Media Release: Surfing NZ, Written by Ben Kennings, Friday, 23 April 2010
Average surf conditions hampered performances on day one of the Export Gold Super 16 held at Piha today (Friday 23rd April). However, that did not prevent some exceptional surfing and tight heats with trialists competing in sudden-death match ups to make it through to the main event.
Despite the tough 1.0m onshore conditions it was Bobby Hansen (Gis), local Ryan Hawker (Piha), Alex Dive (Mnt) and Blair Stewart (Gis) that progressed through to the main event. Hansen was the standout of the trials posting 12.5 and 15.4 respectively to move through his two heats.
In the women’s trials it was Ella Williams (WGM) with heat wins in two of three heats that moved through to the main event despite being up against the likes of National Champion Laura Rishworth (Mnt) and New Zealand representative Grace Spiers (WGM).
The event moved into the main event where the first of three round robins took place in the afternoon.
Alex Dive made the most of the last heat of the day to post the highest heat score of the round – 13.50 out of a possible 20. Dive used his beach break knowledge to win his heat on the reform righthanders on offer at the infamous ‘Hass’ bank at the south end of Piha.
Dive took the maximum ten points out of the heat beating fellow Mount Maunganui surfer Nick White, Leon Santorik (Rag) and Chris Malone (Gis) in that order.
Fellow heat winners securing the maximum points included current Export Gold Series ratings leader Maz Quinn (Gis), trialist standout Bobby Hansen (Gis) and the experienced journeyman Ben Kennings (WGM).
As the event moves into the second round the winners of the heats today will be looking to consolidate on their performances early Saturday morning.
Surfers looking to step up to the plate and progress through to the latter rounds will be the likes of Gauranga Ormond (WGM) and Chris Malone (Gis) who are the only two surfers able to truly challenge Quinn for the Export Gold Series title. However Malone, seeded second at this weekend’s event, placed fourth in his heat and has a big hill to climb to make it through to the finals at the event after only netting one point from his day one performance. Gauranga Ormond on the other hand secured a third placing in his heat netting four points is better placed to reverse the roles with Quinn after suffering a last minute series loss in 2009.
Trialist Blair Stewart as well as Morehu Roberts (Gis) and Nick White (Mnt) and Tim O’Connor (Mnt) all posted second placings to be in with a chance of moving through to the finals.
In the last heat of the day it was Export Gold Series ratings leader Jessica Santorik (Raglan) who dominated her younger opponents to win the first round robin heat for the women. Rosa Thompson (Auck) picked up a second placing ahead of Jayda Martin – Fitzharris in third and trialist Ella Williams in fourth.
Earlier in the day the semifinals of the Interclub Championship took place with Bay Boardriders of Mount Maunganui coming out on top of the first semifinal and Whangamata Boardriders coming out on top in the second semifinal. The other two clubs to progress were defending champion Point Boardriders of Raglan and the underperforming Gisborne Boardriders Club.
The Export Gold Super 16 is the fifth and final event of the season and is being held at Piha Beach, Auckland from the 23rd – 24th March. The Export Gold Super 16 sees the top 16 male surfers and the top 4 female surfers battle it out for final season honours.
The North Vs South Challenge takes place tomorrow (Saturday 24th April) with the best surfers from both islands going head-to-head in a tag team format competition.
See below for results from day one of the Export Gold Super 16 held at Piha Beach today (Saturday 23rd April).
Open Men’s Trials Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 1, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 2, Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Tim Thompson (Auck), 4
Heat 2
Blair Stewart (Gis), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Che Whitaker (Gis), 3, Anthony Hema (Buller), 4
Heat 3
Hayden Brain (Chch), 1, JC Susan (Mnt), 2, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 3, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 4
Heat 4
Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, Zen Wallis (Piha), 2, Scott Bell (Auck), 3, Dane Simpson (Gis), 4
Open Men’s Semifinals
Heat 1
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Hayden Brain (Chch), 3, Zen Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat 2
Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, Blair Stewart (Gis), 2, JC Susan (Mnt), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4
Open Men’s Main Event Qualifiers
Bobby Hansen (Gis), Ryan Hawker (Piha), Alex Dive (Mnt), Blair Stewart (Gis)
Open Women’s Trialists
Heat 1
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 2, Hayley Coakes (Dun), 3, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 4
Heat 2
Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 1, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 2, Ella Williams (Whmata), 3, Hayley Coakes (Dun), 4
Heat 3
Ella Williams (Whmata), 1, Grace Spiers (Whmata), 2, Laura Rishworth (Mnt), 3, Hayley Coakes (Dun), 4
Open Men’s Round Robin
Heat 1
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Blair Stewart (Gis), 2, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 3, Keone Campbell (Tara), 4
Heat 2
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 1, Tim O’Connor (Mnt), 2, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 3, Tane Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat 3
Ben Kennings (Whmata), 1, Morehu Roberts (Gis), 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 3, Luke Hughes (Rag), 4
Heat 4
Alex Dive (Mnt), 1, Nick White (Mnt), 2, Leon Santorik (Rag), 3, Chris Malone (Gis), 4
Interclub Championship
Heat 1
Bay Boardriders 1, Point Boardriders 2, Wildcoast Boardriders 3, Lionrock Boardriders 4
Heat 2
Whangamata Boardriders 1, Gisborne Boardriders 1, New Plymouth Surfriders 3, South Island 4
The action will go down at Piha Beach on both Friday and Saturday. The event will run between 8.00am and 3.00pm both days with prize giving held at the beach.