Rip Curl Pro

Event #2 of Red Lion Pro Surfing Tour
Manu Bay, raglan
10 - 12 February 2006

Night Surfing to Light up the Rip Curl Pro

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 February, 2006 : - - The Rip Curl Pro to be held at Manu Bay, Raglan commences tomorrow (Friday).  The event is the final leg of the Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour before the top 16 surfers are invited to the Super 16 in two weeks time. Friday night will see the first night surfing session held at Manu Bay for more than fifteen years. 

Sixteen of New Zealand’s best surfers will compete in the Rip Curl ‘expression session’ under a flood lit Manu Bay.  The Lion Red Wave Bar will be choc full of beverages with sounds beating out from the DJs.  It is going to be a sight not to be missed and with a solid swell currently rolling in, the rocky shoreline is bound to be jammed packed.

A talent laden field of New Zealand’s best surfers have lined up to compete in the main event this weekend and a chance to take home part of the $15,600 in cash that is up for grabs.  The field will be lead by a number of local surfers starting at the number one seed Daniel Kereopa.  Kereopa is the defending event champion after he overcame the likes of Maz Quinn (Gis), Simon Deken (Tara) and Mike Banks (Rag) in the final of last years event. 

Kereopa could secure his second straight Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour championship this weekend with a good performance.  Only a standout effort from the likes of Justin Souter (Mnt) or Luke Cederman (Rag) will be enough to knock Kereopa off the number perch and make him sweat it out until the final event in two weeks time when the tour champion will be crowned.

Kierin Van Der Helder : photo courtesy NZ Surfing Magazine

Other local surfers looking sharp at recent events include National Junior Men’s Champion Kierin Van Der Helder.  Van Der Helder is travelling back from Australia where he has been competing on the Australasian Pro Junior Tour.  He surfs Manu Bay every other day and his forehand is fine tuned to the long running lefthanders.  Leon Santorik will also be out to prove a point at home and try to cement his place in the top 16.

The Open Women will see some fierce action from the local girls and with Rip Curl upping the first prize to $1,000 no one will want to give an inch.  Number one seed Jessica Santorik will hope to retain her number one position but she will be challenged the whole way by defending event champion Kelly Clarkson (Rag) who always saves her best performances for her home break. 

Clarkson toppled Lisa Hurunui in the same event last year and also placed second at the Pro Junior event beating the best Under 20 year old surfers in Australasia.  Paige Hareb (Tara), Kara Stephenson (Rag) and Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) currently fill the top four spots beside Santorik and will be hoping to hold on to their ratings inside the top four women.

This year’s event also sees the national finals of the Rip Curl GromSearch.  The winners of the Under 16 Boys and Girls Divisions from each of the four events held last year received an invite to the national final.  The winner of each heat will win a trip to the WCT Rip Curl Pro at Bells in Easter where they will get to compete in the international GromSearch final. 

The national finals see Tim O’Connor (Mnt), Ryan Hawker (Piha), Mathis Smith (Tara) and Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay) compete in the boys.  In the girls we will see Paige Hareb (Tara), Jess Welch (Gis), Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) and Pae Pou (Riv) line up for the prestigious first prize.

Below are the current Top 20 surfers on the 2005/06 Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour.  The top 16 male surfers and top four female surfers qualify for the Lion Red Super 16 to be staged at Piha Beach Auckland on the 25th of February. 

1 Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 67852
2 Justin Souter, (Mnt) 5400
3 Luke Cederman (Rag), 4630
4 Mark Dovey (Mnt), 4596
5 Hayden Brain (ChCh), 4495
6 Luke Hughes (Rag), 4403
7 Damon Gunness (Gis), 4398
8 Luke Harwood (WGM), 4221
9 Maz Quinn (Gis), 4150
10 Dean Amess (WGM), 4050
11 Bobby Hansen (Gis), 3960
12 Ben Kennings (WGM), 3899
13 Zennor Wernham (Rag), 3625
14 Blair Stewart, (Gis) 3605
15 Leon Santorik (Rag), 3451
16 Thomas Poulsen (Gis), 3433
17 John Klevstul (Mur), 3335
18 Nat Parsons (Kaik), 3300
19 Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag), 3133
20 Ryan Hawker (Piha), 3130

The 2006 Rip Curl Pro is sponsored by Rip Curl and Lion Red. The event would be not possible without the support of Surfing New Zealand and Point Boardriders. Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by Lion Red, Vodafone, Hyundai, SPARC, Smokefree.

www.surfingnz.co.nz

Previous reports:
# 1 : Coming soon
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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