Media Release: Surfing NZ. Written by Ben Kenning, Saturday, 24 April 2010
It was a day for defending title holders to prove what they were made of on the final day of the Export Gold Super 16 completed at Piha today (Saturday 24th April) with Maz Quinn (Gis) and Jessica Santorik (Raglan) both holding on to their titles – Quinn for the third straight year and Santorik the second.
In average 1.0m conditions at the south end of Piha, Quinn dominated the final day of action after getting off to a slow start. In the final he posted a 15.75 point heat total to easily defend his title over Luke Hughes (Rag), Alex Dive (Mnt0 and Nick White (Mnt).
“I am pretty stoked” commented Quinn after exiting the water, “I haven’t done a three-peat at any event or on any series before so that is a first for me” added Quinn.
The final was a close encounter for much of the heat until Quinn exploded on the best wave of the final with his trademark vertical backhand surfing scoring an 8.75 point ride. It was enough to combo the field – his opponents needing two good scoring rides to catch him.
“I think I might be like red wine and be getting better with age” said Quinn. “I am just stoked to be able to mix it up with the young guys and today in the end it turned out well for me because it was a lucky dip out there and I was lucky to get the best wave that came through”.
Luke Hughes had started the final poorly but pushed through to second later in the 25 minute final scoring 10.75. It was familiar territory for Hughes who placed runner up at the event in 2009.
Placing third was Alex Dive (Mnt) scoring 10.10 reducing his fellow Mount Maunganui surfer Nick White into fourth place on 8.40.
Earlier in the day Hughes and Dive defeated Bobby Hansen (Gis) and Tim O’Connor (Mnt) in the first semifinal while Quinn and White took down Paco Divers (Sandy Bay) and Morehu Roberts (Gis).
Jessica Santorik (Raglan) defended her title in the Open Women’s Division defeating Rosa Thompson (Auck) in a low scoring final.
It was Thompson who took the early lead before the two surfers exchanged pole position several times. With the clock ticking down Santorik held on to a slender lead with Thompson scoring a 2.30 point ride – 0.50 short of the required score for the lead. Santorik then went on to surf a final minute wave and score 6.10 to push well out into the lead leaving Thompson stranded out the back.
“I was quite worried, I wasn’t getting anything and Rosa was getting all these long waves and I thought she was smashing me until I got that last wave and landed a good couple of turns” commented Santorik.
“I love the head to head format way better than the four surfer format and it was good eliminating the hassling today because the conditions were pretty average” added Santorik.
Santorik now changes focus to the Women’s World Tour with two events to contest in Europe in just over two weeks time.
“It gives me a big confidence boost going overseas to do the WQS. This event isn’t as big as those international events but I couldn’t ask for more before I head overseas” said Santorik who leaves for Europe in mid May.
The South Island team took their first ever win in the North v South Challenge 33.9 vs 31.0. The South Island team comprising Hayden Brain, Anthony Hema, Alethea Lock, Sam Dunfoy and Jimmy Crooks battled it out with the North Island team going wave for wave but it was the stand out surfing of Sam Dunfoy that edged his team toward victory.
Toward the end of the 60 minute final the North Island team made the crucial mistake of catching an additional wave and incurring a 5 point penalty which tipped the scales with the cup heading south for the first time in the events three year history.
Bay Boardriders took out their first Interclub Championship dominating the four-club final. The team, comprising Tim O’Connor, JC Susan, Laura Rishworth, Nick White and Alex Dive posted a 45.3 total heat score to out point Gisborne Boardriders who placed second with defending champions Point Boardriders of Raglan in third and Whangamata Boardriders in fourth place.
The Export Gold Super 16 is the fifth and final event of the season. The Export Gold Super 16 sees the top 16 male surfers and the top 4 female surfers battle it out for final season honours.
See below for final results from the Export Gold Super 16 completed at Piha Beach today (Sunday 24th April).
Round Robin 2
Heat 1
Morehu Roberts (Gis), 1, Maz Quinn (Gis), 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 3, Tane Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat 2
Luke Hughes (Rag), 1, Leon Santorik (Rag), 2, Blair Stewart (Gis), 3, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 4
Heat 3
Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 1, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 2, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 3, Chris Malone (Gis), 4
Heat 4
Nick White (Mnt), 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 2, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 3, Keone Campbell (Tara), 4
Round Robin 3
Heat 1
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 1, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 2, Morehu Roberts (Gis), 3, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 4
Heat 2
Luke Hughes (Rag), 1, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 2, Maz Quinn (Gis), 3, Chris Malone (Gis), 4
Heat 3
Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 3, Leon Santorik (Rag), 4
Heat 4
Tane Wallis (Piha), 1, Blair Stewart (Gis), 2, Alex Dive (Mnt), 3, Nick White (Mnt), 4
Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Luke Hughes (Rag), 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 2, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 3, Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 4
Heat 2
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Nick White (Mnt), 2, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 3, Morehu Roberts (Gis), 4
Men’s Final
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), 2, Alex Dive (Mnt), 3, Nick White (Mnt), 4
Women’s Round 2
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 3, Ella Williams (Whmata), 4
Women’s Round 3
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 3, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 4
Women’s Final
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 2
Export Gold Super 16 Men’s Points Table
1, Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 27
2, Maz Quinn (Gis), 21
3, Morehu Roberts (Gis), 21
4, Luke Hughes (Rag), 21
5, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 21
8, Alex Dive (Mnt), 21
6, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 18
7, Nick White (Mnt), 18
13, Blair Stewart (Gis), 18
9, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 15
10, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 15
11, Leon Santorik (Rag), 12
12, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 12
13, Tane Wallis (Piha), 12
14, Keone Campbell (Tara), 9
16, Chris Malone (Gis), 3
Export Gold Super 16 Women’s Points Table
1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 24
2, Rosa Thompson (Auck), 21
3, Ella Williams (Whmata), 12
4, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 9
Interclub Championship Final
Bay Boardriders 1, Gisborne Boardriders 2, Point Boardriders 3, Whangamata Boardriders, 4
North vs South Challenge
South Island 1, North Island 2