Ben Poulter : photo NZ Surfing Magazine
Quiksilver Maz Quinn King of the Groms
Surfing New Zealand
Gisborne New Zealand
21 -22 March 2009
King Poulter Takes Biggest Title of His Career
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 23 March, 2009 : - - The inaugural Maz Quinn’s Quiksilver King of the Groms was taken out by Raglan surfer Ben Poulter today (Sunday 22nd March) at Wainui Beach, Gisborne. Poulter will be New Zealand’s sole representative at the international Quiksilver King of the Groms held in France later in the year after dominating todays Under 16 Boys final..
Wainui Beach turned on some good waves on day two of the event with 1.0m waves. However the wind did swing to the south making life difficult for New Zealand’s best young surfers to compete. Poulter obliterated his opponents all weekend with his committed surfing that saw him consistently place among the top scorers. In the 25-minute final he posted 16.0 out of a possible 20 points to easily win out over his opponents.
“Yeah this is the biggest win of my life” commented Poulter. “I can’t believe I have won the chance to represent New Zealand and compete in France, I am so looking forward to it, it is going to be hard but I can’t wait.”
Poulter got the impeccable start to the final jumping to his feet as the starting hooter sounded. He proceeded to complete several massive backhand turns finishing on the beach for a 9.0 point ride with only 30 second gone in the final.
“I was real happy to get that nine straight away” said an awe struck Poulter. “I just had to get a back up quickly after that to put the pressure on the others and then I could be patient out the back and it all worked out well right through to the end”.
The early lead proved too much to handle for Poulters opponents Todd Doyle (Mnt), Tane Wallis (Piha) and Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata). Doyle came close to Poulter on a couple of occasions after posting a 7.25 point ride mid way through the final but he still required an 8.76 to take the title. Doyle pulled off some clean little airs but could not string more than one or two moves together to get the big score required.
The usually consistent Wallis got lost at sea in the final as did many of the competitors today. He fought hard to find the good waves but was left scoring 11.45 in his search for the best waves to place third. Double finalist Moretti finished fourth in the final after contesting his fifth heat of the day – the most of any competitor.
A fellow New Zealand Junior Team representative Rosa Thompson (Auck) stole the win in the Roxy Under 16 Girls Division after surfing to a final-high 8.0 point ride late in the heat. The score was enough to pip Alexis Poulter (Rag) who had led throughout the final. “I was so happy to get that wave at the end of the final” said Thompson. “I was pretty lucky actually ‘cause the conditions were really hard out there but that one peeled all the way through.”
The two surfers along with today’s third placed surfer Jayda Martin – Fitzharris are part of a four girl component of the New Zealand Surfing team that travel to Ecuador on Tuesday next week to compete at the 2009 Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships.
“I am really looking forward to going away next week, it is my second time at the worlds so I will have more experience and I know what to expect this time around” commented an excited Thompson. After leading most of the heat, Poulter finished in second place ahead of Gisborne surfers Jayda Martin Fitzharris in third and Abby Daunton in fourth.
Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Waihi Beach) caused the biggest upset of the event when he took out the LG Mobile Under 14 Boys final. After Te Ranga made it through to the finals he commented that it was the first time this year that he had got that far at a national event and how stoked he was. With no apparent fear of his opponents, Te Ragna went about the final by himself surfing up the beach with the guidance of his dad.
Te Ranga burst out of the gates with a 6.0 point ride early in the final. With conditions deteriorating he held his composure away from the pack and picked up a couple of small rides to hold the lead. Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha) came back into contention with a 6.40 point ride after catching on to Te Ranga’s tactics. However, it was the heat leading Te Ranga that went on to post the highest wave score of the final – a 6.65 out of a possible 10 points to secure the title – his first ever at a national level.
“I just tried to hold down the lead and make sure the other guys didn’t get a wave” an almost unbelieving Te Ranga commented. “I purposely went up the beach further away from the others because I thought the waves were better there. When the final hooter sounded I was happy as – everything went to plan for once”.
Elliot Paerata – Reid finished the final in second place with double finalist Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata) in third and Dune Kennings (WGM) in fourth. Eleven-year-old local boy Korbin Hutchings won the DC Shoes Under 12 Boys Division scoring 10.0 out of a possible 20 points. Hutchings dominated the final from the outset with a 6.5 point ride on his first wave.
Hutchings had looked solid all weekend and his form in the final continued to match his favourite tag status. Hutchings has now won all four events he has contested on the Surfing New Zealand Grommet Series this year. Placing second was Sandy Bay surfer Manu Scott-Arrieta scoring 7.75 with Quin Matenga (Mnt) in third and Ben Mcculloch (Gis) in fourth.
Contestants from all four divisions were also in the running for a number of additional prizes. Sticky Johnston and Surfers Skin put up the prizes and the winners were as follows:
Best manoeuvre – Tane Wallis
Most entertaining wave – Paul Moretti
Highest single wave score – Ben Poulter scoring 9.25
Highest heat score – Elliot Paerata Reid
Best air – Sean Kettle
Emerging talent – Rangi Moore
Please see below for final results from the Quiksilver Maz Quinn King of the Groms held at Pines Beach, Wainui, Gisborne this weekend (21st – 22nd March).
Quiksilver Under 16 Boys Final
Ben Poulter (Rag), 1, Todd Doyle (Mnt), 2, Tane Wallis (Piha), 3, Paul Moreiti (Mimiwhangata), 4
LG Mobile Under 14 Boys Final
Kahu Craig Te Ranga (Waihi Bch), 1, Elliot Paerata - Reid (Piha), 2, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangta), 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 4
DC Shoes Under 12 Boys Final
Korbin Hutchings (Gis), 1, Manu Scott-Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 2, Quinn Matenga (Mnt), 3, Ben McCulloch (Gis), 4
Roxy Under 16 Girls Final
Rosa Thompson (Auck), 1, Alexis Poulter (Rag), 2, Jayda Martin-Fitzharris (Gis), 3, Abigail Daunton (Gis), 4
The winner of the Under 16 Boys Division receives the following prize pack:
- All expenses paid trip to France to compete in the Quiksilver King of the Groms World Final
- $500 cash
- Surf trip with Maz Quinn to be featured in NZ Surfing Magazine
- Quiksilver prize pack
- LG mobile
- DC prize pack
- Skull Candy prize pack
Event Sponsors: The Quiksilver Maz Quinn King of the Groms event is proudly sponsored by Quiksilver, Roxy, LG Mobile, DC Shoes, Skull Candy, Sticky Johnson, Surfers Skin, New Wave, Primo and NZ Surfing Magazine.
Surfing New Zealand are proudly partnered by Corona, Hyundai, SPARC & Smokefree.
www.quiksilver.com
www.surfingnz.co.nz
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