Rasby Wins RipCurl Pro at Manu Bay, Raglan

Gisborne’s Brent Rasby today took his maiden event win at the Rip Curl Pro held at Ruapuke Beach, Raglan. In a commanding fashion Rasby dominated his fellow competitors winning his quarter and semi finals before going out in the final and leading from the outset. The win elevated Rasby 21 places up the Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour to tenth place and secured him a place in the final event of the tour – The Lion Red Super 16 to be held on the 25th of February.

The 29 year old surfer has been competing for 16 years and today’s finals berth was his first at the Open Men’s level. Rasby couldn’t have started off better scoring an excellent 9.0 point ride only seconds after the start of the heat. Surfing from the outside break Rasby performed some big turns before linking the wave up to the inside section and finishing with several speed turns. From there he posted a further 6.0 point wave on his second ride to seal the victory. Coming in after the final Rasby had a grin from ear to ear as he was greeted by his ecstatic friends. Holding his huge $3,000 winners cheque aloft he was near speechless at the prize giving having finally won an event.

Whangamata’s AJ Matthews placed second in the final and was the only surfer to really challenge Rasby for the lead. Matthews, also a first time finalist opted to surf the bowly left hand waves that were coming through and they suited his style as he posted a first scoring wave of 7.0 and backed that up with a 6.75. Ultimately requiring an 8.01 for the win Matthews was always in the hunt but time ran out and he had to settle for second place. The result was a career best but left him one spot short of making the Super 16 cut. Damon Gunness (Gis) placed third scoring 10.45 in the final and jumps three places up the ratings to 4th one place behind Mark Dovey who placed fourth in today’s final scoring 9.25.

Earlier Rasby and Dovey ended the run of Jarred Hancox (Tara) and Luke Hughes (Rag) while Matthews and Gunness eliminated Luke Cederman (Rag) and Justin Souter (Mnt).

Paige Hareb (Tara) continued her fine run of form by winning the Women’s division. The final was tightly contested with Jessica Santorik (Rag) scoring a 7.00 on her last wave but Hareb went one better to post a near perfect 9.5 point ride on her last wave to take the win. It was Hareb’s second win for the day after earlier contesting the Rip Curl GromSearch national final and winning a trip to Australia to compete in the international final in April. Kelly Clarkeson placed third in the final after only finding short waves to score a total of 8.10 ahead of a wave starved Wini Paul (Sandy Bay)

Bohdi Whitaker (Gis) made it two wins for Gisborne after winning the Junior Men’s final on his last wave. Whitaker scored a heat high 7.75 on his first wave but got pushed back into second for much of the final after Dean Amess (WGM) went into the lead with a heat score of 13.25. In the dying stages of the final it was Whitaker who took back the lead scoring 6.3 on his last wave to jump into first and take home his first ever Junior Men’s win. Amess had to settle for second place just ahead of a junior on the rise in the form of 14 year old Sean Peggs (Tairua). Peggs belted some big forehand turns midway through the heat to score a 7.0 point ride and ended with a heat total of 12.50. Young 13 year old Johnny Hicks (Gis) surfed his first Junior Men’s final placing fourth but was not outclassed even though some finalists were five years his senior.

Tim O’Connor won the national final of the Rip Curl GromSearch to secure his ticket to Australia and a chance at the international final in April. In a two horse race it was O’Connor that just won out over Ryan Hawker (Piha). O’Connor scored 13.75 to Hawkers 12.0. Mathis Smith (Tara) placed third ahead of Oliver Bone (Sandy Bay) in fourth. In the girls final it was Hareb that won out over double finalist Wini Paul in second, Pae Pou (Inv) in third and Jessica Welch (Gis) in fourth.

See below for final results from the event as well as the unofficial ratings on the Lion Red Pro Surfing Tour.

RIP CURL OPEN MEN QUARTER FINALS

Heat one

Brent Rasby (Gis), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), 2, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 3, Rowan Aish (Mur), 4

Heat two

Mark Dovey (Mnt), 1, Jarrod Hancox (Tara), 2, Hayden Brain (ChCh), 3, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 4

Heat three

Damon Gunness (Gis), 1, Luke Cederman (Rag), 2, Jos Kennings (Whmata), 3, Larry Fisher (Piha), 4

Heat four

Justin Souter (Mnt), 1, AJ Matthews (Cor), 2, Luke Harwood (Cor), 3, Dean Amess (Whmata), 4

RIP CURL OPEN MEN SEMI FINALS

Heat one

Brent Rasby (Gis), 1, Mark Dovey (Mnt), 2, Jarrod Hancox (Tara), 3, Luke Hughes (Rag), 4

Heat two

AJ Matthews (Cor), 1, Damon Gunness (Gis), 2, Luke Cederman (Rag), 3, Justin Souter (Mnt), 4,

RIP CURL OPEN MEN FINALS

Brent Rasby (Gis), Mark Dovey (Mnt), AJ Matthews (Cor), Damon Gunness (Gis)

RIP CURL JUNIOR MEN QUARTER FINALS

Heat one

Billy Stairmand (Rag), 1, Dean Amess (Whmata), 2, Klee Drummond (Tairua), 3, Stefan White (WGM), 4

Heat two

Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Joe Gethen (Te Awanga), 2, Sam White (WGM), 3, Kieran Van Der Helder (Rag), 4

Heat three

Ryan Hawker (Piha), 1, Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 2, Gauranga Ormond (WGM), 3, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 4

Heat four

Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Sean Peggs (Tai), 2, Luke Hughes (Rag), 3, Levi O'Connor (Kaik), 4

RIP CURL JUNIOR MEN SEMI FINALS

Heat one

Dean Amess (Whmata), 1, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 2, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 3, Joe Gethen (Te Awanga), 4

Heat two

Sean Peggs (Tai), 1, Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 2, Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4

RIP CURL JUNIOR MEN FINALS

Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 1, Dean Amess (Whmata), 2, Sean Peggs (Tai), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4

RIP CURL WOMENS SEMI FINALS

Heat one

Jessica Santorik (Rag), 1, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 2, Jessica Welch (Gis), 4, Sharnae Van Der Helder (Rag), 3

Heat two

Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), 2, Kara Stephenson (Rag), 3, Clare Thomson (Gis), 4

RIP CURL WOMENS FINALS

Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 2, Kelly Clarkeson (Rag), 3, Wini Paul (Sandy Bay), 4

LION RED PRO SURFING TOUR RATINGS

1 Daniel Kereopa (Rag)
2 Justin Souter (Mnt)
3 Mark Dovey (Mnt)
4 Damon Gunness (Gis)
5 Luke Cederman (Rag)
6 Luke Hughes (Rag)
7 Hayden Brain (ChCh)
8 Luke Harwood (WGM)
9 Ben Kennings (WGM)
10 Brent Rasby (Gis)
11 Zennor Wernham (Rag)
12 Dean Amess (WGM)
13 Blair Stewart, (Gis) (Rag)
14 Leon Santorik (Rag)
15 Jarred Hancox (Tara)
16 Maz Quinn (Gis)

Source: Surfing New Zealand

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