st Alejo Muniz (BRA)
2^nd Owen Wright (AUS)
3^rd Tyler Newton (HAW)
4^th Marc Lacomare (FRA)

43^rd Rosa Thompson (Auck)

Boys Under 16
1^st Tamaroa McComb (TAH)
2^nd Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
3^rd Matty Costa (HAW)
4^th Ian Fontaine (FRA)

13^th Alex Dive (Mnt)

25^th Blake Myers (WGM)

Aloha Cup Tag Team Event
1^st New Zealand
2^nd Australia
3^rd France
4^th South Africa

For further information regarding the Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team, please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand 07 8250018, 0212278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

All surfers heats have been logged and can be viewed on http://www.isaworldchamp.com/ by clicking on ‘heats on demand’.

The 2008 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Surfing Championships is an annual event having been held since 2003.  New Zealand has competed at the event since its inception as well as competing at the World Grommet Titles as it was formerly known since 1989.  New Zealand has been one of the top nations at each event with Jay Quinn (Gis) securing New Zealand’s first World Championship in the Under 18 Men’s division in 2001.  New Zealand also placed fourth in 2007 – it’s highest placing since 2001.  The 2007 team were aided by finals berths for Matt Hewitt who placed third in the under 16 boys and Paige Hareb who placed fourth in the under 18 girls.  28 countries are competing at the event in 2008.

The tour would not be possible without the support of Rip Curl, New Zealand Community Trust and Surfing New Zealand.

Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by

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