Australia claims silverware at the Inaugural Lion Red Tri Nations Surfing Series

South Piha was played host to some of the world´s best surfers today as Australia, New Zealand and Sth Africa went head to head, a new initiative in world surfing. The ISA sanctioned event was a world first and organizers expect the idea to be developed further on a worldwide scale.

With a full day of surfing, representatives from each nation were faced with gruelling paddle outs and treachorous rips as Piha lived up to it´s reputation for big dangerous surf, when a fresh Southerly swell arrived battering the coastline and the competitors.

In the end it was the Australians that prevailed with super consistent surfing that the other teams could not match. The Australian team, consisting of captain Joel Jones, ex WCT surfer Sasha Stocker, ex WCT surfer Glynden Ringrose and world #2 women´s surfer Melanie Redman, were just too good in the large stormy waves, regularly posting excellent wave scores.

The NZ team ; Daniel Kereopa (Capt), Damon GUnness, Zennor Wernham and Lisa Hurunui, put up a good fight finishing a close second behind close rivals.

On total points the South African team; Shaun Gossman (Capt), Gerard De Plessis, Brad Bricknell and Heather Clark, finished in third.

Glynden Ringrose (Vic) brought the Australian team home with a superb win in the Men´s individual event. In the men´s final Ringrose was up against fellow Australian Sasha Stocka, New Zealander Zennor Wernham and Sth African Brad Bricknell. The lead swapped many times throughout the 30 minute final and the deciding wave was only ridden by Ringrose in the last 20 seconds of the heat.

Ringrose found the longer left handers breaking off Piha´s famous "Beehive" rock. He concentrated on his trademark forehand snaps, holding nothing back and being rewarded accordingly.

Brad Bricknell and Sasha Stocker saved their best waves till last both riding waves that scored over 7 points in the last minute. Bricknell finished in 2nd place just .25 behind Ringrose.

In third was Stocker and finishing in forth was Zennor Wernham who could not find waves to back up a brilliantly surfed 9.0 that he rode in the first half of the final.

In the Women´s individual event, Australia´s Melanie Redman was unstoppable. Redman showed courage in the large messy waves posting several high scoring waves to win the final comfortably. Coming in second was Sth Africa´s Heather Clark with New Zealand´s Lisa Hurunui finishing in third.

The teams format saw all four surfers from each country surfing in a special event where all surfers have two waves counting towards the countries total.

Australia proved to be too good for their Tri Nations opponents winning both the teams events. New Zealand finished third in the first teams event and came back to get the better of the South Africans in the second teams contest.

Unfortunately due to the large messy conditions organizers decided against holding the Lion Red "Expression Session," a new event which has now become a highlight at NZ pro series events.

At Prize giving the Australian team captain Joel Jones was presented with the Lion Red Tri Nations series Trophey for 2002. Organizers have described the event as a great success and believe the Tri Nations will now feature as a major event on the world surfing scene.

Previous report Intoduction, Teams, and Competition details
Previous report Tri-Nation Series event for Africans Aussies and Kiwis
Previous report TriNations Surfing Series promises solid & tight action

For further information, please contact:

Siobhan Robertson, PR Executive, Lion Nathan NZ
tel. (w) 09 358 8503, (m) 025 301 968,
(e) siobhan.robertson@lion-nathan.co.nz

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