We use cookies to improve your experience on our websites and for advertising. Privacy Policy

Events
News
Watch
Riders
Spots
More »

- Brands
- Travel & Local
- Good Guys
- Filmmakers
- Bosses
- Shops
- Media
- Movies
- Apps
- Photographers
- Tips & Tricks

Scroll

> News > Taranaki Domination At National Surfing Championships

surfing News

Taranaki Domination At National Surfing Championships

Daniel Farr celebrates his victory in Open Men’s division at the 2022 National Surfing Championships completed at Nine Mile Beach on January 15. Image credit: / Derek / NZ Surf Journal / Surfing New Zealand

16 January 2022

Taranaki surfers Paige Hareb and Daniel Farr both claimed their first titles in the premier Open Men’s and Women’s Divisions at the 2022 National Surfing Championships completed at Nine Mile Beach on Saturday (15th January).

It was Farr’s win that helped New Plymouth Surfriders Club emerge from a tight pack of front runners to take overall top club at the event for the first time.

The final showdown of the five-day event was relocated to Nine Mile Beach where participants were met with clean 1.0m swells all day and light variable winds. Conditions provided an excellent platform for the 29 finals that were contested at the event.

22-year-old Farr surfed to a 16.0 point heat total to claim the victory over Raglan’s Billy Stairmand, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch) and Reuben Woods (Mnt). He found himself trailing a near-unstoppable Stairmand early in the heat after Stairmand surfed out to a 15.33 point heat total early on. Farr was forced to go to the air on multiple occasions knowing that something special was required to snatch the title.

Farr’s first completed air pocketing him a 7.07 before his second air with under five minutes to go in the final saw him take the lead scoring an 8.93. Stairmand had one last crack to get the 8.01 point ride required for the win but came up with a 7.33 point ride and the title was Farr’s.

“Oh mate, I am over the moon” said Farr fighting back the tears. “It is always nerve racking coming here and having a long week and surfing against the best guys in New Zealand, its unbelievable really, I am so stoked” he added.

“When I was behind it changed my game plan a little bit, I have been practicing airs a lot at home and getting my success rate up so I kinda wanted to do that in the final and it’s a final right, and you’re up against an Olympian right, so I had to pull something special out and luckily I landed those two”.

For the closing three minutes of the final, Farr played defence, sitting right next to Stairmand to put the pressure on and make sure he didn’t gift the lead back.

“I am not afraid to go sit right next to him and try get in his head, I am not sure it did anything, he has done this for years but I would push him onto a dud if I could or sneak one from under his priority, but yeah, put the pressure on him for sure” added Farr of the final moments.

Farr was greeted at the waters edge by a strong contingent of Taranaki surfers as the final results were read out and he was lifted onto the shoulders of his travelling companions.

“We had a lot of finalists today, Paige taking her first title as well, it is bloody good for the region, we are strong and we have a good culture and we were stoked with the finals day and how it unfolded”.

With Stairmand finishing runner up, it was Waihi Beach surfer Levi Stewart in third and quadruple finalist Reuben Woods (Mnt) who finished in fourth place.

Paige Hareb ticked off her long-standing goal of etching her name on the Open Women’s trophy. With unrivalled international success, Hareb has often been unable to compete at the National Championships and on the few occasions she has, she has come up short of the desired win, until today.

Hareb looked to be in control of the final from the outset surfing to a 7.17 on her second ride and later backing that up with a 6.43 point ride to finish with a 13.6 point heat total and comfortable victory.

“Yeah, I am stoked but it is almost a relief, it was almost becoming a curse” said Hareb of her first title. “I don’t have to do a Nationals ever again now, I mean I will, but not having a title played on my mind every year so I will probably be more relaxed next year” she added.

Hareb, the consummate professional, had surfed smart heats all week, doing what was required in often tricky conditions. The finals day was no different as Hareb went about her work strategically.

“It was kinda fun out there, I watched Ava [Henderson] in the Under 18 Girls Division final and saw where she was sitting, I know she surfs a bit here, so I watched where she was sitting, I had a game plan and it worked out”.

With the title in the bag, Hareb now embarks on the Regional Qualifying Series in Australia and navigating international travel to secure a World Tour slot for 2023.

“I am home on Monday and then head to Australia mid February. I have already had one flight cancelled but I am looking forward to getting over there and starting off my international campaign” said Hareb.

Ava Henderson (Chch) finished the final in second place scoring 12.0 points and left needing a 7.48 point ride for victory to add to her Under 18 Girls Division title. Raglan’s Brie Bennett finished in third place, her best result at the National Championships, and double finalists and Under 16 Girls Champion, Pia Rogers (WGM) finished fourth in her first appearance at this level.

