Zennor Wernham Clinches Surfing New Zealand Pro Win

Zennor Wernham of Raglan clinched a last second victory today (Sunday) at the Surfing New Zealand Pro held at Gisborne’s Makarori Beach. The event, held in association with New Wave Surfboards and the first on the Corona Crown Series was played out in a clean but dying 0.5m-1.0m swell that required the highest performance surfing as well as excellent strategy to win. The action filled final was an indication of the tense competition when it was determined in a last thirty second wave exchange that proved pivotal for the final results. It was Wernham who got the best of the exchange scoring 6.60 on his last ride to jump from third to first. An elated Wernham couldn’t believe his ditch heroics “Yeah I can’t believe it, that’s crazy…we didn’t hear the scores for a while in the final so we weren’t too sure what we needed to score but I knew I needed a good wave and I got it, I am just so stoked”.

It was generally a slow heat for Wernham who opened the final on his first wave with a 6.65 and he then played the patience game which eventually paid off “I got that first wave and knew that I was in with a chance to win but then the wind came up and the waves got real bad. It turned out all good though, man I still can’t believe it” commented Wernham with an astonished grin on his face.

Through the middle of the heat it was Morehu Roberts who now resides in Gisborne that moved into the lead after finding some excellent left handers. Roberts lead with a total heat score of 13.10 but that was to be eclipsed late in the heat by Wernham. Both Ryan Hawker (Piha) and Damon Gunness (Gis) who finished third and fourth respectively also caught last minute waves. Young Hawker who was surfing his seventh heat of the day was first up posting 6.05 on his last wave then Gunness with a last ditch righthander that scored 5.25 but that was not enough to move him out of fourth place.

Earlier Hawker and Wernham eliminated seasoned professionals Daniel Kereopa (Rag) and Justin Souter (Mnt) in semi final one with Roberts and Gunness eliminating Luke Hughes and Mike Banks both of Raglan in semi final two.

The Surfing New Zealand Pro denotes the first of six events on the Corona Crown Series this summer. Wernham takes the early advantage leading into the next event which is the Hyundai National Champs to be held in Taranaki in January.

Paige Hareb (Tara) won the Women’s division with her typically aggressive approach. She got off to a great start scoring a 6.0 on a long lefthander then late in the heat she backed that up with a 5.40 on a shorter right hander with two critical turns. Jessica Santorik (Rag) was in with a chance on her last scoring ride but when the score came in at 6.35 it was only enough to move her from third to second ahead of Mischa Davis (Piha). Davis surfed one righthander particularly well scoring 5.50 early but as the wind increased and the ocean died, she could not find anything decent in the latter half of the final. Local surfer Jessica Welch finished the final in fourth place for her first finals berth this year.

Richard Christie (Mahia) sealed the final of the Junior Men with a scintillating first five minutes of surfing that saw him surf 8.75 and 6.65 point rides for a lead that he never relinquished. However his lead was in jeopardy by all three other finalists in what was a very high scoring final. Christie’s powerful forehand and ability to complete critical manouvres was what set him apart from the other finalists and allow him to win his last ever Under 18 Boys event that he is eligible for. Tim O’Connor (Mnt) finished the tight heat in second place scoring 14.25 for his heat total as he worked the small righthanders all the way to the beach. Billy Stairmand hunted out the lefts but finished in third place only just ahead of double finalist Ryan Hawker with scores of 12.85 and 12.45 respectively.

By placing third in the final Stairmand did enough to clinch the Junior Series for 2006. The race was over before the final however with closest rivals Bodhi Whitaker (Gis) and Kierin Van Der Helder (Rag) being eliminated prior to the semi finals. Closest rival Hawker could only watch after Stairmand progressed through to the final which was enough for the series win.

Earlier the junior boys blazed the semi finals with several surfers unlucky not to progress. Stairmand and Christie disposed of Joe Gethen (HBay) and Karne Pitcher (WGM). O’Connor and Hawker eliminated Paco Divers (Whangarei) who posted the event high 9.0 point ride and Matt Hewitt (BOP).

