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Surfing New Zealand has today (Friday) announced a twenty-one-strong squad of surfers in the build up to the World Junior Championships being held in France from the 21st of May – 1st of June 2008. The squad will be reduced to a twelve person travelling team in February when selectors decide on the final make up of the team. The junior team will be out to better the outstanding results they achieved in May this year when they placed fourth at the World Junior Champs. The team result was lead by a third placing from under 16 boys surfer Matt Hewitt and a fourth from under 18 girls surfer Paige Hareb. Both surfers are part of the 2008 squad announced today.
The 2008 New Zealand Junior Surfing Team squad is as follows:
Under 18 Boys
Braedon Williams - Whangamata
Buck Woods – Gisborne
Eli Jacobs – Australia
Matt Hewitt – Mount Maunganui
Keone Campbell - Taranaki
Paco Divers – Sandy Bay
Ryan Hawker – Piha
Sean Peggs – Tairua
Tyler Anderson - Taranaki
Under 18 Women
Airini Mason – Queensland, Australia
Alexis Poulter – Raglan
India Wray-Murane - Muriwai
Paige Hareb – Taranaki
Rosa Thompson – Auckland
Sarah Mason – Queensland, Australia
Under 16 Boys
Alex Dive – Mount Maunganui
Blake Myers – Whangamata
Damien Norman – NSW, Australia
Johnny Hicks – Gisborne
Karne Pitcher – Whangamata
Tane Wallis – Auckland
The talent laden squad includes ten surfers that have represented New Zealand at the World Junior Champs in previous years. Team management will draw on the experience of these surfers and use it to aid the newcomers in the squad in preparation for the naming of the team and consequently the tour to France. Airini Mason, Matt Hewitt and Paige Hareb have all been finalists at the World Junior Champs, the latter two this year. “There is no reason why these surfers should not achieve results of the same scale or better in 2008” commented National Selector Ben Kennings further suggesting “The 21 selected surfers have a total of 18 World Junior Champs appearances between them so not only are Airini, Matt and Paige expected to gain great results but the whole team is capable of good results. Many of these surfers have been competing in both New Zealand and Australia all year and Australia arguably boasts the toughest pool of surfers in the world so the Kiwi surfers should be able to step up to the plate and deliver the goods”.
The team sees the inclusion of four Australian based surfers. Airini Mason will be familiar with many surfers around the country but perhaps not her twelve year old sister Sarah. Sarah has been competing successfully in age group events in Australia and while selectors have only seen glimpses of her surf in New Zealand, the natural talent she possesses at such a young age will have her nipping at the heals of her older sister in no time.
Eli Jacobs is an ex-Taranaki surfer who moved to Australia a couple of years ago. Jacobs has been competing in Australia in his Under 18 age group as well as the highly touted Australasian Pro Junior Tour. Damien Norman is a super talented young surfer from New South Wales. Norman came back to New Zealand on holiday earlier this year with his Kiwi Mum and competed at a national event in Mount Maunganui. He caught the eye of the selectors there and with Kiwi roots was interested in representing New Zealand. Continual communication and updates on his results since then see him named in the squad ready to represent the silver fern.
The 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 every event. Jay Quinn (Gis) secured New Zealand’s first World Championship in the Under 18 Men’s division in 2001. Since then New Zealand has secured four finals berths through Richard Christie (2003), Airini Mason (2005), Paige Hareb (2006) and Matt Hewitt (2006). New Zealand placed 4th at the 2007 event held in Portugal. Thirty countries are expected to compete at the event in 2008.
Prior to the main event the team will meet South Africa to contest the annually run ‘SANZ’ Trophy. New Zealand will be the defending champions in 2008 after winning the trophy in May this year.
For further information regarding the naming of the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team squad, please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand 07 8250018, 0212278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
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