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Quarterfinalists Found For Guys, Semifinalists For Girls At National Surfing Championships

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The remarkable summer swell hitting the Gisborne coastline continued for day two of the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships 2018 allowing the quarterfinalists of the Men’s Division and semifinalists of the Women’s Division to be determined today (Monday 8th January).

Many locals found it hard to recall the last time Midway Beach broke in the fashion it did today with a clean 2.0m – 2.5m swell charging into the town beach with light offshore winds and afternoon sea breezes.

The near perfect conditions made it easy to continue with the premier Open Men’s Division as well as commence competition for the Women’s Division leaving many junior and senior surfers waiting on the sidelines.

The major performances continued to come from the local surfers with four of eight heat wins in the Men’s Division going to Gisborne.  They included day-one standouts Ricardo Christie (16.97) and Maz Quinn (17.0) who looked near unstoppable.

Christie and Quinn were joined by Johnny Hicks (Gis) who posted a 13.5 point heat total to advance to the quarterfinals and set up what many are regarding as a ‘death heat’.

Hicks will match up against Ricardo Christie as well as fellow Gisborne surfer Bobby Hansen and 2017 runner-up Taylor Hutchison (Rag) when the Open Men’s Division next enters the water.

While Christie posted the highest heat score of the day, he was followed closely by Piha surfer Elliot Paerata – Reid who finished on 15.24 points out of a possible 20 using his backhand to deadly effect in the big waves.

Paerata – Reid will face off against Maz Quinn in the quarterfinals along with Nick White and Dylan Preston both of Mount Maunganui.

Other Round Two standouts included Zen Wallis (Piha) and Keone Campbell (Tara) who both won their early morning heats in convincing style.

Defending champion Billy Stairmand (Rag) had a slow heat today but managed to win, advancing to the quarterfinals and keeping his title defence alive.

Elin Tawharu contested two heats in the Open Women’s Division and looked at home in the challenging conditions finishing with a 13.47 point heat total to advance to the last eight.

Tawharu advanced alongside Saffi Vette (Gis) who herself, showed glimpses of class with a few big turns to finish second.

2015 National Champion Gaby Sansom (Albany) is the last remaining surfer in the draw to have secured a title in the Open Women’s Division.  Today she advanced out of her heat with a comfortable win.  Sansom was joined by her twin sister Bianca who finished second in her heat behind an in-form Zhana Hutchieson (Tara).  Hutchieson posted a 10.10 point heat total with a last minute lefthander that saw her jump from third to first and into the semifinals.

Others to advance included Tegan Bishop (Chch), Abigail Daunton (Gis) and Raiha Ensor (Mnt).

The junior boys divisions rounded out the action on day two for the second day running with the last eight surfers being determined both in the Under 18s and 16s.

Dunedin’s Elliott Brown top scored in the Under 18 Boys Division and was joined on the winners podium by Jay Piper – Healion (Whiti), Shane Kraus (Piha) and Conor McLennan (Chch).

In the Under 16 Boys Division it was Tom Robinson (Whngrei), Myka Black (Chch), Finn Vette (Gis) and Luis Southwood (Whaka) who all claimed heat wins to advance.

The swell is expected to drop for day three of the event and it is likely that the event will be moved to Makorori.  The senior men’s divisions will enter the water for the first time.  There is a good chance that the Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions will be contested again on day three.

The event runs along the Gisborne coastline from 7th – 13th January.

The Health 2000 National Surfing Championships forms the first leg of the 2018 New Zealand Surf Series.

In the 54 year history of the event the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships has grown to encompass 29 divisions spread across all disciplines and age groups from Under 14 through to Over 60 for males and females, longboard, kneeboard and paddleboard.  Over 300 entries have been received for the event.

2018 marks the fourteenth time the event has been held at Gisborne, the most out of any location in the country.  The event was last held at Gisborne in 2014.  The event would not be possible without the support of Health 2000, Eastern Institute of Technology and Gisborne Boardriders.

The draw for the premier Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions plus juniors can be found on the Surfing New Zealand website.

Please see below for results from day two of the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships 2018 held at Midway Beach, Gisborne today (Monday 8th January).

Heat 1
Keone Campbell (Tara), 14.8, 1, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 11.2, 2, Conor McLennan (Chch), 6.33, 3, William Van Der Beek (Mnt), 5.8, 4
Heat 2
Zen Wallis (Piha), 15.2, 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 10.3, 2, Kaya Horne (Mnt), 7.7, 3, Henry Hawke (Chch), 3.2, 4
Heat 3
Damon Gunness (Gis), 12.83, 1, Jared Gebert (Ohope), 8.9, 2, Chris Malone (Gis), 8.4, 3, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 6.73, 4
Heat 4
Billy Stairmand (Rag), 9.3, 1, Elliot Brown (Dun), 8.17, 2, Jack Lee (Whaka), 7.77, 3, Thomas Harcourt (Chch), 6.4, 4
Heat 5
Maz Quinn (Gis), 17, 1, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 10.66, 2, Jamie Andrews (Tara), 8.57, 3, Sam Sands (Chch), 5.33, 4
Heat 6
Nick White (Mnt), 10.03, 1, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 9.43, 2, Callum Chuter (Mnt), 8.1, 3, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 3.8, 4
Heat 7
Johnny Hicks (Gis), 13.5, 1, Dylan Preston (WGM), 8.37, 2, Lee Ririnui (Mnt), 7.97, 3, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 5.77, 4
Heat 8
Richard Christie (Mahia), 17, 1, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 15.2, 2, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 10.4, 3, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 7.47, 4
Heat 1
Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 13.3, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 10.5, 2, Kea Smith (Mnt), 7.23, 3
Heat 2
Zhana Hutchieson (Tara), 9.63, 1, Abigail Daunton (Gis), 5.93, 2, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 1.83, 3, Grace Spiers (Whmata), N/S, 4
Heat 1
Elin Tawharu (Mnt), 13.5, 1, Saffi Vette (Gis), 7.23, 2, Britt Kindred (Mur), 5.94, 3, Georgia Wederell (Chch), 4.87, 4
Heat 2
Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 10.4, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 9.53, 2, Estella Hungerfrd (Chch), 6.33, 3, Brie Bennett (Rag), 4.73, 4
Heat 3
Tegen Bishop (Chch), 7.36, 1, Abigail Daunton (Gis), 7.23, 2, Ariana Shewry (Oakura), 4.74, 3, Billie Scott (Whangarei), 1.07, 4
Heat 4
Zhana Hutchieson (Tara), 10.1, 1, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 8.73, 2, Aimee Brown (GB), 8.43, 3, Tiana-Breeze de Mooij (Mnt), 5.03, 4

Below is a schedule of events that will take place with surfing being held from 8am – 4pm daily.

Day 1 – Open Men, Junior Boys divisions
Day 2 – Addition of Women’s divisions
Day 3 – Addition of Men’s senior age group divisions
Day 4 – Addition of Longboard divisions
Day 5 – Addition of SUP Divisions
Day 6 – Addition of SUP Divisions and Kneeboard
Day 7 – All divisions plus SUP Race

Further Information
For further information on the Health 2000 National Surfing Championships 2018 please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

 

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