Maz Quinn, image courtesey NZ Surfing Magazine 

Hyundai National Surfing Championships 2006

Surfing New Zealand
Supertubes, Shipwreck Bay, Northland
7 - 14 January 2006

HYUNDAI NATIONALS “AS GOOD AS IT GETS”

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 January, 2006 : - - Today (Tuesday) the action at the 2006 Hyundai National Surfing Championships turned its attention back to the points at Shipwreck Bay where the surfers scored perfect Supertubes at a solid 1.5m.  Light offshore winds fanned the waves and the Open Men’s surfers took full advantage. 

With the top seeds in the water excellent rides went down every other minute of the day.  Maz Quinn (Gis) and Daniel Kereopa (Rag), the two hot favourites for this event, posted some of the highest scores of the day with Kereopa leading the way scoring 15.9 to Quinn’s 15.35 in round four.  The two surfers look to be at the top of their game and with their earlier third round scores of 17.75 and 15.5 rspectively, it would appear that the are destine for an almighty match up in the finals.  It will be the three times national champion Quinn who will look to keep Kereopa scoreless in the title department for the Open Men’s Division. 

Daniel Kereopa , image courtesey NZ Surfing Magazine

Not to be out done Kaikoura’s Nat Parsons scored 15.4 to win one of the closest heats of the day.  In a nail biter that only 0.45 points separated first from fourth, Nat Parsons came out on top with scores of 9.0 and 6.4.  Ben Kennings scraped through in second scoring 15.20 ahead of a disappointed Jay Quinn (Gis) on 15.0 and AJ Matthews (WGM) on 14.95.  All four surfers rode length of the point waves that consistently rolled through during the 20 minutes. 

Others to win their heats included Dane Simpson (Gis) whose good run of form continued as he lapped up the long lefthanders.  Jarred Hancox (Tara), another surfer on his forehand surfed with speed and charged any on coming lip to win his heat and Damon Gunness (Gis) was his usual calculated self rounding out the wins in the fourth round. 

Jay Quinn , image courtesey NZ Surfing Magazine 

The Open Women surfed late in the afternoon and as the tide filled in the swell diminished somewhat becoming inconsistent.  Paige Hareb (Tara) jumped out of the starting blocks in her heat catching a good early ride.  But like all other girls Hareb struggled to find a back up wave in her heat even though finishing in first place.  The two Jess’s Welch (Gis) and Santorik (Rag) finished their duel ‘one-two’ to progress to the semi finals.  For defending champion Santorik it was another second place progression as she looks to build momentum for her title defence. 

Just prior to dark the Under 18 Boys rounded out the day with strong performances from Gauranga Ormond (WGM) who scored 13.5 for the win, Keirin Van Der Helder (Rag) who likened the break to his local Manu Bay at Raglan and Billy Stairmand (Rag) along with friend David Crofoot (Rag). 

The swell is expected to ease for Wednesday but the event will still be held at Shipwreck Bay with the Open Men’s, Longboard, Under 16 Boys and Over 28 Men all getting a start as well as the Bodyboard (conditions permitting). 

Page Hareb , image courtesey NZ Surfing Magazine

See below for a full results list for Day four of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships.

Hyundai Open Men’s Round 3 

Heat one
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 2, Luke Harwood (Auck), 3, Mike Banks (Rag), 4 

Heat two
Zennor Wernham (Rag), 1, Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 2, Isaac Peterson (Tara), 3, Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag), 4

Heat Three
Jay Quinn (Gis), 1, Nat Parsons (Kaik), 2, Maru Pou (Inv), 3, Ben Connolly (Tara), 4

Heat four
Ben Kennings (WGM), 1, AJ Matthews (WGM), 2, Dan Scott (WGM), 3, Chris Speedy (WGM), 4

Heat five
Jos Kennings (WGM), 1, Nick Ngau Chun (Piha), 2, Blair Stewart (Gis), 3, Rowan Aish (Mur), 4

Heat six
Dane Simpson (Gis), 1, Luke Cederman (Rag), 2, Matt Hishon (Rag), 3, Cain Aldridge (Tara), 4

Heat seven
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Hayden Brain (Can), 2, Batchelor Tipene (Tara), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4

Heat eight
Mark Dovey (Mnt), 1, Oli Adams (UK), 2, Nick White (Mnt), 3, Nat Day (Tara), 4

Heat nine
Jarrod Hancox (Tara), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), 2, Luke Kerr (Tara), 3, Jamie Patten (Chch), 4

Heat ten
Dean Amess (WGM), 1, Dean Hishon (Rag), 2, Steve Thompson (Whan), 3, Lynden Hutton (Dun), 4 

Heat eleven
Leon Santorik (Rag), 1, Damon Gunness (Gis), 2, Liam Joyce (Auck), 3, Chad Dowsett (Whan), 4  

Heat twelve
Justin Souter (Mnt), 1, Blanton Smith (Tara), 2, John Klevstul (Mur), 3, Simon Deken (Tara), n/s

Hyundai Open Men’s Round 4 

Heat one
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Issac Petterson (Tara), 2, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 3, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 4 

Heat two
Nat Parsons (Kaik), 1, Ben Kennings (WGM), 2, AJ Matthews (WGM), 3, Jay Quinn (Gis), 4 

Heat three
Dane Simpson (Gis), 1, Luke Cederman (Rag), 2, Jos Kennings (WGM), 3, Nick Ngau Chun (Piha), 4, 

Heat four
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Mark Dovey (Mnt), 2, Oli Adams (UK), 3, Hayden Brain (Can), 4 

Heat five
Jarrod Hancox (Tara), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), 2, Dean Amess (WGM), 3, Dean Hishon (Rag), 4

Heat six
Damon Gunness (Gis), 1, Leon Santorik (Rag), 2, Justin Souter (Mnt), 3, Blanton Smith (Tara), 4 

Hyundai Open Men’s Quarter Finals (Yet to be surfed) 

Heat one
Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Issac Petterson (Tara), Nat Parsons (Kaik), Ben Kennings (WGM)

Heat two
Dane Simpson (Gis), Luke Cederman (Rag), Maz Quinn (Gis), Mark Dovey (Mnt)

Heat three
Jarrod Hancox (Tara), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), Damon Gunness (Gis), Leon Santorik (Rag)

Previous reports:
# 1 : Hyundai Surfing Championships draws top NZ surfers 
# 2 : Pines turns it on for Hyundai National Surfing Champs  
# 3 : Jay Quinn leads hot round 2 action at NZ Nat'l Champs
# 4 : Fitzharris pushes boundaries at Hyundai Longboards.. 
# 5 : Coming soon
# 6 : Coming soon
# 7 : Coming soon  

Complete lists of all National Champions are lavailable at;– www.surfingnz.co.nz/history.htm. 

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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