46th annual Hyundai National Surfing Championships
Presented by Quiksilver

Surfing New Zealand
Gisborne New Zealand
12 - 19 January 2008

National Champs Return to East Coast and Forecasted Easterly Swells

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 10 January, 2008 : - - The 46th annual Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver will make a welcome return to the East Coast this weekend when Gisborne hosts the event.  It has been four years since the event was held on the East Coast (Dunedin) and seven years since it was last held in Gisborne (2000). 

The prestigious eight day event runs from the 12th – 19th of January and caters for 21 divisions ranging from Under 14 boys through to Over 50’s as well as longboard, bodyboard and kneeboard disciplines.  The event marks the second leg for both the Corona Crown Series and the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour as well as the Under 16 Boys Division doubling for the New Zealand qualifying event of the Quiksilver King of the Groms.

Swell forecasts look promising for the start of the event and during the latter half of the eight days of competition a large easterly swell is expected to push down the East Coast of New Zealand.  A good swell hitting the famous Gisborne coastline combined with the best surfers in New Zealand will result in some phenomenal surfing all week long. 

Not only will Gisborne’s own world ranked surfers (Bobby Hansen, Maz Quinn and Jay Quinn) be present but so will the majority of the country’s emerging young talent eager to notch up a national title.

This week, defending Open Men’s National Champion Daniel Kereopa (Rag) confirmed he will not be defending that title instead opting to only defend the longboard title.  This means he will also relinquish his senior men’s (Over 28s) title.  However it is unlikely that the hotbed of talent in Gisborne would be concerned whether Kereopa was in the event or not. 

The Gisborne waves are seething with enough of their own talent to be concerned about Kereopa.  With the event being held in their own backyard you would be a courageous man to bet against the home region taking more than its fair share of the 21 titles up for grabs including the premier open men’s division.

Besides the Quinn’s and Hansen you also have the likes of Nathan Welch (Gis) who has won national events in the past and placed fourth at the most recent event on the Corona Crown Series this summer, again in his own backyard.  In the younger age group divisions you can look to the hot young talent of Johnny Hicks and Buck Woods to proudly fly the Gisborne flag in the Under 18 Men’s Division.

Hicks will be one of several surfers vying for the Quiksilver King of the Groms crown which is awarded to the winner of the Under 16 Boys Division.  The winner of the division not only secures a national title but gets the chance to represent New Zealand at the international King of the Groms to be held in France later in the year. 

The winner and a chaperone will be flown to the event courtesy of Quiksilver where he will compete against 48 of the hottest surfers from around the world.  Three time winner of the New Zealand Quiksilver King of the Groms Ryan Hawker is absent from the event and due to age is now ineligible to defend his title.

The event will not be all one way traffic for the local surfers with entries from Ahipara in the far north through to Dunedin in the deep south confirmed for the event.  The usual talent hotspots of Piha, Raglan, Whangamata, Bay of Plenty and Taranaki will all be likely to be proudly represented when their surfers enter the water.

WHAT:  The 2008 Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver is the second of six events on the Corona Crown Series for 2007/08.  The event also marks the second of seven events on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour for 2008.

WHEN:  Saturday 12th – Saturday 19th of January 2008.  The opening ceremony and registration for the event will take place at the Wainui Beach church (beside the Tsunami Bar) on Friday 11th from 5.30pm.

WHERE: The world renowned coastline of Gisborne with potential locations including Midway Beach, Wainui Beach and Makorori Beach as the three main options.  The event will be hosted by Gisborne Boardriders Club.

WHO:  In excess of 350 entries from the best surfers around New Zealand.  Spread across 21 divisions everyone will be out vying for prestigious titles.

FORMAT:  Standard event format with four man heats and 50% progression in all 21 divisions. The majority of finals will be staged on Saturday the 19th of January conditions permitting.

STATUS:  The Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver is rated 5 Star on both the Corona Crown Series and Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour and is sanctioned by Surfing New Zealand.

DID YOU KNOW: Maz Quinn (Gis) is gunning for his fifth Open Men’s National title a feat only two other surfers in NZ have completed (Wayne Parkes and Iain Buchanan). Jay Quinn (Gis) despite being New Zealand’s third highest rated surfer on the international stage is yet to win an Open Men’s title.  Jay has won U/14, U/16 and U/18 titles at the nationals in previous years.

Bobby Hansen (Gis) will also try to add an open title to his three age group national titles. Michael Fitzharris (Gis) is going for his seventh longboard title.  He heads into the event looking to regain form after a 9th placing at the first event of the longboard tour held at Papamoa Beach last weekend. Gisborne’s John Gisby (54) is the holder of the most national titles with a whopping 26 to his name.

The Gisborne and Auckland hold four national titles a piece as the top rated regions in New Zealand. Absent from the event due to international commitments are Richard Christie (Gis), Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), Matt Hewitt (Mnt), Billy Stairmand (Rag), Ryan Hawker (Piha), Paige Hareb (Tara) and Wini Paul (Sandy Bay).

HISTORY: This will be the thirteenth time the event has been staged in the Gisborne Region in the events 46 year history.  The event was last hosted by Gisborne Boardriders in 2000.  The region is world renowned for its high calibre beach breaks many of which have been documented world wide.

The National Championships is steeped in history and is far and away the most prestigious single event on the New Zealand surfing calendar, gathering the biggest field of surfers year upon year.  The 2007 Hyundai Nationals Champs amassed a total of 360 plus entries across the 21 divisions and a similar field of surfers is expected this year. 

Many of New Zealand’s top surfers staking a claim on the international stage travel back to New Zealand to compete at the event ensuring that the level of surfing is as good as it gets.

PAST WINNERS:

Open Men
2000 – Maz Quinn (Gis)
2001 – Mark Dovey (Mnt)
2002 – Damon Gunness (Gis)
2003 – Blair Stewart (Gis)
2004 – Maz Quinn (Gis)
2005 – Richard Christie (Gis)
2006 – Maz Quinn (Gis)
2007 – Daniel Kereopa (Rag)

Open Women
2000 – Lisa Hurunui (Gis)
2001 – Lisa Hurunui (Gis)
2002 – Holly Quinn (Gis)
2003 – Jess Terrill (Tara)
2004 – Airini Mason (Tara)
2005 – Jessica Santorik (Rag)
2006 – Lisa Hurunui (Gis)
2007 – Wini Paul (Sandy Bay)

Junior Men (U/18)
2000 – Danny Carse (Dun)
2001 – Bobby Hansen (Gis)
2002 – Daniel Scott (WGM)
2003 – Oli Adams (Ahipara)
2004 – Nathan Welch (Gis)
2005 – Richard Christie (Gis)
2006 – Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag)
2007 – Paco Divers (Sandy Bay)

Open Longboard
2000 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2001 – Craig Anderson (Mnt)
2002 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2003 – Kelly Ryan (Gis)
2004 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2005 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2006 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2007 – Daniel Kereopa (Rag) 

Complete lists of all National Champions are located on the Surfing New Zealand website under History at surfingnz.co.nz. The official event blog for the Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver will be hosted at http://www.surfingnz.co.nz/nationals_blog.htm.  Check it out to keep up to date with all the behind the scenes stories, gossip and news that doesn’t make the cut in the media.

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

Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by Corona, Hyundai, SPARC & Smokefree.

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