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Quinn Finishes 41st – Top Kiwi In 2011 |
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Written by Ben Kennings
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Tuesday, 13 December 2011 |
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| Jay Quinn - Image ASP Europe / Aquashot |
Jay Quinn (Gis) has finished the 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) World Tour in 41st place as the highest ranked Kiwi for 2011. Official rankings were released after the final event was completed on Sunday (11th December).
Travelling companion Richard Christie (Mah) finished the year two places back
ranked 43rd while Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand finished the year
ranked 79th.
The final ranking is a jump of 57 places for Jay Quinn who finished just inside
the top 100 at 98th in 2010.
Christie also jumps up the rankings 22 places from 2010 while Billy
Stairmand finishes 11 places outside his 2010 year-end ranking of 68th.
“You’re always going to look at some
key moments in the year and think what if, but there are so many positives to
take away and work on for next year” Quinn said of his ascent up the rankings
thanks in part to two big results at Prime rated European events – a third in
the Azores and a fifth in Ericeira.
Despite missing the final two Hawaiian events of the year due to the birth of
his first child, Quinn jumped two places up the rankings to finish the highest
he has ever achieved. The ranking is
only four places behind what his older brother Maz Quinn achieved in 2002 finishing
the year in 37th.
The highest ranked Kiwi surfer ever is Iain Buchanan who placed 36th
on the World Tour back in the early 1980s.
“I don't by any means want to take
any emphasis off those guys and their amazing achievements on the ASP World
Tour. They were on the elite tour and I have not made that yet. I feel I have
the ability. It now comes down to mental and physical fitness. It is a tough
new system, but I think the current few kiwi boys there are ready to take the
next step” Quinn said.
Christie echoed Quinn’s sentiments
about the past twelve months that, for him, have included some key moments such
as a third place finish at a Prime event in Brazil as well as an impressive
ninth at the US Open – one of the biggest and most popular surfing events in
the world. However the competitive
nature of Christie has him striving to achieve greater feats in 2012.
“My final ranking of 43rd would have been good a couple years ago but I can't
think like that. It was a sure improvement on last year and one step closer to
my dream of qualification…all I can do is take the positives and negatives from
the year and use them to build strength for my 2012 campaign. Fourth time lucky, its time to get on that
thing already” commented Christie in reference to breaking into the elite
ranks.
Surfers have to finish inside the top 32 surfers in the
world to qualify for the elite level events and contest for the World Title
leaving Quinn and Christie nine and eleven places respectively outside the top
echelon.
All three surfers will take a break over summer with Jay Quinn staying in Australia with
his family. Christie and Stairmand will
be back in New Zealand
enjoying some summer waves and time at home.
All three surfers are expected to contest the Hyundai National Surfing
Championships at Piha Beach, Auckland
which start on the 15th of January and run through to the 21st. Quinn is the defending champion of the Open
Men’s Division.
The first major ASP international events scheduled are Brazil and Australia in early February at
which time the guys will pack their bags and head off in a bid to climb the
rankings further.
If the ASP qualification format is retained in its current form, it could be as
early as the middle of next year when New Zealand sees its second surfer
qualify for the ASP Men’s World Tour.
However if the format changes, as Quinn suggests may happen, it could be
another gruelling twelve months of competition for the New Zealand surfers to
achieve their goals.
Information
For more information on the New
Zealand surfer’s performances please contact
Ben Kennings on 07 8250022 or 021 2278732. Alternatively email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
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