Henderson was joined by Waikuku Beach surfer Rakiatea Tau as the two Under 18 Division champions, Tau, a double finalist, claiming his first ever national title.

Rogers was joined by Sumner Beach surfer Jack Tyro as the Under 16 Division champion. Both surfers claimed the titles in the dying stages of their respective finals, Rogers, on her last wave with seconds to go on the clock when she belted a big backhand closeout turn for a 5.93 point ride and the win.

Under 14 Division titles went to Alexis Owen (Dun) in the Boys, his second after winning in 2020 at home in Dunedin, and Poppy Entwisle (Chch).

Jack Tyro’s title in the Under 16 Boys Division was his third of the day after early surfing to a win in the Under 18 Boys Longboard Division and then going on to claim a shock win in the Men’s Longboard Division with some excellent surfing.

Gabi Paul (Piha) defended her title in the Women’s Longboard, her fourth straight in the division. Amanda Gouldsbury (Tara) beat her sister Natasha to win the Under 18 Girls Longboard Division.

Senior Men’s and Women’s titles were shared around the country with Josh Thickpenny (Dun) in the Over 30s, Reuben Woods picking up the Over 35s, local surfer Jai Earnshaw winning in the Over 40s and Lyndon Fairbairn (Dun) picking up the Over 45s. Dunedin picked up another title in the Over 50s via Richard Ayson. Hawkes Bay surfer Francois Sneedon won the Over 55s and Auckland Jack Griffith won his first title in the Over 60 Men’s Division.

Senior Women’s titles went to Paige Hareb in the Over 30s, Lucy TeMoananui (Kaik) in the Over 35s, Melissa Woods (Mnt) in the Over 40s and Carolyn Millar (Piha) in the Over 45s.

Sean Hovell (Gis) and Billie Scott took victories in the Men’s and Women’s SUP Divisions.

Reuben Woods was awarded the Peter Byers Most Outstanding Performance award for the event. Woods surfed in four divisions at the event and finalled in all of them. He surfed four heats a day for the final three days of the event and together with his whole family epitomised what a National Championships week is all about.

The Volkswagen x Skinnies Wave of the Day went to Daniel Farr for his winning wave in the Open Men’s Division Final.

See below for results from the final day of the 2022 National Surfing Championships held at Nine Mile Beach, Westport today (15 January 2022). A full draw and results can be viewed here - https://surfingnz.co.nz/event-enter-calendar/.

Open Men’s Division Final

Daniel Farr (Tara), 16.00, 1, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 15.33, 2, Levi Stewart (Waihi Bch), 12.67, 3, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 12.17, 4

Open Women’s Division Final

Paige Hareb (Tara), 13.6, 1, Ava Henderson (Chch), 12, 2, Brie Bennett (Rag), 9.33, 3, Pia Rogers (WGM), 5.56, 4

Under 18 Boys Division Final

Rakiatea Tau (Chch), 14.4, 1, Kalani Louis (Tara), 13.4, 2, Lewis Murphy (Dun), 9.9, 3, Spencer Rowson (Tara), 7.2, 4

Under 18 Girls Division Final

Ava Henderson (Chch), 14.7, 1, Anna Brock (Mnt), 11.8, 2, Liv Haysom (Piha), 9.64, 3, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 7.97, 4

Under 16 Boys Division Final

Jack Tyro (Chch), 14.37, 1, Rakiatea Tau (Chch), 13.13, 2, Tao Mouldey (Mnt), 12.07, 3, Dale Cromhout (Hbay), 8.37, 4

Under 16 Girls Division Final

Pia Rogers (WGM), 11.9, 1, Skylar Mcfetridge (Tara), 11.7, 2, Sophia Brock (Mnt), 6.9, 3, Poppy Entwisle (Chch), 6.2, 4

Under 14 Boys Division Final

Alexis Owen (Dun), 12.5, 1, Sam Frazerhurst (Auck), 9.33, 2, Remy Sale (Mnt), 8.87, 3, Jordie Luke (Tara), 3.9, 4

Under 16 Girls Division Final

Poppy Entwisle (Chch), 10.1, 1, India Kennings WGM), 5.43, 2, Kyra Wallis (Piha), 3.64, 3, Tessa Gabbott (Dun), 2.77, 4

Over 30 Men’s Division Final

Josh Thickpenny (Dun), 12.34, 1, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 11.23, 2, Zen Wallis (Piha), 7.33, 3, Felipe Santos (Dun), 6.34, 4

