Surfing NZ, 22.05.2015
The Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths, New Zealand’s richest domestic surfing event, has drawn an exceptional field of surfers to Raglan with performance levels to match on day one of the event.
The surf remained around the 1.0m – 1.5m mark all day on Friday with the expected in crease in size not occurring until late in the day.
A break in international competition allowed for several surfers to return to New Zealand to contest the event including local Billy Stairmand who easily advanced to the quarterfinals of the Open Men’s Division.
Stairmand posted a 15.0 point heat total to advance through his heat and he will now meet current New Zealand Pro Series ratings leader Maz Quinn (Gis) along with Alex Dive (Mnt) and Matt Scorringe (WGM).
Quinn placed second in his second round match up behind an in form Paul Moretti who scored 14.0 points to win his heat. Moretti was among several big winners in the second round including Alex Dive (Mnt) who posted the day’s highest heat score of 15.6 out of a possible 20 points.
The path was not so straight forward for World Qualifying Series campaigner Matt Hewitt who placed second in his heat to advance to the Quarterfinals behind Leon Santorik (Rag). Hewitt will be looking for a big second day of the event before he heads off to the ISA World Surfing Games being held in Nicaragua from next weekend.
Joining Hewitt in the New Zealand Team is Ella Williams who successfully navigated her first round heat on day one posting a 14.77 point heat total to advance to the quarterfinals alongside Airini Mason (Gis) in second place.
Mason was joined by her younger Australian based sister Sarah Mason in the event with the younger sibling also tasting success on day one of the event surfing to a 13.0 point heat total and the win.
The first round of the Under 20 Boys Division kicked off the day early in the morning with Kayden Mayes (Mnt), Elliot Paerata – Reid (Piha), Jonas Tawharu (Mnt) and Traivs Morton all securing heat wins. All surfers now progress through to the quarterfinals where they will meet the top seeds in in the event.
The Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths is New Zealand’s richest domestic surfing event.
The event caters to the best surfers in New Zealand in both the Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions as well as the juniors on the rise in the Under 20 Boys Division.
Action on Saturday will take place from 8am at Manu Bay. The swell is expected to build further in to Saturday with offshore winds forecasted. The challenge will be the strength of the offshores with some reports predicting the wind to be gale force.
The Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths includes the all-time Saturday night gathering at the YOT Club thanks to Galbraiths.
Please see below for results from day one of the Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths held at Manu Bay, Raglan yesterday (Friday 22nd May).
Open Men’s Round 1
Heat 1
Kehu Butler (Mnt), 12.1, 1, Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 8.4, 2, Jules Craft (Gis), 7.57, 3, Andrew Archibold (Rag), 6.17, 4
Heat 2
Phill Willoughby (Rag), 11.4, 1, Jereme Aubertin (Mnt), 9, 2, Nick Hardie (Rag), 8.43, 3, Deane Hishon (Rag), 3.1, 4
Heat 3
Simon Deken (Tara), 12.5, 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 10.77, 2, Mikey Banks (Rag), 10.07, 3, George Busby (Gis), 6.67, 4
Heat 4
Luke Hughes (Rag), 14.67, 1, Nat Hughes (Rag), 11.07, 2, Kayden Mayes (Mnt), 9.67, 3, Jack Wilson (Chch), 7.03, 4
Heat 5
Ryan Hawker (Piha), 13.77, 1, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 10.5, 2, Sam Sands (Chch), 7.1, 3, Shohei Kawasaki (JPN), 3.4, 4
Heat 6
Leon Santorik (Rag), 13.33, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 9.57, 2, Braedon Williams (WGM), 7.27, 3, Andrew Fraser – Mackenzie (Mnt)), 5.8, 4
Heat 7
Luke Cederman (Rag), 13, 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 12.63, 2, Callum Chuter (Mnt), 11.9, 3, Matt Vick (Gis), 8.77, 4
Heat 8
Travis McCoy (Mnt), 9.73, 1, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 8.43, 2, Dillon Tarrant (Rag) , 7.37, 3, Rian Boyd (Auck), 6.8, 4
Open Men’s Round 2
Heat 1
Billy Stairmand (Rag), 15, 1, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.6, 2, Kehu Butler (Mnt), 10.87, 3, Jereme Aubertin (Mnt), 5, 4
Heat 2
Alex Dive (Mnt), 15.57, 1, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 11.73, 2, Phill Willoughby (Rag), 8.4, 3, Geoff Hutchison (Rag), 3.83, 4
Heat 3
Ben Kennings (Whmata), 11.87, 1, Matt Scorringe (Whmata), 10.93, 2, Simon Deken (Tara), 9.43, 3, Nat Hughes (Rag), 8.77, 4
Heat 4
Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 14, 1, Maz Quinn (Gis), 13.53, 2, Larry Fisher (Rag), 12.5, 3, Luke Hughes (Rag), 12.1, 4
Heat 5
Bobby Hansen (Gis), 12.23, 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 11.7, 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 10.53, 3, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 4.13, 4
Heat 6
Leon Santorik (Rag), 15.5, 1, Matt-Lewis Hewitt (Mnt), 10.5, 2, Ben Poulter (Rag), 10.27, 3, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 4.93, 4
Heat 7
Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 12.23, 1, Luke Cederman (Rag), 12, 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 9.87, 3, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 6.37, 4
Heat 8
Dune Kennings (Whmata), 13, 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 12.6, 2, Chris Malone (Gis), 10.03, 3, Travis McCoy (Mnt), 8.3, 4
Open Women’s Round 1
Heat 1
Milly Crewe (Mur), 1, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 2
Heat 2
Ella Williams (Whmata), 14.8, 1, Airini Mason (Gis), 12.8, 2, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 8.5, 3, Tiana-Breeze de Mooij (Mnt), 5.17, 4
Heat 3
Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 2,
Heat 4
Sarah Mason (Aus), 13, 1, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 10.6, 2, Nicola Colson-Koster (Auck), 8.33, 3, Indica Ratima (Rag), 7.43, 4
Under 20 Boys Round 1
Heat 1
Travis Morton (Waihi Beach), 10.8, 1, George Busby (Gis), 9.2, 2, Mitchell Kent (Waipu), 8.83, 3, Sam Sands (Chch), 6.33, 4
Heat 2
Kayden Mayes (MNT), 15.6, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 12.1, 2, Joe Palmer (Kerikeri), 8.23, 3, Matt Mcgregor (Nrthland), 3.83, 4
Heat 3
Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 14.7, 1, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 9.6, 2, Harry Macintosh (Rag), 8.67, 3, Dylan Preston (WGM), N/S
Complete event write ups, results, surfer ratings and images from the event can be viewed at Surfing New Zealand.