Raglans Billy Stairmand and Ben Poulter into finals at Nationals

Billy Stairmand – Image Cory / NZ Surf Mag

The four finalists in the Open Men’s Division were decided at the Hyundai National Surfing Championships held at Gisborne today (Saturday 3^rd April) with home town favourites coming to the fore filling three of the finals berths.

The final of the premier division is scheduled to be surfed tomorrow (Sunday 4^th April) and will be contested by two ex New Zealand Champions, the legendary Maz Quinn (1996, 2000, 2004, 2006) and New Zealand’s top internationally rated surfer Richard Christie (2005) – two surfers at opposite ends of their careers.

The action took place at Makorori Beach, Gisborne today (Saturday) in clean 1.0m waves.

Today in the semifinals it was Christie who used his new found international experience that surfed strategically scoring 13.00 out of a possible 20 early in his heat.  Christie only caught two waves during the 20 minute semifinal.

From there Christie held down first place and made sure that if any further good waves came through, he would be in the right spot to capitalise.  The ocean went flat late in the heat with Christie progressing in first place ahead of Morehu Roberts (Gis) who together eliminated Luke Hughes (Rag) and Bobby Hansen (Gis).

“I got my two waves early.  After that I just held the peak to make sure I got the best waves and nobody got waves under me” said Christie who attributes his strategy to his overseas experience where he suggests “all the guys do that on tour”.

The strategy Christie chose to use takes a lot of mental toughness however and Christie was quick to point out that it takes a lot more than ability to win heats.

Roberts was the winner of the most recent Export Gold Series event held at Raglan and goes into the final as one of two dark horses.  He now has the chance to make it back to back wins on the Export Gold Series.  Asked what he thought of his chances Roberts commented “I just have to relax, sit back and watch everything and come up with my own game plan to win”.

In the second semifinal, Quinn also used his years of international experience to get quick waves and build up a lead that he was never going to relinquish.

Quinn progressed alongside Billy Stairmand of Raglan who like Roberts, will contest his first final at the Hyundai National Championships.  Together they eliminated Blair Stewart (Gis) who just missed the final on a count back with Roberts and New Zealand representative JC Susan (Mnt) who placed fourth.

Stairmand finds himself in his first ever National Championships final after progressing through his semifinal with a late flurry of waves.

“You have people like Maz and Ricardo who have won the event already.  This is my first nationals in three years so I am the underdog I guess” said Stairmand adding “I was looking at the trophy before and I didn’t want to touch in case I put the jinx on myself but to win that would just top off my career to date”.

Quinn will be gunning for his fifth national title which will equal the feats of Wayne Parkes and Iain Buchanan as the most celebrated New Zealand surfers at this event.

Quinn has been searching for his fifth title for the past four years after last winning in 2006 at Ahipara.  “I am not going into the final to lose.  I will be focusing everything into getting that fifth title and then I will be happy”.

Christie will be searching for his second national title after winning his first at Opunake in 2005 when he became the youngest ever surfer to do so as a spritely 16-year-old.

“I am just going to keep doing what I have been doing, stay happy and spend time with my family and friends and take it as it comes.  Winning the title is definitely what I want to do, hopefully I can get two waves in the final and surf them well” commented Christie.

The Hyundai National Championships is the fourth of five events on the 2009/10 Export Gold Series with the final event, the Export Gold Super 16 taking place at Piha on the 23-24 April.

Tomorrow will see the final nine heats of the event take place including the premier Open Men’s and Women’s finals.  The finals will be completed by approximately 12.00pm with the prize giving taking place immediately after the event at the beach.

Please see below for the results from day three (Saturday 3^rd April) of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships – event four of the Export Gold Series.

Open Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Richard Christie (Gis), 1, Morehu Roberts (Gis), 2, Luke Hughes (Raglan), 3, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Billy Stairmand (Raglan), 2, Blair Stewart (Gis), 3, JC Susan (Mnt), 4

Under 18 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Ben Poulter (Raglan), 2, Alex Dive (Mnt), 3, Tane Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat 2
Tyler Lawson (H-Bay), 1, Blake Myers (Whmata), 2, Waretini Wano (Piha), 3, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 4

Under 16 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Adam Grimson (Gis), 1, Patxi Scott-Arietta (Sandy Bay), 2, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 3, Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 4
Heat 2
Ben Poulter (Raglan), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Sean Kettle (Tara), 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 4

Under 14 Boys Final
Elliot Paerata – Reid (Piha), 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 2, Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 3, Matt Hansen (Mnt), 4

Under 16 Girls Final
Ella Williams (WGM), 1, Jayda Martin – Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Ella Spiers (WGM), 3, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 4

Over 28 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Damon Gunness (Gis), 1, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 2, Jason Green (Gis), 3, Chris Malone (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Bevan Wig (Auck), 1, James Fowell (Gis), 2, Matt Groube (Cor), 3, Jeremy Evans (HBay), 4

Over 35 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Ben Kennings (Whmata), 1, Kelly Ryan (Gis), 2, Matt Groube (Cor), 3
Heat 2
James Fowell (Gis), 1, Clint Daly (Gis), 2, Morgan Cronin (Auck), 3

Over 40 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Rick Lasch (Piha), 1, Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Simon Avery (Pauanui), 3, Andy McCulloch (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Steve Colbert (Gis), 1, Peter Ritchie (Gis), 2, Morgan Cronin (Auck), 3, Glenn Shuker (ChCh), 4

Over 45 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Glenn Shuker (ChCh), 1, Steve Colbert (Gis), 2, Douglas Ranga (Waihi Bch), 3, Mark Perana (West Coast), 4
Heat 2
Barry Macculloch (Tairua), 1, Phillip Griffin (Mnt), 2, Mike Sansom (Muri), 3, David Storck (Piha), 4

Over 50 Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
John Gisby (Gis), 1, David Storck (Piha), 2, Gary Quinn (Gis), 3
Heat 2
Mark Perana (West Coast), 1, Barry Macculloch (Tairua), 2, Chris Ransley (Gis), 3

Over 55 Men’s Finals
Heat 1
John Gisby (Gis), 1, Larry Foster (Gis), 2, Eddie Rare (Gis), 3, Warwick Thomson (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Chris Ransley (Gis), 1, Graham Breckell (Gis), 2, Gary Quinn (Gis), 3, Ross Moody (Gis), 4

Nineteen national titles are up for grabs at the Hyundai National Championships.  As well as the premier Open Men’s and Open Women’s Divisions, there will be a further 17 divisions comprising of age groups from Under 14 through to Over 50s and also Kneeboard and Bodyboard disciplines.