For immediate release 
Date: 16th September 2022
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: International Surfing
Event: 2022 ISA World Surfing Games
Divisions: Open Men, Open Women
Date: September 16 – September 24, 2022
Location: Huntington Beach, California, USA
Websites: www.isasurf.org and www.surfingnz.co.nz
The ISA World Surfing Games officially begins at Huntington Beach, California this weekend with the Opening Ceremony and the Pouring of the Sands on Friday the 16th of September. With the last ISA event being held in 2006 and with Olympic Qualification spots on the line the 2022 edition of the World Surfing Games promises to be packed full of action.
Safely touching down in the USA on Thursday New Zealand time the New Zealand Surfing Team, after some last-minute changes, are settling into life in Huntington and are ready to compete at one of the biggest events in international surfing. Caleb Cutmore (Raglan), Daniel Farr (Taranaki) and Jack Hinton (Bay Of Plenty) will represent the men whilst (Natasha Gouldsbury (Taranaki) Brie Bennett (Raglan) and Ariana Shewry (Taranaki) bought into replace Ava Henderson who unfortunately bowed out of competition due to illness, will represent the women. In what was a whirlwind 20 hours, Ariana got the call up booked her flights and was on a plane to join the team in California, “a hectic 20 hours but I’m glad to be involved” she said on the last-minute arrangements.
Competition initiates on the 17th September with the first few days of the event starring the Open Men. The Open Women will have to wait a few days as many of the world’s top female surfers attend the World Surf League (WSL) QS3000 Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro powered by Celsius. Celebrating its 16th year at the Oceanside Pier in Oceanside, California, the nationally televised event is the largest female surf contest in the world, with more than 90 of the world’s top pros scheduled to compete
The team checking out Huntington
On completion of this WSL event the women will join the ISA World Surfing Games with all additional rounds being held from the 19th to the 23rd of September. The event will draw to a close with Finals and the Closing Ceremony on the 24th of September.
Day one of the competition will commence from 7:30am (18th, 2:30amNZST) in the morning with heats 1 to 18 being held in the first part of the day on the North Podium. Up first for the Kiwis will be Raglan local Caleb Cutmore surfing at approximately 3:30am in heat 4. Following Caleb, current National Champion and Taranaki local Daniel Farr will take the stage in Heat 17. He will be up against Guilherme Fonseca (POR), Dwight Pastrana (PUR) and Tim Wijngaarden (LTU) around 7:40am.
Soon after, Bay of Plenty surfer Jack Hinton will surf his first heat of the event in heat 36 against Joaquin Del Castillo (Per) Jose Joaquin Lopez (VEN) Maksymilian Michalowski (POL). This will be the final heat of round one starting approximately 8:10am. Round 2 of the Open Men will follow for the rest of the day at the North and South Podiums.
Olympic Qualification
The ISA World Surfing Games is an important event for many teams hoping to get into the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.” In a significant innovation to the Olympic Surfing Qualification System, the winning men’s and women’s National Teams at these World Surfing Games will be allocated one Olympic slot each for their respective country/National Olympic Committee (NOC). This qualification slot will be in addition to the maximum quota of 2 athletes per country for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Fierce competition is expected for this potential third slot for the top teams.”
The Live Stream can be found Here https://isasurf.org/event/2022-isa-world-surfing-games/
The schedule can be found Here https://isasurf.org/event/2022-isa-world-surfing-games/
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 Surfing Team please contact Ben Kennings at Surfing New Zealand 07 8250018, 0212278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.
Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by
Arepa
Skinnies
Volkswagen
Sport New Zealand
Ends
