Surfing New Zealand has today (20^th May 2011) announced a team of eight surfers to represent New Zealand at the 2011 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games which take place in Panama during June and July this year.

The New Zealand Surfing Team comprises a relatively inexperienced line-up of surfers in terms of the World Surfing Games event.  However the team is spearheaded by Paige Hareb (Tara), New Zealand’s most successful female surfer who, in her first outing at the event, placed runner up in 2010.

Hareb sits alongside the best female surfers in the world ranked twelfth on the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour and fifth on the ASP World Qualifying Series.  After her runner up placing in 2010, to Australia’s Chelsea Hedges, Hareb will want to go that extra step to be the first New Zealand surfer to claim a gold medal at the event and add yet another impressive accolade to her name.

Several new members of the New Zealand team have risen through the junior ranks competing internationally and are therefore accustom to the pressures of international competition.  Three such team members are currently in Peru contesting the 2011 World Junior Championship.  Ben Poulter (Rag), Tane Wallis (Piha) and Grace Spiers (WGM) commence their bid for gold medals at the event overnight Sunday New Zealand time (22^nd May).

Mount Maunganui surfer JC Susan will compete in the Open Men’s Division for the first time after representing New Zealand at the World Junior Championships in 2010.  Susan is currently studying at Otago University so will take time out of his studies to attend the event.

Piha’s Zen Wallis along with Auckland Longboarders Phil Morris and Matt Cockayne will be representing New Zealand for the first time at the event.  Morris and Cockanye were stand out performers on the 2011 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour finishing the year ranked third and fourth respectively.

The team comprises surfers from five regions throughout New Zealand - Auckland, Waikato, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki.

The New Zealand team placed seventh from 31 nations in 2010.  The ranking was the highest achieved by the New Zealand Team in the past decade.  The 2011 team will be out to surpass that excellent result whilst competing in the amazing Central American waves of Panama.

Panama hosted the 2010 ISA World Masters Championship which scored pumping waves throughout the event.

The New Zealand Surfing Team is as follows:

Open Men
Ben Poulter (Rag)
JC Susan (Mount)
Tane Wallis (Piha)
Zen Wallis (Piha)

Open Women
Grace Spiers (WGM)
Paige Hareb (Tara)

Men’s Longboard
Phil Morris (Auck)
Matt Cockayne (Auck)

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 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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