The penultimate day of the 2022 National Surfing Championships cranked through the rounds to see all divisions reach the final four surfers including the premier Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions.
Today’s action took place at Tauranga Bay for the fourth consecutive day in clean 1.0m swell and light sea breeze winds.
Billy Stairmand (Rag) looked near unstoppable in his semifinal match up, surfing to a 17.50 point heat total with a blazing performance. Stairmand advanced alongside Taranaki surfer Daniel Farr in their semifinal, together eliminating Caleb Cutmore and Zen Wallis (Piha).
Levi Stewart (Waihi Beach) and Reuben Woods (Mnt) advanced out of the other semifinal in a tightly contested heat where one of the young guns and one of the older surfers advanced. Woods will become one of the oldest surfers to contest the Open Men’s Division final. The two surfers eliminated Jay Piper – Healion (Whitianga) and local favourite Jai Earnshaw who’s fairy tale return to the competitive arena came to an end.
Paige Hareb continued to build momentum in the Open Women’s Division with a comfortable heat win today.
“The week started a bit iffy, I almost got knocked in my first heat” exclaimed Hareb. “Yesterday was better and today I guess I did what I had to do to make the final, but I’m still not happy with my performances yet” she added despite her comfortable victory.
“My tactic today was to stay on the left but a rip formed and went straight through it, so I switched to my back up plan further down the beach. It is pretty crazy, this beach is always changing so you have to have a couple of plans in mind” said Hareb who planned to have another surf prior to the finals day to test her equipment before taking time out away from the beach and cruise”.
Hareb advanced out of her semifnal with Raglan surfer Brie Bennett who got her heat off to a good start and held off Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara) for the progression.
In the second semifinal, teenagers Ava Henderson (Chch) and Pia Rogers (WGM) advanced to the final four.
The Volkswagen x Skinnies Wave of the Day went to young Alexis Owen in the Under 14 Boys Division who scored a perfect ten point ride in his heat during the morning session.
The swell is expected to decrease further overnight and into day five of the event. Light winds should prevail throughout the day. The forecasted conditions will likely see us back at Tauranga Bay for the fifth straight day.
See below for results from Day 4 of the 2022 National Surfing Championships held at Tauranga Bay, Westport today (14 January 2022). A full draw and results can be viewed here – https://surfingnz.co.nz/event-enter-calendar/.
Open Men’s Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 14.07, 1, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 11.70, 2, Jay Piper – Healion (Whiti), 10.60, 3, Jai Earnshaw (W.C), 9.10, 4
Heat 2
Billy Stairmand (Rag), 17.50, 1, Daniel Farr (Tara), 13.20, 2, Caleb Cutmore (Rag), 11.70, 3, Zen Wallis (Piha), 11.10, 4
Open Women’s Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Brie Bennett (Rag), 2, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 3
Heat 2
Ava Henderson (Chch), 1, Pia Rogers (WGM), 2, Liv Haysom (Piha), 3
Under 14 Bpoys Division Round 1
Heat 1
Alexis Owen (Dun), 18.73, 1, Akira Reid (Auck), 6.24, 2, Beau Rogers (WGM), 5.7, 3
Heat 2
Jesse Frazerhurst (Piha), 10.33, 1, Jordie Luke (Tara), 8.9, 2, Zen Mouldey (Mnt), 8.83, 3, Travis Henderson (Chch), 6.13, 4
Heat 3
Maceo Thompson (Piha), 10.34, 1, Jack Higgins (Dun), 8.3, 2, Lachlan Noakes, 6.12, 3, Hamua Tau (Chch), 3.23, 4
Heat 4
Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 11.8, 1, Keo Morrison (Dun), 10.5, 2, Solomon Ryan (Auck), 10.23, 3, Heat 5
Remy Sale (Mnt), 15.27, 1, Keanu Woods (Mnt), 6.16, 2, Finn Norris, 5.47, 3, Zak Becroft (Piha), N/S
Heat 6
Sonny Lynons (Kaik), 16, 1, Tai McKenzie (Chch), 6.03, 2, Noah Gabbott (Dun), 4.27, 3, Waylon Lynch (Gis), 2.2, 4
