Written by Ben Kennings, Surfing NZ, Saturday, 15 January 2011
Title contenders emerged from the pack on day three of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships at St Clair Beach, Dunedin today (15th January) with the hottest surfing of the event to date taking place.
The surfing in the Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions was electric with the last eight surfers of the Men’s Division found while the Women’s Division was surfed through to the last four surfers.
The Quinn brothers who were pitched together in the second quarterfinal heat showed the skill of their champion surfing family. With five titles between them, the two surfers left nothing to chance moving through to the last eight surfers, Maz claiming the first battle victory winning the heat with a score of 16.6 to younger brother Jay’s 15.43.
The Quinns will go head to head again on the final day of the event firstly in the semifinals but with the aim of gunning for the title against each other in the final.
The Quinn’s were not the only ones to shine however, with defending champion Billy Stairmand (Rag) scoring 16.37 points out of a possible 20 to win his heat. Stairmand was up against his travelling companion on the World Tour, Richard Christie (Mah), who also progressed through to the semifinals with a score of 14.37. Coincidentally it was Christie that finished runner up to Stairmand at the event in 2010.
Also progressing through to the final were Taranaki stalwart Jarred Hancox and Piha’s Ryan Hawker who finished in first and second in the first heat of the quarterfinals.
Sixteen year old Ella Williams (WGM) stunned her opponents with a powerful display of surfing that totalled 16.0 points out of a possible 20 points. Williams will be the youngest finalist on the final day and her current run of form will give her a great chance for a shot at the title. Williams progressed alongside local wildcard Hayley Coakes who was another to shock her opponents by progressing through to the final. Both surfers are first time finalists.
The second semifinal went more according to plan with the number one seed Jessica Santorik (Rag) winning the heat ahead of Airini Mason (Gis). The two surfers ran away with the final, Santorik scoring 12.80 to Mason’s 12.17.
A whopping 44 heats were contested throughout the day with officials using two arenas at times to get through 15 hours of surfing. For a full report on all divisions contested today, head to the Surfing New Zealand website.
The event is the second of six events on the 2010/11 SOL Series and is being held at St Clair Beach, Dunedin. Today the surf remained around the 2.0m mark with the sun breaking through the clouds during the afternoon.
Day four will take place at St Clair Beach with a 7.30am start. The order of events will be confirmed once officials assess the conditions in the morning.
Please below for results from day 3 of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships held at St Clair Beach Dunedin today (Saturday 15th January).
Open Men’s Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Ryan Hawker (Piha), 13.2, 1, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 13, 2, Keone Campbell (Tara), 10.7, 3, Ben Poulter (Rag), 8.83, 4
Heat 2
Maz Quinn (Gis), 16.6, 1, Jay Quinn (Gis), 15.4, 2, Luke Hughes (Rag), 13, 3, Alex Dive (Mnt), 9.73, 4
Heat 3
Billy Stairmand (Rag) , 16.4, 1, Richard Christie (Mahia), 14.4, 2, Leon Santorik (Rag), 13.2, 3, Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 13.1, 4
Heat 4
Morehu Roberts (Rag), 13.1, 1, Blair Stewart (Gis), 12.1, 2, Tane Wallis (Piha), 11.4, 3, Nick White (Mnt), 11, 4
Open Men’s Semifinals (Yet to be surfed)
Heat 1
Ryan Hawker (Piha), Jarred Hancox (Tara), Maz Quinn (Gis), Jay Quinn (Gis)
Heat 2
Billy Stairmand (Rag), Richard Christie (Mahia), Morehu Roberts (Rag), Blair Stewart (Gis)
Open Women’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 16, 1, Hayley Coakes (Dun), 9.57, 2, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 8.9, 3, Alethea Lock (ChCh), 5.57, 4
Heat 2
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 12.8, 1, Airini Mason (Gis), 12.17, 2, Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 7.23, 3, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 6.63, 4
Open Women’s Finals (Yet to be surfed)
Ella Williams (Whmata), Hayley Coakes (Dun), Jessica Santorik (Rag), Airini Mason (Gis)