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Quinn Shows His Hand in the Semifinals
Written by Ben Kennings
Thursday, 18 January 2007
Today (Thursday) Maz Quinn showed his full hand
of cards winning what everyone was claiming the best heat of the event to
date. With the win, Quinn moves through to the final in the Open Men’s
division of the Hyundai National Surfing Championships remaining on target
to take his fifth national title.
Quinn’s semifinal was as good as it gets in
terms of high performance. Raglan’s Leon Santorik opened up the twenty
minute heat with an amazing 8.0 point ride completing the tightest forehand
turns. Then without hesitation he snatched a wave from under his
competitor’s noses and scored his highest ride of 8.5 and took a commanding
lead. The two favoured surfers Quinn and Richard Christie had their work
cut out but the heat was by no means over. Quinn posted a 7.25 before
unleashing on the Stent Road line up with three of the biggest turns of the
event to score 9.5 and take the lead. “Leon (Santoik) paddled around me for
his best wave so I made a big tactical error at the start. Then I ‘stole’
my best wave off him to score that 9.5 so in a way I got my own back”
commented Quinn on his best ride. “I didn’t hear the scores being read out
at the start of the heat so I wasn’t aware of my position or the pressure I
was under prior to that wave, this probably worked in my favour” he added
when questioned about the early lead Santorik held.
Richard Christie (Mah) had a slow start to the heat falling on a couple of
waves before getting stuck into his work. First he posted a 7.10 to climb
back into contention and the race was on with four minutes remaining.
Needing a 9.41 to progress Christie exploded with the most innovative
manoeuvre of the event – a powerful frontside re-entry busting out above the
lip and coming straight back down onto the wave. The complete wave scored
9.35, agonisingly close but not enough to progress. As the form surfer of
the event many thought Christie could have gone all the way but the polished
performance of Quinn and the ‘heat of a lifetime’ Santorik completed blew
out those hopes. Raglan’s Zennor Wernham placed fourth in the heat with a
credible 13.25 point heat score.
Gisborne surfer Richard Christie pic courtesy NZ Surfing Mags
The second semifinal had a lot to live up to and while it was not as
explosive as the first semifinal the heat was surfed down to the wire with
1.25 points separating first from fourth. Less consistent waves hampered
the heat but it was Daniel Kereopa (Rag) and Motu Mataa (Tara) that pushed
through to the final both scoring strongly with 13.75 total heat scores.
Kereopa was selective opting to surf only two waves, the same amount that he
surfed in his quarterfinal. The tactic is clear with Kereopa realising that
the only way he can win his first national title is by catching the best
waves available. The two surfers eliminated the event dark horse and local
standout Simon Deken (Tara) and junior finalist Billy Stairmand (Rag).
Earlier in the day the Hyundai Open Women relished the chance to surf
perfect Stent Road in their semifinal heats. Leon Santorik obviously got
the inspiration for his performance after younger sister Jessica was the
first to advance into the final four surfers of the women. Santorik scored
16.60 in her heat with a number of radical top turns on her less favoured
backhand. Sandy Bay’s Wini Paul moved through to the final in a close
second place scoring 15.5 taking a liking to the righthanders. Daisy Thomas
continued her excellent form winning the second semifinal ahead of local
favourite Paige Hareb. Thomas scored 14.75 in her heat with smooth surfing,
linking big turns and floaters right down the point. Hareb placed second
close behind with a top scoring ride of 7.25 compared with Thomas’ 8.00 to
eliminate Kara Stephenson and Thandi Durham (Tara).
The finalists were found in the Hyundai longboard division this afternoon
with local powerhouse Jason Matthews advancing in first place ahead of
defending champion Michael Fitzharris (Gis). Matthews scored 13.50 compared
with 13.00 from Fitzharris. Matthews is a previous national champion in the
division having won the event in 1994.
After the second semifinal Fitzharris became the sole surfer in the final
that permanently rides a longboard when Jay Quinn (Gis) and Daniel Kereopa
(Rag) won out over Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck) and Ant McColl (Mnt). Quinn
scored the highest heat score of the event with 18.0. His performance was
highlighted by the second perfect ten point ride of the event when he
smashed a wave to bits more like he was surfing his shorter board. Kereopa
was not far behind scoring 16.75 for his total heat score.
The forecast for Friday is not looking as good as the past five days with a
decrease in swell and westerly quarter winds predicted. An official
decision on venue and divisions to be contested on day five of the Hyundai
National Championships will be made at 7.00am in the morning. Details will
be posted at the Oakura Boardriders on Messenger Terrace and also broadcast
over The Most FM on 92.3.
