Rip Curl Pro

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

RASBY RACES HOME FOR EVENT WIN AT RIP CURL PRO

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 12 February, 2006 : - - Gisborne’s Brent Rasby today (Sunday) took his maiden event win at the Rip Curl Pro held at Ruapuke Beach, Raglan.  In a commanding fashion Rasby dominated his fellow competitors winning his quarter and semi finals before going out in the final and leading from the outset.  The win elevated Rasby 21 places up the Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour to tenth place and secured him a place in the final event of the tour – The Lion Red Super 16 to be held on the 25th of February. 

The 29 year old surfer has been competing for 16 years and today’s finals berth was his first at the Open Men’s level.  Rasby couldn’t have started off better scoring an excellent 9.0 point ride only seconds after the start of the heat.  Surfing from the outside break Rasby performed some big turns before linking the wave up to the inside section and finishing with several speed turns.  From there he posted a further 6.0 point wave on his second ride to seal the victory.  Coming in after the final Rasby had a grin from ear to ear as he was greeted by his ecstatic friends.  Holding his huge $3,000 winners cheque aloft he was near speechless at the prize giving having finally won an event. 

Whangamata’s AJ Matthews placed second in the final and was the only surfer to really challenge Rasby for the lead.  Matthews, also a first time finalist opted to surf the bowly left hand waves that were coming through and they suited his style as he posted a first scoring wave of 7.0 and backed that up with a 6.75.  Ultimately requiring an 8.01 for the win Matthews was always in the hunt but time ran out and he had to settle for second place.  The result was a career best but left him one spot short of making the Super 16 cut.  Damon Gunness (Gis) placed third scoring 10.45 in the final and jumps three places up the ratings to 4th one place behind Mark Dovey who placed fourth in today’s final scoring 9.25. 

Earlier Rasby and Dovey ended the run of Jarred Hancox (Tara) and Luke Hughes (Rag) while Matthews and Gunness eliminated Luke Cederman (Rag) and Justin Souter (Mnt). 

Paige Hareb (Tara) continued her fine run of form by winning the Women’s division.  The final was tightly contested with Jessica Santorik (Rag) scoring a 7.00 on her last wave but Hareb went one better to post a near perfect 9.5 point ride on her last wave to take the win.  It was Hareb’s second win for the day after earlier contesting the Rip Curl GromSearch national final and winning a trip to Australia to compete in the international final in April.  Kelly Clarkeson placed third in the final after only finding short waves to score a total of 8.10 ahead of a wave starved Wini Paul (Sandy Bay) 

Bohdi Whitaker (Gis) made it two wins for Gisborne after winning the Junior Men’s final on his last wave.  Whitaker scored a heat high 7.75 on his first wave but got pushed back into second for much of the final after Dean Amess (WGM) went into the lead with a heat score of 13.25.  In the dying stages of the final it was Whitaker who took back the lead scoring 6.3 on his last wave to jump into first and take home his first ever Junior Men’s win.  Amess had to settle for second place just ahead of a junior on the rise in the form of 14 year old Sean Peggs (Tairua).  Peggs belted some big forehand turns midway through the heat to score a 7.0 point ride and ended with a heat total of 12.50.  Young 13 year old Johnny Hicks (Gis) surfed his first Junior Men’s final placing fourth but was not outclassed even though some finalists were five years his senior. 

Tim O’Connor won the national final of the Rip Curl GromSearch to secure his ticket to Australia and a chance at the international final in April.  In a two horse race it was O’Connor that just won out over Ryan Hawker (Piha).  O’Connor scored 13.75 to Hawkers 12.0.  Mathis Smith (Tara) placed third ahead of Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay) in fourth.  In the girls final it was Hareb that won out over double finalist Wini Paul in second, Pae Pou (Inv) in third and Jessica Welch (Gis) in fourth.  

See below for final results from the event as well as the unofficial ratings on the Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour. 

RIP CURL OPEN MEN

RIP CURL OPEN MEN FINALS
Brent Rasby (Gis), Mark Dovey (Mnt), AJ Matthews (Cor), Damon Gunness (Gis)

RIP CURL JUNIOR MEN FINALS
Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 1, Dean Amess (Whmata), 2, Sean Peggs (Tai), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4 

RIP CURL WOMENS FINALS
Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 2, Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), 3, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 4  

LON RED PRO SURFING TOUR RATINGS 

1 Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2 Justin Souter (Mnt)
3 Mark Dovey (Mnt)
4 Damon Gunness (Gis)
5 Luke Cederman (Rag)
6 Luke Hughes (Rag)
7 Hayden Brain (ChCh)
8 Luke Harwood (WGM)
9 Ben Kennings (WGM)
10 Brent Rasby (Gis)
11 Zennor Wernham (Rag)
12 Dean Amess (WGM)
13 Blair Stewart, (Gis) (Rag)
14 Leon Santorik (Rag)
15 Jarred Hancox (Tara)
16 Maz Quinn (Gis)

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 : Night surfing to light up the Rip Curl Pro at Manu Bay
# 2 : Rip Curl Pro - Day one furious action & high scores
# 3 : Challenging conditions experienced at Rip Curl Pro

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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