Surfing New Zealand Pro held in Association with New Wave – Final Results

Open Men Quarterfinals

Heat 1

Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 1, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 2, Dean Amess (Whmata), 3, Felix Dickson (Ota), 4

Heat 2

Ryan Hawker (Piha), 1, Justin Souter (Mnt), 2, Chris Malone (Gis), 3, Gauranga Ormond, (Whmata), 4

Heat 3

Damon Gunness (Gis), 1, Mike Banks (Rag), 2, Nat Day (Tara), 3, Nick White (Mnt), 4

Heat 4

Luke Hughes (Rag), 1, Morehu Roberts, (Rag), 2, Rowan Aish (Muriwai), 3, Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 4

Open Men Semifinals

Heat 1

Zennor Wernham (Rag), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 3, Justin Souter (Mnt), 4

Heat 2

Morehu Roberts, (Rag), 1, Damon Gunness (Gis), 2, Luke Hughes (Rag), 3, Mike Banks (Rag), 4

Open Men Finals

Zennor Wernham (Rag), 1, Morehu Roberts, (Rag), 2, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 3, Damon Gunness (Gis), 4

Junior Men Round 1

Heat 1

Richard Christie (Mahia), 1, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 2, Keone Campbell (Tara), 3, Joseph Kelly (Wgtn), 4

Heat 2

Johnny Hicks (Gis), 1, Karne Pitcher (Whmata), 2 Kieran Van Der Helder (Rag), 3, Adam Cranston (Gis), 4

Heat 3

Stefan White (Whmata), 1, Joe Gethen (Te Awanga), 2, David Crofoot (Castle Pt), 3,

Heat 4

Billy Stairmand (Rag), 1, Jhia Steevens (Gis), 2, Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Reno Marriot, (Gis), 4

Heat 5

Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 1, Buck Woods (Gis), 2, Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 3, Ryan Morgan (Gis), 4

Heat 6

Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 1, Sean Peggs (Tairua), 2, Nick Moses (Tara), 3, Levi O'Connor (Kaik), 4

Heat 7

Ryan Hawker (Piha), 1, Ryan Heath (Whmata), 2, Conan James (Tara), 3, Blake Myers (Whmata), 4

Heat 8

Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Zac Smith (Rag), 3, Jay Paddock (Gis), 2, Hemi Clark (Rag), 4

Junior Men Quarter finals

Heat 1

Richard Christie (Mahia), 1, Joe Gethen (Te Awanga), 2, Jhia Steevens (Gis), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4

Heat 2

Billy Stairmand (Rag), 1, Karne Pitcher WGM), 2, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 3, Stefan White (Whmata), 4

Heat 3

Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 1, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 2, Jay Paddock (Gis), 3, Ryan Heath (Whmata), 4

Heat 4

Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Sean Peggs (Tairua), 3, Buck Woods (Gis), 4

Junior Men Semi Finals

Heat 1

Billy Stairmand (Rag), 1, Richard Christie (Mahia), 2, Joe Gethen (Te Awanga), 3, Karne Pitcher WGM), 4

Heat 2

Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 2, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 3, Matt Hewitt (Mnt), 4

Junior Men Finals

Richard Christie (Mahia), 1, Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 2, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4

Open Women Round 1

Heat one

Jessica Santorik, (Rag), 1, Jessica Welch, (Gis), 2, Claire Thomson (Gis), 3, Hossana Hosresfall, (Gis), 4

Heat two

Mischa Davis (Auck), 1, Paige Hareb (Tara), 2, Kara Stephenson (Rag), 3, Ariana Roberts (Gis), 4

Open Women Finals

Paige Hareb (Tara), 1, Jessica Santorik, (Rag), 2, Mischa Davis (Auck), 3, Jessica Welch, (Gis), 4

The Corona Crown brings together five national surfing events around New Zealand. After the five events have been completed, the top 16 surfers on the ratings are invited to compete in the elite Corona Super 16 event held at Piha at the end of summer. At the Super 16 New Zealand’s top surfers get the chance to surf off against each other in an alternative surfing format that gives them more than just a twenty minute heat to show off their talents. The Corona Super 16 also includes a women’s division where the top four girls on the ratings tussle it out for the number one position.

Source: Surfing New Zealand

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