Hyundai Open Men
Semifinals
Heat 1 Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Leon Santorik (Rag), 2, Richard Christie (Mahia), 3, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 4,
Heat 2 Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Motu Mataa (Tara), 2, Simon Deken (Tara), 3, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 4
Hyundai Open Men
Finals (Yet to be surfed)
Maz Quinn (Gis), Leon
Santorik (Rag), Daniel Kereopa (Rag), Motu Mataa (Tara)
Hyundai Over 40s
Semifinals
Heat 1 Billy Hale (Kait), 1, Dano Waiwiri (Waitara), 2, Glen Shuker (ChCh), 3,
Heat 2
Jason Matthews (Tara), 1, Seth Matthews (Tara),
2, Pete Shafer (Tara), 3
Hyundai Over 40s Finals
(Yet to be surfed)
Billy Hale (Kait), Dano Waiwiri (Waitara),
Jason Matthews (Tara), Seth Matthews (Tara)
Hyundai Over 45s Semifinals
Heat 1 John Gisby (Gis), 1, David Stork (Piha), 2, Bendan Young (HBay), 3, Rupert Newbold (Whan), 4
Heat 2
John Lovell (Tara), 1, Rod Welch (Gis), 2, Mike Trainer (Hbay), 3
Hyundai Over 45s Finals
(Yet to be surfed)
John Gisby (Gis), David Stork (Piha), John
Lovell (Tara), Rod Welch (Gis)
Hyundai Over 50s
Quarterfinals
Heat 1 David Stork (Piha), 1, Greg Page (Tara), 2, Rod Welch (Gis), 3, Frank Harris (Tara), 4
Heat 2 John Gisby (Gis), 1, Barry MacColloch (Tai), 2, Ruepert Newbold (Whan), 3, Eddie Rare (Gis), 4
Heat 3
Chris Davies (Oakura), 1, Ross Moodie (Gis), 2, Paul Atkin (Kaitaia), 3, Ray
Hawthorne (Gis), 4
Hyundai Over 50s
Semifinals (Yet to be surfed)
Heat 1 David Stork (Piha), 1, Barry MacColloch (Tai), Ross Moodie (Gis)
Heat 2
John Gisby (Gis), Greg Page (Tara), Chris Davies (Oakura)
Hyundai Open Women Semifinals
Heat 1 Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 2, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Angie Koops (Kaik), 3, Claire Thomson (Gis), 4
Heat 2
Daisy Thomas (ChCh), 1, Paige Hareb (Tara), 2, Kara Stephenson (Rag), 3,
Thandi Durham (Tara), 4
Hyundai Open Women Finals
(Yet to be surfed)
Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), Jessica Santorik (Rag),
Daisy Thomas (ChCh), Paige Hareb (Tara)
Sirocco Surfboards Under 16 Girls Quarterfinals
Heat 1 Jayda Fitzharris (Gis), 1, Nicola Colson-Koster (Auck), 2, Lucy Brankin (Tara), 3, Annie Stuart (Auck), 4
Heat 2 Grace Spiers (WGM), 1, Demi Poynter (Auck), 2, Maddy Phillips (Auck), 3
Heat 3
India Wray Murane (Muriwai), 1, Yjosina Barry
(Rag), 2, Mikayla Zandstra (Tauranga), 3, Crystal Hale (Kaitaia), 4
Sirocco Surfboards Under
16 Girls Semifinals (Yet to be surfed)
Heat 1 Jayda Fitzharris (Gis), Demi Poynter (Auck), Yjosina Barry (Rag)
Heat 2
Grace Spiers (WGM), Nicola Colson-Koster
(Auck), India Wray Murane (Muriwai)
Hyundai Open Longboard
Semifinals
Heat 1 Jason Matthews (Waitara), 1, Michael Fitzharris (Gis), 2, Trent Lillis (Auck), 3, Dylan Barnfield (Ohope), 4
Heat 2
Jay Quinn (Gis), 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 2,
Thomas Kibblewhite (Auck), 3, Ant McColl (Mnt), 4
Hyundai Open Longboard
Finals (Yet to be surfed)
Heat 1
Jason Matthews (Waitara), Michael Fitzharris
(Gis), Jay Quinn (Gis), Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
NMD/Vertigo Open Bodyboard Quarterfinals
(Yet to be surfed)
Heat 1 Richard McKenna, Jeff King (Auck), Shane Peterson, Harlem Kirton (Piha)
Heat 2 Jarad Ferris (Gis), Vanja Spiric, Steve Abraham (Opotiki)
Heat 3
Floyd Smith (Piha), Ahipene Newby (Gis), Ben Mckinnon, Andrew Lowe (Dun)
Ocean and Earth Women
Bodyboard Final (Yet to be surfed)
Sarena Ball, Melanie McElwee, Andrea Willets
(Tara), Erica Cussack, Poppy Chapman
NMD/ Vertigo Dropknee Bodyboard Final
(Yet to be surfed)
Sam Peters, Paul Adams (Tara), Jarad Ferris
(Gis), Shane Petersen
Hot Buttered Under 18 Bodyboard (Yet
to be surfed)
Heat 1 Steve Abraham, Luke Elliot (Mnt), Daniel Willets (Tara)
Heat 2 Harlem Kirton (Piha), Max Clifford, Nick Hollings (Auck), Piri Kirton (Piha)
