For immediate release
26th April 2024
From: Surfing New Zealand
Sport: International Longboard Surfing
Event: 2024 ISA World Longboard Championship
Divisions: Open Men and Women
Date: April 19-25 2024
Location: Surf City, El Salvador
Websites: ISA World Longboard Championship and Surfing New Zealand
Tyro and Newdick 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 this week with Jack Tyro of Christchurch and Matt Newdick of Auckland the top ranked Kiwi surfers, Tyro finishing 22nd and Newdick 25th.
Tyro advanced through the first and 2nd rounds of the Open Mens in style placing 2nd and showing the international audience that he was on par with the world’s showcasing experience beyond his years. Unfortunately, in Round 3 up against Legendary Longboarders Ben Skinner and Kaniela Stewart a 6 and 5.3 were not enough to get him through the heat so he was relegated to the 4th Round of Repechage where under pressure he kept his cool to place 2nd. Unfortunately, in his 5th round of repechage he was unable to capitalise in the solid conditions and exited the event in 4th position placing him 22nd in the world.
Matt Newdick of Auckland – a first timer in the team, started his ISA World Longboard Championship campaign on the backfoot after placing 3rd in his first round heat, however after shaking off the nerves Newdick made an impressive comeback staying calm and using excellent wave selection to win 2 Repechage heats before being eliminated in his 3rd, placing 25th in the World Rankings.
Gabi Paul of Piha is no stranger to ISA competition and came out fight, placing 2nd in her opening round heat. Unfortunately, in the 3 person heat only 1 advances so she was relegated to the repechage round where she struggled to find waves with scoring potential ending the heat in 4th and placing 41st in the world.
Hananh Kohn also on debut placed 3rd in her opening round heat and was relegated to the repechage round where she placed 3rd again. Unfortunately the conditions proved challenging in Kohns heat with not a lot of waves ridden and bumpy wind effected faces making for less than ideal longboarding conditions.
Hawaii earned its first Team World Championship at the 2024 Surf City El Salvador ISA World Longboard Championship, winning gold medals in both women’s and men’s individual divisions, as well as the team gold medals. Honolua Blomfield (HAW) won her first women’s ISA World Championship, while 2018 World Champion Kai Sallas (HAW) won his second. Japan placed second, France, third and Brazil, fourth.
Please see below for the 2024 New Zealand Longboard Team final placings at the ISA World Longboard Championship being held Surf City, El Salvador from the 19-25 April 2024
The Team placed 17th.
Men
Jack Tyro (Chch) 22nd
Matt Newdick (AKL) 25th
Women
Gabi Paul (Piha) 41st
Hannah Kohn (Gis) 49th
The New Zealand Longboard Team also placed 17th in 2023.
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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Event Details
The draw and results can be viewed at www.ISA.com
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Ends