Quinn Clinches Win to Take Corona Crown Series

Thirty-one-year-old Maz Quinn of Gisborne today (Sunday) won the final event of the Corona Crown Series to claim his first ever series win adding to what many would regard as the most illustrious surfing career by any New Zealand surfer. Quinn was locked in a tight battle with day-one stand out Luke Cederman (Rag) but held on to win the Corona Super 16 at South Piha Beach. Local girl Mischa Davis claimed the final of the women’s division to also take the Corona Crown Series title.

Quinn was on form all weekend winning his three round robin heats as the only person to take maximum points. He then had his only glitch with a second in the semifinals coincidentally to runner up Cederman. Quinn posted 14.50 in the final to win and was stoked to finally put another feather in his cap.

“Yeah this is the first time I have won the Corona Crown Series and to win it by winning the last event, I don’t think you could script it much better” commented Quinn. “The conditions held out over the whole weekend and the surf today has allowed us to go for broke and it was good to be part of the final four guys and come away with a win”.

Quinn knew that a win at the last event would secure his series title and nothing short of first would have been acceptable in his terms. Closest rival Zennor Wernham (Rag) also placed in the final finishing fourth which was enough to secure second overall on the series. Maz’s younger brother Jay was hoping for an upset win to bump him up the ratings from third but fell short in the semifinals being eliminated by Wernham and Bobby Hansen (Gis).

Jay had surfed with an injured foot all weekend after being run over by another surfer while training in Australia. Jay was also lucky to make the semfinal sneaking in by way of his three round robin heats aggregate after five surfers finished with a 15 point tally.

Day one stand out Luke Cederman was agonisingly close to clinching today’s event. Cederman used his incredibly powerful style to lock in a near perfect 9.0 point ride midway through the final. Only requiring a 5.51 for the win, the ocean failed to deliver as Cederman came short on two attempts posting a 5.25 and a 4.25 to finish second. It would have been Cederman’s first ever Corona Crown Series event win and while “happy” with his runner up placing was left with the “what if” thoughts like all second place getters.

Bobby Hansen didn’t receive the domestic send off that he would have wanted today finishing third. The defending champion of the event looked sharp all weekend but fell short in the final unable to unleash his spectacular surfing on the challenging Piha waves. Hansen flies out to Australia tonight to compete at an international event alongside Jay Quinn.

Earlier in the day Cederman and Quinn eliminated Billy Stairmand (Rag) and Keone Campbell (Tara) in semifinal one while Hansen and Wernham put pay to Leon Santorik (Rag) and Jay Quinn.

Photo: Maz Quinn (Courtesy of NZ Surfing Magazine)

Mischa Davis stole the show in the women’s division when she posted a 9.0 point ride at the beginning of the 25 minute final against Jessica Santorik (Rag). Davis used her local knowledge of the break to latch onto a great lefthand wave that peeled to the beach. It allowed Davis to perform multiple critical manoeuvres. A further 5.25 point ride was enough to hold out Santorik who like Cederman could not secure the 7.51 point ride after several attempts.

Davis by way of winning the final in what she described as the “best comp ever” also won the Corona Crown Series pushing Jessica Santorik back to second.

The other two surfers competing in the main event were Daisy Thomas (Chch) who finished third and Mount Maunganui’s Laura Rishworth who finished fourth.

North Island lived up to their favourite tag in the North vs South Challenge by storming home to a win over the 60 minute tag team event. The North Island team comprised Leon Santorik (Rag), Zennor Wernham (Rag), Sam Willis (Mnt), Sean Peggs (Rag) and Jessica Santorik (Rag). Sean Peggs took control early as the power surfer and was followed by Leon Santorik with some solid rides and Sam Willis with one screaming ride of 9.00. Zennor Wernham and Jessica Santorik finished off the deal, Santorik literally walking across the finish line with time to spare.

It was not all one way traffic however with stalwart Manu Schafer (Chch) posting a perfect ten point ride for an excellent lefthander that he smacked all the way to the beach. As the power surfer Schafer gave the South Island a glimmer of hope when his scores were combined with those of Daisy Thomas (Chch), Anthony Hema (Chch) and Ike Hansen (Chch). Hayden Brain required a near perfect 17 point tally for his two rides as the last surfer in the team and it eventually became insurmountable when time became his enemy.

Point Boardriders of Raglan proved that their day one form in the Interclub Championship was no fluke when they crushed their opponents hopes of a title. The team of Leon Santorik, Mike Banks, Zennor Wernham, Sea Peggs and Jessica Santorik posted a total of 59.1 to outpost Bay Boardriders, Whangamata Boardriders and Lion Rock Boardriders.

The tussle for second was super close with one point separating the teams but Whangamata failed to get back to the box and incurred a five point penalty to finish in third with Lion Rock Boardriders in fourth.

Corona Super 16 Piha Results

Open Men’s Final
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Luke Cederman (Rag), 2, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 3, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 4

Open Women’s Final
Mischa Davis (Auck), 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 2

Interclub Championship
Point Boardriders (Rag), 59.1, 1, Bay Boardriders (Mnt), 52.45, 2, Whanga Boardriders, 46.45, 3, Lion Rock Boardriders, 36.6, 4

North vs South Challenge
North Island (62.8), 1, South Island (50.55), 2

Source: Surfing New Zealand

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