Billabong Grom Series

Billabong Grom Series in association with Oceanbridge - Event Two
Whangamata, New Zealand
5 - 6 February 2005

Day 2: STAIRMAND STRINGS IT TOGETHER FOR EVENT WIN

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 09 February 2005: - - Billy Stairmand today (Sunday) strung together one of his best competitive performances to win through two heats before surfing the final to an excellent win in the Under 16 Boys Division of event two in the Billabong Grom Series held at Whangamata. In solid 1.0m – 1.5m waves, Stairmand took control of the final riding a 5.9 point wave mid-heat before latching on to the best wave of the final to score a 7.5. His 7.5 point ride was a long ‘right’ that allowed three huge maneuvers and with that Stairmand took the lead and never relinquished it.

It is the first win for Stairmand in a long time and the first event he has contested in the Billabong Grom Series. His awesome surfing displaced the up until now unbeatable Tim O’Connor (Mnt) into second place after O’Connor could not find the longer peeling waves and finished up with a respectable 12.35 heat score. With his second placing O’Connor stretches his lead in the Series and is closer to winning the air ticket and entry into the Billabong Occy Grom Comp held on the Gold Coast of Australia. Placing third was Ryan Hawker (Piha) who surfed six heats through the day making two finals. However in the Under 16 finals Hawker could not back up his best scoring ride of 6.0 to challenge Stairmand for the win. James Gray (Port Waikato) impressed the forty strong field of boys to progress through to the final but was stopped there by the more experienced three that placed above him. No doubt this result will be a confidence booster for Gray and he will be one to watch in the final event.

The Under 16 Girls was won by a stoked Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) who won out over good friend Paige Hareb (Tara). Paul threw caution to the wind in the final going for the big moves and completing them with success. Her total heat score of 10.10 included a 6.00 for her best ride. Paul’s first place comes on the back of an impressive second placing in the Open Women’s Division of the Billabong Pro held in Whangamata last weekend. Hareb could not find the longer waves and had to settle for second this time round after winning event one of the series. Riverton’s Pae Pou placed third with an impressive performance. Pou has been in the North Island for over a month competing in the Surfing New Zealand sanctioned events before she heads back south to attend school. Local girl Georgia Davidson finished a respectable fourth in her first final at an event of this caliber.

The Under 14 Boys Division was again dominated by Ryan Hawker (Piha) who was unstoppable on his crusade to make it two wins from two in the series. This win follows an amazing first placing at an Under 14 event in Australia where he was the sole New Zealander competing. This time around Hawker scored the event high 15.15 total heat score after surfing two excellent rides of 7.9 and 7.25. It was Hawker’s power and mature style that stood out in the final and the remaining three finalists were unable to match it having to surf for the minor placings. Stefan White (WGM) completed some good turns but could not string more than two together and had to settle for second. Another local boy Karne Pitcher (WGM) and Mathis Smith fought it out for third with Pitcher getting the nod on his last wave in the dying stages of the final.

Annie Stuart (Auck) picked up her first win at this level in the Under 14 Girls after edging out Grace Spiers, the winner of event one in the series however Spiers had earlier taken out the Under 12 Girls in an excellent display of surfing where she took the challenge of the waves on the outer bank, a courageous effort for girls in the Under 12 Division. Maddy Phillips (Auck) placed third in the Under 14s with Piha’s Georgia Cooper finishing up in third.

In the Under 12 Boys it was another dominating performance from Tane Wallis (Piha) who now has two wins from two in the series and looks odds on favourite to take home the air ticket and entry into the Billabong Occy Grom Comp.

Finals results from Event two of the Billabong Grom Series are as follows:

U16 BOYS Finals
Billy Stairmand, Rag, 1, Tim O’Connor, Mnt, 1, Ryan Hawker, Piha, 3, James Gray, Port Waikato, 4

U14 BOYS Finals
Ryan Hawker, Piha, 1, Stefan White, WGM, 2, Karne Pitcher, WGM, 3, Mathis Smith, Tara, 4

U12 Boys Finals
Tane Wallis, Piha, 1, Kahu Craig Te Ranga, 2, Jack Kingsford, Waihi Beach, 3, Fraser Chatham, WGM, 4

Under 16 Girls Finals
Wini Paul, Sandy Bay, 1, Paige Hareb, Tara, 2, Pae Pou, Riverton, 3, Georgia Davidson, WGM, 4

U14 GIRLS Finals
Annie Stuart, Auck, 1, Grace Spiers, WGM, 2, Maddy Phillips, Auck, 3, Georgia Cooper, Piha, 4

U12 GIRLS Finals
Grace Spiers, WGM, 1, Lucy Brankin, Oakura, 2, Alexis Poulter, Waihi Bch, 2, Rosa Thompson, WGM, 4

Day 1: SURF CONDITIONS TEST BEST AT BILLABONG GROM SERIES

The first day of the second event of the Billabong Grom Series was played out at Whangamata Beach today in solid 1.5m swells. The event, held in association with Oceanbridge, saw some exciting surfing from the Under 16 Boys who best managed the tricky conditions that were hampered by onshore winds.

Tim O’Connor (Mnt) and Ryan Hawker (Piha), winners of the Under 16 and 14 divisions at the first event in the series were again standouts today. Both surfers scored 12.5 in their heats, O’Connor scoring a 7.75 on one wave in his total heat score. Both surfers are on a path to meet each other in the finals provided they progress through their respective heats. Others to show some form in their heats were Bodhi Whitaker (Ohope) and Billy Stairmand (Rag), Stairmand scoring an 8.25 in his heat on one of the best surfed waves today.

Hawker was a standout in the Under 14 Boys division as well where he won his heat in impressive fashion by surfing the bigger waves out the back of the line up and completing big manoeuvres. Local surfers Karne Pitcher and Stefan White used their local knowledge to win their heats with scores of 10.4 and 11.5 respectively. Taranaki’s Michael Mallalieu also surfed into the quarterfinals with an excellent display of surfing for such a ‘fly weight’.

Hitting the water later in the day were the Under 16 and Under 14 Girls. Much to the crowds pleasure, many of the girls took the challenge of the outside waves and prospered with high scores. Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) again looked comfortable and today’s conditions would have seemed a much easier task than tackling last weekends 2.0m-3.0m swells in the Open Women’s Division of the Billabong Pro where she placed second. Paige Hareb (Tara) was another surfer to progress after catching a couple of big waves out the back.

In the Under 14 Girls it was local surfer Grace Spiers that best managed the conditions to progress as did Maddy Phillips (Auck) who tackled the big waves out the back.

Tomorrow will see all divisions completed with prize giving held at the beach at the completion of all divisions. Six thousand dollars of prizes are up for grabs in the six divisions at this event. The winners of the six divisions throughout the series win air tickets and entry in to the Billabong Occy Grom Comp in Australia held during June.

For more information on the event, please contact Ben Kennings on 0274 787369 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

Keep your eyes peeled for the last Billabong Grom Series event:
Billabong Grom Series Event Three – March 19th/20th Piha Beach Auckland

The Billabong Grom Series is brought to you by Billabong, Oceanbridge, Coca Cola and Von Vipper.

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Ben Kennings / www.surf.co.nz/

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