Hyundai National Champs
Presented by Quiksilver

Surfing New Zealand
Piha Beach, Auckland
10 - 17 January 2009

Excellent Conditions Predicted for Opening of Nationals

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 7 January, 2009 : - - The early stages of the 2009 Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver are set to run in excellent conditions.  A good swell is forecast to march up the West Coast toward Piha Beach and easterly winds are predicted. 

The forecast could mean that the Open Men’s Division, the likes of defending champion Jay Quinn and his brother Maz, could hit the water as early as the first day of the event. The Hyundai National Champs presented by Quiksilver will be held at Piha Beach, Auckland from the 10th – 17th of January.  The event marks the second of six events on the 2008/09 Corona Crown Series and also the second event on the 2009 Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour.

The Quinn brothers of Gisborne look set for a major battle as Jay looks to take back to back titles while number one seed Maz hopes for his fifth title.

Only five surfers in the history of the National Champs have successfully defended the Open Men’s title the last time being in 1991 when the event was held at Piha.  Jay, having stepped down from the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), World Qualifying Series (WQS) will have his sights clearly focussed on the title, this event being one of few that he will contest in 2009.

“These events (in New Zealand) will be the only events that I will be competing in so I am really looking forward to trying to defend the title, as hard as that has proved to be in the past” said Jay.

Jay’s build up to the Hyundai National Championships presented by Quiksilver has been far from perfect with his hometown of Gisborne resembling a lake for the past two weeks but he has been based at Piha training this week. 

“I don’t mind Piha, I have had good results here in the past and was runner up to Maz at the 2004 Nationals so I am happy competing here”.

Maz echoed the same sentiments “I like competing at Piha, probably because it is usually over 2ft and the waves have a bit of push.  I surf at Piha heaps with friends so I know the beach fairly well”.

Maz also has a significant milestone in sight.  A title for Maz would see him perched next to Wayne Parkes and Iain Buchanan as the only three surfers to secure five Open Men’s titles at the event. 

While Maz has a string of international achievements including being the first New Zealand surfer to contest the ASP World Championship Tour, a title in 2009 would be highly valuable to the patriotic Kiwi surfer.

“This event is the most prestigious in New Zealand” said Maz.  “The event doesn’t have any extra meaning this year.  It has always been the most important for me regardless of whether I have been on tour or not”.

Despite a huge turnout of surfers in the event, the two Quinn brothers have had their task made easier with the non appearance of New Zealand’s highest ranked surfer and winner of the O’Neill Sequence Surf Shop Pro – the first of the Corona Crown Series for 2008/09 Bobby Hansen.  2005 National Champion and highest ranked Kiwi on the ASP Australasian Pro Junior Series Richard Christie (Mah) will also be absent from the event.

Returning to the competitive fray will be Raglan’s Daniel Kereopa.  Kereopa retired from competing on the Corona Crown Series after winning the National Champs in 2007.  Kereopa has continued to compete on the Hyundai Pro Longboard Tour since his semi retirement but will add the ‘Open Men’s’ to the divisions he contests this year.

“I just want to get back into the mix with all the top New Zealand surfers” commented Kereopa of his return, cheekily adding “I want to see where my surfing is at in relation to others, I have been away for a year so all the boys may have improved!” Without a seed for the event Kereopa will be surfing from Round 1 and will take full advantage of the good waves forecast as he potentially surfs his way toward the top seeds of the event.

The 2009 Hyundai National Championships presented by Quiksilver sees the introduction of two additional divisions – Stand Up Paddle and Over 55 Men.  After an explosion of stand up paddleboards frequenting our shores this summer, the new division could well be a spectacle to witness.

A massive 23 national titles will go up for grabs at the event and there will be well in excess of 300 entries into the Hyundai National Championships presented by Quiksilver.  As well as the premier Open Men’s, Open Women’s and Longboarding Divisions, there will be a further 20 divisions comprising of age groups from Under 14 through to Over 50s and also Kneeboard and Bodyboard disciplines.

It is 35 years since the event was first staged at Piha in 1974.  The Hyundai National Championships presented by Quiksilver is widely regarded as the most prestigious event in New Zealand with a proud 46 year history.

Set out below are the winners of key divisions for the past five years.

Open Men
2004 – Maz Quinn (Gis)
2005 – Richard Christie (Gis)
2006 – Maz Quinn (Gis)
2007 – Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2008 – Jay Quinn (Gis)

Open Women
2004 – Airini Mason (Tara)
2005 – Jessica Santorik (Rag)
2006 – Lisa Hurunui (Gis)
2007 – Wini Paul (Sandy Bay)
2008 – Angie Koops (Kaik)

Junior Men (U/18) 
2004 – Nathan Welch (Gis)
2005 – Richard Christie (Gis)
2006 – Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag)
2007 – Paco Divers (Sandy Bay)
2008 – Sean Peggs (Tairua)

Open Longboard 
2004 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2005 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2006 – Michael Fitzharris (Gis)
2007 – Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2008 – Jay Quinn (Gis)

Complete lists of all National Champions are located on the Surfing New Zealand website under History – www.surfingnz.co.nz. File images to accompany this media release are available from Surfing New Zealand upon request and are supplied by New Zealand Surfing Magazine.  The event will be run in association with Lion Rock Boardriders Club.

Event Hotline: The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506.  This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions.

Official Nationals Blog: Check out the official Hyundai National Surfing Championships presented by Quiksilver blog Here.

Additional Information: For more information on the event please contact Ben Kennings on  07 825 0018  or  021 2278732  or benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.  Alternatively contact Greg Townsend on  021 372146  or surfingnz@xtra.co.nz.

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

Previous reports:
# 1 : Piha will host Hyundai National Champs by Quiksilver
# 2 : Coming soon
# 3 : Coming soon
# 4 : Coming soon  

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Ben Kennings

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