The New Zealand Longboard Team is in preparation mode for the International Surfing Association (ISA) World Longboard Championship in France at present with the event set to kick off overnight Sunday (NZ time) with the Parade of Nations before the surfing action kicks off overnight Monday.
The four-person team will be competing for team and individual medals as well as qualification places for the ANOC Beach Games being held at San Diego, California, USA in October.
The New Zealand Team comprises Michael Grendon (Tara), Paul Culpan (Auck), Sascha Brownlie (Auck) and Gabrielle Paul (Piha). The team will compete amongst 104 athletes from 32 countries.
All four surfers are waiting for the draw to be released and their opponents determined, this years event attracting the biggest field of surfers to date.
Both Brownlie and Paul competed at the 2018 edition of the event both finishing 17th equal. They will use their previous experience as a platform for higher honours this year and both surfers anticipate bigger waves than they had to endure in 2018 when the event was held in tiny conditions in China.
For the men, Grendon and Culpan will be debuting in the silver fern after showing impressive form early on during New Zealand’s competitive season and gaining selection. Grendon will turn to his power when trying to impress the international panel of judges while the slight stature of Culpan will see him focus on his traditional approach to garner attention.
Qualification for the ANOC Beach Games will be via finishing inside the top five nations or, as the top nation from Oceania outside those teams that have already qualified (provided Kiwi surfers finish inside the top 15 athletes at the event).
The 2019 ISA World Longboard Championship is being streamed live via ISAWorlds.com. France is ten hours behind New Zealand. Action takes place from approximately 8:00am daily.
Please see below for the 2019 New Zealand Longboard Team competing at the ISA World Longboard Championship being held at Biarritz, France from the 26th May – 3rd June 2019.
Men
Michael Grendon (Tara)
Paul Culpan (Auck)
Women
Gabrielle Paul (Piha)
Sascha Brownlie (Auck)
The New Zealand Longboard Team has placed eleventh at the last two editions of the event.
Further Information
For further information on the New Zealand Longboard Team please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Imagery
High resolution action images of the team will be available to media free of charge upon request.
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