Under 14 Boys Division Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Alexis Owen (Dun), 17, 1, Jordie Luke (Tara), 10.2, 2, Jesse Frazerhurst (Piha), 9.16, 3, Akira Reid (Auck), 1.5, 4
Heat 2
Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 12, 1, Maceo Thompson (Piha), 11.5, 2, Keo Morrison (Dun), 7.3, 3, Jack Higgins (Dun), 7.2, 4
Heat 3
Sonny Lynons (Kaik), 14.7, 1, Remy Sale (Mnt), 6.84, 2, Keanu Woods (Mnt), 6.23, 3, Tai McKenzie (Chch), 4.43, 4
Under 14 Boys Division Semifinals
Heat 1
Alexis Owen (Dun), 1, Remy Sale (Mnt), 2, Maceo Thompson (Piha), 3
Heat 2
Sonny Lyons (Kaik), 1, Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 2, Jordie Luke (Tara), 3
Under 14 Girls Division Round 1
Heat 1
Poppie Entwistle (Chch), 14.8, 1, Tessa Gabbott (Dun), 7.27, 2, Bonnie Lynch (Gis), 3.53, 3, Portia Millar (Piha), 0, 4
Heat 2
India Kennings WGM), 16.7, 1, Torah Kennings (WGM), 8.17, 2, Amilie Clarke (Chch), 6.5, 3
Heat 3
Kyra Wallis (Piha), 16.3, 1, Lenka Cargill (W.C), 10, 2, Tessa Langman (Chch), 6.77, 3, Daisy Kay, 3.91, 4
Under 14 Girls Division Semifinals
Heat 1
India Kennings WGM), 9.03, 1, Tessa Gabbott (Dun), 8.5, 2, Torah Kennings (WGM), 3.53, 3
Heat 2
Poppie Entwistle (Chch), 12.2, 1, Kyra Wallis (Piha), 10, 2, Lenka Cargill (W.C), 6.1, 3
Men’s Longboard Division Round 1
Heat 1
Dion Findlay (W.C), 6.7, 1, Will Jamieson (Chch), 6.7, 2, Charlie Wise (Chch), 4.4, 3
Heat 2
Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 11.6, 1, Jack Tyro (Chch), 9.87, 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 9.37, 3
Heat 3
Geodrie Sawyer (Gis), 14.8, 1, Phil Morris (Auck), 13.7, 2, Steve Tyro (ChCh), 5.8, 3, Cameron Haylock (Chch), 3.3, 4
Heat 4
Nick Tuhikarama (Chch), 8.5, 1, Archie Whithear (Chch), 8.23, 2, Mark Buckingham, 4.17, 3, Steve Morris (Auck), 2.67, 4
Under 18 Boys Division Longboard
Heat 1
Geordie Sawyer (Gis), 14, 1, Will Jamieson (Chch), 9.93, 2, Akira Reid (Auck), 4.26, 3
Heat 2
Jack Tyro (Chch), 11.3, 1, Archie Whithear (Chch), 9.1, 2, Charlie Wise (Chch), 7.84, 3, Jai Wallis (Piha), 7.77, 4
Women’s Longboard Division Round 1
Heat 1
Tui Rudolph (ChCh), 9.2, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 7.96, 2, Donna Henderson (Chch), 7.8, 3, Amelie Wink (Chch), 4.83, 4
Heat 2
Gabi Paul (Piha), 12.5, 1, Stella Smith (Gis), 7.77, 2, Estella Hungerford (Chch), 5.13, 3, Lucy TeMoananui (Kaik), 2.3, 4
Under 18 Girls Division Longboard Round 1
Heat 1
Amelie Wink (Chch), 9.7, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 9.17, 2, Tessa Langman (ChCh), 3.23, 3
Heat 2
Tui Rudolph (Chch), 10.6, 1, Amanda Gouldsbury (Tara), 4.8, 2, Asia Braithwaite (Gis), 4.34, 3, Amelie Clarke (ChCh), 3.8, 4
Men’s SUP Division Round 1
Heat 1
Sean Hovell (Gis), 16, 1, Greg Maniatis (Chch), 9.37, 2, Mark Stevenson (Dun), 7.4, 3, Spencer Rowson (Tara), 6.83, 4
Heat 2
Kane Rowson (Tara), 13.7, 1, Al Te Moananui (Kaik), 11.1, 2, Dion Finlay (W.C), 10, 3, Neil Whithear, 5.37, 4
Kneeboard Final
Samuel Coyne, 17.7, 1, Graeme Timmis, 10.5, 2, Murray Weir, 8.2, 3, Tracey Skelton, 7.2, 4, Jamin Allington, 5, 5
Over 320 entries have been received for the event. A total of 29 divisions are being contested including the premier Open Men and Women plus additional divisions comprising of age groups from Under 14 boys and girls through to Over 60s for males and females and Longboard, Stand Up Paddleboard, Bodyboard and Kneeboard disciplines.
Further Information
For further information on the 2022 National Surfing Championships please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the surfing will be available to media free of charge upon request.
Event Hotline
The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506. This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions.
Social Media
Keep up with all the action by following @surfingnz on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Use the hashtag #Nats2022 to follow the story.
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