Finn Vette
PC: Sean Evans
For immediate release
Date: 3rd June 2022
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: International Surfing
Event: 2022 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
Divisions: Under 18 Men, Under 18 Women and Under 16 Men and Women
Date: 2nd /06/2022
Location La Bocana & El Sunzal, El Salvador
Websites: www.isasurf.org and www.surfingnz.co.nz
Kiwis Continue Repechage Grind at ISA World Junior Surfing Championship
Day 6 kicked off today with the Kiwis grinding out more Repechage heats over in El Salvador. Spencer Rowson from Taranaki, cheered on by kiwi teammates managed to surf his way to a 5.0 ride following up with a backup of 2.25 in what most surfers found were challenging conditions, Rafael Barbosa of Brazil however found a few excellent waves and with a 8.0 and a backup of 6.2 he took the win easily from his opponents. Spencer held off Antoine Habashi and Xan Atchoarena from France just long enough for the hooter to sound securing a second place and advancing to Repechage 4 heat 4, one step closer to a podium finish.
Over in the main event Tao Mouldey from Mount Maunganui was surfing in the Under 16 Boys Quarter Final. Unfortunately, Tao was unable to find any high scoring waves in the heat with his best wave being a crumbly left hander that he managed to manufacture a 3.40. With 7 minutes to go he was unable to find any wave with scoring potential so bows out of the main event. After standout performances throughout the ISA World Junior Championship, it was a tough loss for the 14-year-old Mount Maunganui local however he now moves to Repechage 6 heat 3 for a last shot at glory.
Finn was the sole surfer in the Under 18 Boys Repechage today and had a great heat in the challenging conditions of La Bocana. His first wave was a bigger running left hander that he managed to do 2 good turns and a close out snap on paddling back out with 17 minutes remaining and a first score of 3.90. A few minutes later he took off on another left starting off with a powerful snap and a wrapping carve before the wave shut down leaving him with a 3.37. On his heat strategy today Finn stated, “I wanted to keep things simple and get busy” and get busy he did. Leading the heat and with 15 minutes to go he hunted down a bigger left hander unleashing 3 powerful turns and improving his back up with a 5.67. Unfortunately, in the meantime, Colombian Romeo Chavez had also gotten a few good waves over taking him and leaving Finn needing a 6.0 to take back the win. Sticking to his plan and staying busy he picked up another left but was unable to get the score required to win. He goes through in second place and on to Repechage 4. Asked whether he plans to do anything different in his next heat he said, “we’ll see what tomorrow brings and make a plan from there”.
Unfortunately, in the Under 16 Girls heats, two out of three girls have been eliminated with both Pia and Skylar struggling to find any waves with scoring potential in their heats and were subsequently knocked from competition. Pia ended up with a 3rd place finish needing an 8.40 to progress only finding two small waves that she earned a 3.85 and a 2.25 on.
Lei Millar from Piha followed soon after earning herself a ticket to the next round, “my heat strategy for today was to get a good wave as soon as possible” and that’s just what she did posting a 6.10 and a 3.0 for a heat total of 9.10. Not quite enough to knock South African Sarah Scott from the top spot but enough to keep the other South African and Spanish surfer at bay. “Getting through that heat has definitely given me more confidence for the next one, now its just one heat at a time” she said as she advances through to the next round of Repechage
To conclude the day Skylar McFetridge from Taranaki ended her campaign with a low scoring heat only managing a 1.50 heat total despite her best efforts to find a wave in the challenging conditions that she was up against.
With the last of New Zealand’s surfers out of the main event the team now sits in 17th overall. Tomorrow will see Repechages 4 and 5 start for the U16 Boys and Girls at La Bocana the three remaining Under 16 surfers will leave it all out in the water during their last chance heats. Over at El Sunzal the two remaining under 18 Boys will be up and hoping to continue their momentum from their last few heats.
Results from today
Under 16 Boys Repechage
Heat 3
1 Rafael Barbosa14.25 (BRA), 2 Spencer Rowson 7.25 (NZL), 3 Antoine Habashi 6.85(SUI), 4 Xan Atchoarena 5.05 (FRA)
Under 16 Girl’s Repechage
Heat 2
1 Laura Raupp14.75 (BRA), 2 Victoria Muñoz Larreta12.25(ARG), 3 Pia Rogers 6.10 (NZL), 4 Takihei Ellacott 4.10 (TAH)
Heat 3
1 Sarah Scott 12.35 (RSA), 2 Leia Millar 9.10 (NZL) 3 Gemma Hanafey 6.95 9(RSA), 4 Ibone Gomez 5.40 (ESP)
Heat 5
1 Erica Máximo7.85 (POR), 2 Sophia Gonçalves 7.65 (BRA), 3 Maxima Resano 2.65 (NCA), 4 Skylar McFetridge 1.50 (NZL)
Under 18 Boys
Heat 6
1 Romeo Chavez 11.66 (COL), 2 Finn Vette 9.57(NZL), 3 Ryan Huckabee 9.00 (USA), 4 Rufo Massimo Baita 8.27(ITA)
Tomorrow’s schedule is as follows
La Bocana
2:30am Spencer Rowson
2:50am Jack Tyro
5:10am Leia Millar
Under 16 Boys Repechage 5 starts at 6:10am
Under 16 Girls Repechage 5 starts at 7:30am
El Sunzal
2:50am Finn vette
3:10am Kora Cooper
Under 18 Boys Repechage 5 starts at 6:10am
Spencer Rowson
PC: Jerrson Barboza
The World Junior Surfing Championships is an annual event having been held since 2003. New Zealand has competed at the event since its inception as well as competing at the World Grommet Titles as it was formerly known since 1989. New Zealand has been one of the top nations at each event with Jay Quinn (Gis) securing New Zealand’s first World Championship in the Under 18 Men’s division in 2001.
The event is being broadcast live over the net via www.isasurf.org. Media releases relating specifically to the New Zealand team’s performance will be distributed throughout the event.
For further information regarding the New Zealand Junior Surfing Team please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand 07 8250018, 0212278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
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