Vodafone Surf Sessions

Mother Nature Wins Out Over International Pro Surfers

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 21 October, 2005 : - - There is only so much you can do when the waves don’t cooperate at a surf event.  But the four internationals here for the Vodafone Surf Sessions were kept more than busy today (Friday) at Manu Bay Raglan on day one of the most anticipated surf event New Zealand has ever seen.  The car park at Manu Bay was full by 10am and it was the full tide that ruined the minimal swell that was on offer causing near lake-like conditions.  With the small waves, Andy Irons, Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo, Sunny Garcia and Joel ‘Parko’ Parkinson were kept busy by the throng of media present not to mention the crazy public interest. 

The surf did pulse now and then and that was enough to get Occy and Parko out in the water to join local surfer Daniel Kereopa.  Parko won out on style surfing a longboard, with Occy and DK riding their normal shortboards narrowly avoiding the rocks while trying to surf.  The session was highlighted when Parko took off on the same wave with DK.  DK managed to catch Parko and jump on his longboard to ride the wave tandem, much to the delight of the 2000 strong crowd that hung on the waters edge. 

The short surf was replaced with the longest autograph line you have ever clapped your eyes on.  Stretching the length of the Manu Bay car park, autograph hunters waited for up to an hour to get their boards, shirts, hats, lanyards and posters signed by the four internationals as well as New Zealand surfers, Maz Quinn, Bobby Hansen and Daniel Kereopa. 

Things are looking up for tomorrow.  Piha traditionally attracts more swell than Raglan and the metservice is calling for an increasing two metre south swell.  This should produce significantly bigger and more surfable waves for the second day of the event.  The weather is also on the improve with sunny skies predicted for the remainder of the long weekend.   

MCs Slave & Otis kick off the day’s entertainment at Piha from 11.15am and band Kora will also make an appearance through out the day.  Sit back and enjoy the ride from midday when the entertainment on the water starts, with two rounds of competition including heats one to four, and a Tag Team event. 

Visit www.vodafone.co.nz/surf for further details or check out what’s hot on Vodafone live! 

Notes:
The South Piha beach car park (in front of the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club) will be closed to the public from 7am on this day. Traffic controllers will direct to the event parking. If there is bad weather, there is a reserve date of Sunday 23 October and details will be broadcast on the Newstalk ZB cancellation service on Saturday morning. 

Car parking at Piha will be signposted as visitors enter the event area and there will be food vendors on-site. The day finishes with the Vodafone Signing Session where the guys get face to face with the public to sign memorabilia.

 

 

 

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Ben Kennings
benkennings@surfingnz.co.nz

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