Rip Curl Pro Raglan

Corona Crown Series Event 5
Manu Bay, Raglan New Zealand
29 February - 2 March 2008

Big scores on day one of Corona event #5, the Rip Curl Pro Raglan

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 29 February, 2008 : - - Richard Christie (Mahia) has continued his run of exceptional form at the Rip Curl Pro today.  Christie who won the most recent event on the Corona Crown Series progressed through three rounds of competition today scoring 13.65 in his last heat of the day to claim and easy victory. 

He will now await a round four match up on Saturday where he will face the top seeds in round four of the event as he attempts to back up his title from last weekend.  No surfer has won back to back events this year highlighting the extremely close nature of this series.

Christie was one of several surfers to excel in the clean 1.0m waves at Manu Bay Raglan.  The conditions remained good all day with offshore conditions at the start of the day. 

The sea breeze came through early in t6he afternoon killing off the strong northerly winds that were predicted.  Christie is one of several of the country’s top surfers to return to New Zealand for the Rip Curl Pro having been contesting the Australasian Pro Junior Series in Australia this summer.

Stuart Kennedy : photo NZ Surfing Magazine

“I felt good out there today” commented Christie.  “I was surfing here all last week and a little bit this week as well so I have had heaps of practice on the points which is good because it is not my favourite place to surf”.

Tim O’Connor (Mnt), another of the juniors competing overseas, also impressed with his tight backhand surfing.  O’Connor was a finalist at the Rip Curl Pro in 2007 and also placed fourth at last weekends event - the Corona Pro held at his home town of Mount Maunganui. 

Today O’Connor scored 13.35 which included 7.25 point ride.  O’Connor’s compact backhand style suited toays waves shown by his third round win over Chris Malone (Rag) who together eliminated the Taranaki pairing of Keone Campbell and Batchelor Tipene. Other junior surfers to move through to the fourth round included a confident Matt Hewitt (Mnt), blistering fast Paco Divers (Sandy Bay) and smooth Braedon Williams (WGM).

However all the Kiwi surfers had to play second fiddle to the Australian dynamo Stuart Kennedy who posted a high heat score of 15.25 out of a possible 20 in the third round.  Kennedy who currently leads the Australasian Pro Junior Series looked unstoppable flowing down the long lefts at Manu Bay. 

Despite his seamless surfing the power and speed in his turns was evident to everyone including the panel of judges who awarded him highly.  Kennedy now faces current Corona Crown Series number two ranked surfer Zennor Wernham (Rag) and two former national champions in Damon Gunness (Gis) and Chris Malone (Rag) when enters the water in the fourth round.

Late in the day current New Zealand national champion Jay Quinn (Gis) trounced on his opponents with a massive heat score of 16.85 - the highest of the day.  He was joined by other heat winners including Matt Hewitt (Mnt), Rowan Aish (Mur) and Geoff Hutcheson (Rag). 

They will meet the top seeds of the event on Saturday when they contest round four which includes the likes of Bobby Hansen, Maz Quinn (Gis), Gauranga Ormond (WGM) and Luke Cederman (Rag). 

The conditions for day two of the Rip Curl Pro are expected to deteriorate with a low pressure system forecast to cross the country.  This will bring some bad weather but is likely to recharge the dying swell.  The Rip Curl Pro is a six star rated event with $15,400 in prize money on offer.

For more information on the event please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.  Media releases will be distributed at the end of each days surfing.  High resolution action images will be available to media free of charge courtesy of New Zealand Surfing Magazine.

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

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Ben Kennings

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