Women's tour sights on NZ, offers entry

NZ Women's Open

Taranaki, New Zealand
2 April 2013

NZ Women’s Open offers wildcard into ASP Women's World Championship Tour event

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 March, 2013 : - - Entries have opened for one of the most significant surfing competitions for Kiwi women - the ITL NZ Women’s Open giving the winner a wildcard entry into ASP Dow AgroSciences Pro.

Held in association with Urban Studio, ITL NZ Women’s Open on April 2 in Taranaki creates a golden opportunity for up and coming New Zealand surfers to compete against 17 of the world’s best women surfers on the ASP Women’s World Championship (WCT) tour.

As stop number four in the seven-leg ASP Women’s World Championship (WCT) tour, the ASP competitors are coming to Taranaki for the Dow AgroSciences Pro to be held in Taranaki over a five day-window from April 3 to 7.

Winning the ITL NZ Women’s Open and going into the Women’s WCT event has always provided some real surprises in the three years it has been staged in New Zealand, says event organiser, Craig Williamson from Surfing Taranaki.

“In the first year of the Festival, 15-year old Sarah Mason won the Open – and then rocked the surfing world when she beat world champion Stephanie Gilmore in her second-round heat,” says Williamson. “Sarah then made it all the way to the semi-finals before being knocked out – an amazing achievement for such a young surfer.”

Mason thrived on the experience and her surfing career took off from there, winning the Open again in 2011 and making it onto the World Tour in 2012.

In 2012, it was the opportunity of a lifetime for another young Kiwi surfer when 16-year-old Gabby Sansom won the Open and went on to compete in the Dow AgroSciences Pro.

“These events are all about helping Kiwi women surfers be all they can be,” says Craig. “Last year we created New Zealand surfing history when we had three Kiwis competing in an ASP WCT event for the first time. Coming up against the world’s best means you have to lift your game – and to date that is what we have seen. The question is – who will win the Open this
year and what will be their effect in our ASP Pro event? Stay tuned!”

The Dow AgroSciences Pro is held as the culmination of the 10-day TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival running from March 29 to April 7 which has an event for just about any age bracket of surfers from Micro-Groms to Masters.

Based at New Plymouth’s Fitzroy Beach, the TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival will include the Powerco Micro-Groms for all surfers aged under 11, the Hareb Deken MotorGroms competition for boys and girls under 16, as well as the Corona Easter Masters which is celebrating its 21st year as an event.

The Masters will run from March 29-31,the Grom Comp from March 30-31, the Micro-Groms on April 1 alongside a Beach Carnival at Fitzroy, and the NZ Women's Open Wildcard Trials will be on April 2 followed by the ASP Women's World Tour event April 3-7.

Surfers can enter any of the events, including the ITL NZ Women’s Open held in association with Urban Studio, by simply registering at the website for the Festival,

www.nzsurffestival.co.nz

Source: Surfing Taranaki

Author: Craig Williamson

Tags: New Zealand, Women's WCT, ASP Dow AgroSciences Pro,

Wildcard: Surfersvillage