For immediate release
17th May 2023
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: International Longboard Surfing
Event: 2023 ISA World Longboard Championship
Divisions: Open Men and Women
Date: 7 May – 13 May 2023
Location: Surf City, El Salvador
Websites: ISA World Longboard Championship and Surfing New Zealand
Hungerford and Wallis Top Performers as New Zealand Finishes World Longboard Championship in 17th
The New Zealand Longboard Team has finished seventeenth overall at the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Longboard Championship held in Surf City, El Salvador. The event was completed over the weekend with Estella Hungerford (Christchurch) and Zen Wallis (Piha) the top ranked Kiwi surfers, Hungerford finishing 21st and Wallis 33rd.
Hungerford advanced through her first and second round heat in 2nd place before placing fourth in her Round 3 heat. In her final heat Repechage 4, Coral Bonilla of Mexico won what was by all accounts a low scoring heat. She got busy with 7 small scores until eventually getting two that stuck including a 5.5 and a 4.5. Sindy Portill (ESA) surfed smarter only catching 3 waves but making them count with an 8.10 heat total. Unfortunately, Hungerford although getting 5 waves under her belt was unable to get out of 4th place finishing the heat with a 6.87, Lucy Jarrard (ASA) finished not far in front in 3rd place. Having got as far as Repechage 4 this placed Hungerford in 21st position.
Wallis after a great first round performance was sent to the repechage after suffering a knockout in Round 2. In his Repechage 2 matchup Zen came agonisingly close to progressing needing just a 5.64 to surpass Han Tsung-Ling (TPE) to second however unfortunately, he could not find the wave finishing third and bowing out of the event in 33rd position. On his performance Wallis said “I felt wobbly and weak in the surf. I think the sickness certainly effected my surf a little bit. It’s a shame that the team became sick as I think we all had a lot more potential to get a wee bit further through the rounds”.
With this result Zen Wallis has also qualified New Zealand a spot at the ANOC Beach Games to be held in Bali 6 – 12 August 2023 See the Qualification System Here
Earlier in the event both William Jamieson (Christchurch) and Amelie Wink (Christchurch) were eliminated finishing 41st in the men’s and the women’s divisions respectively. On the teams result Will Jamieson said “It’s been so cool to come over here and network with different teams from the athletes to coaches, management and officials. El Salvador is a beautiful place, and it was so cool to experience somewhere different. I’m gutted that our team have been plagued by illness however we have been honoured to represent New Zealand at such a significant sporting event”
France convincingly took out top honours again continuing their dominance of ISA Longboarding as Alice Le Moigne and Antoine Delpero claimed their second and third gold medals respectively, leading their team to a historic third gold medal. Brazil placed second, Peru, third, Philippines, fourth.
Please see below for the 2023 New Zealand Longboard Team final placings at the ISA World Longboard Championship being held Surf City, El Salvador from the 7th May – 13 May 2023.
The Team placed 17th equal with the Netherlands
Men
Zen Wallis (Piha) 33rd
William Jamieson (Christchurch) 41st
Women
Estella Hungerford (Christchurch) 21st
Amelie Wink (Christchurch) 41st
The New Zealand Longboard Team placed 12 in France and eleventh in China at the previous two editions of the event.
Complete event write-ups, results, surfer ratings and images from the event can be viewed at Surfing New Zealand. And the ISA Website
Information
For more information please contact Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
Web clips and newsfeeds will be distributed free of charge from the event. Please contact the ISA for further details. High-resolution images will be available to media upon request. Images will be distributed free of charge.
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Keep in touch with all the surfing info from around the country by following Surfing New Zealand’s social media networks – @SurfingNZ. @ISA
Event Details
The draw and results can be viewed at www.ISA.com
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