Over 35 Men’s Division Final

Reuben Woods (Mnt), 12.7, 1, Kane Rowson (Tara), 11.4, 2, Jai Earnshaw (W.C), 10.5, 3, Josh Thickpenny (Dun), 9.86, 4

Over 40 Men’s Division Final

Jai Earnshaw (W.C), 14.3, 1, Reuben Woods (Mnt), 12.3, 2, Stephen Lee (W.C), 6.3, 3, Phil Morris (Auck), 5.7, 4

Over 45 Men’s Division Final

Lyndon Fairbairn (Dun), 11.4, 1, Patrick Braithwaite (Gis), 8.93, 2, Morgan Cronin (Auck), 8.16, 3, Neal Pullen, 5.76, 4

Over 50 Men’s Division Final

Richard Ayson (Dun), 14, 1, Lee Morris (Chch), 9.5, 2, Neal Pullen, 8.57, 3, Morgan Cronin (Piha), 5.83, 4

Over 55 Men’s Division Final

Francois Sneedon (Hbay), 12.3, 1, Jonny Fenton (W.C), 10.8, 2, Neill Robb (W.C), 7.23, 3, Doc Dougherty (Chch), 6.4, 4

Over 60 Men’s Division Final

Jack Griffith (Auck)

Men’s Longboard Division Final

Jack Tyro (Chch), 12.2, 1, Hugh Ritchie (Chch), 10.2, 2, Geordie Sawyer (Gis), 9.96, 3, Dion Findlay (W.C), 7.3, 4

Under 18 Boys Longboard Final

Jack Tyro (Chch), 14.16, 1, Archie Whithear (Chch), 7.6, 2, Will Jamieson (Chch), 6.94, 3, Geordie Sawyer (Gis), 6.44, 4

Women’s Longboard Division Final

Gabi Paul (Piha), 14.2, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 9.77, 2, Stella Smith (Gis), 8.43, 3, Tui Rudolph (ChCh), 7.87, 4

Under 18 Girls Division Final

Amanda Gouldsbury (Tara), 8.3, 1, Natasha Gouldsbury (Tara), 7.9, 2, Tui Rudolph (Chch), 7.9, 3, Amelie Wink (Chch), 6.03, 4

Men’s Stand Up Paddleboard Division Final

Sean Hovell (Gis), 15.6, 1, Al Te Moananui (Kaik), 12.2, 2, Kane Rowson (Tara), 7.13, 3, Greg Maniatis, 0, 4

Women’s Standup Paddleboard Division Final

Billie Scott (Whngrei), 11.3, 1, Stella Smith (Gis), 10.3, 2, Amelie Wink (ChCh), 7.4, 3,

Men’s Bodyboard Division Final

Aaron Lock (Chch), 15.1, 1, Sean Hovell (Gis), 9.9, 2

Over 45 Women’s Division Final

Carolyn Millar (Piha), 9, 1, Donna Henderson (Chch), 8.67, 2, Jane Schofield (Dun), 2.57, 3

Over 40 Women’s Division Final

Melissa Woods (Mnt), 4.6, 1, Jackie Hughes (Dun), 1.00, 2

Over 30 Women’s Division Final

Paige Hareb (Tara), 12, 1, Anna Hawes (W.C), 4.34, 2

Over 35 Women’s Division Final

Lucy Te Moananui (Kaik), 6.43, 1, Pana Leontiadu (W.C), 4.34, 2

Kneeboard Final

Samuel Coyne, 17.7, 1, Graeme Timmis, 10.5, 2, Murray Weir, 8.2, 3, Tracey Skelton, 7.2, 4, Jamin Allington, 5, 5

Over 320 entries have been received for the event. A total of 29 divisions are being contested including the premier Open Men and Women plus additional divisions comprising of age groups from Under 14 boys and girls through to Over 60s for males and females and Longboard, Stand Up Paddleboard, Bodyboard and Kneeboard disciplines.

Further Information

For further information on the 2022 National Surfing Championships please contact Surfing New Zealand’s Ben Kennings on 021 2278732 or email benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz.

Event Hotline

The Surfing New Zealand event hotline is 0211134506. This will be updated daily at approximately 7am with venue, divisions contested and conditions.

Social Media

Keep up with all the action by following @surfingnz on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Use the hashtag #Nats2022 to follow the story.

Surfing New Zealand is proudly partnered by:

Sport NZ

Water Safety NZ

Skinnies

Volkswagen

Press Release Source: Ben Kennings / surfingnz.co.nz