Mason Makes Finals. Team Wins Tag Event

The Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team has finished sixth at the Quiksilver ISA World Junior Championships in France overnight (Saturday), the team result highlighted by a fourth placing in the under 18 girls division by Airini Mason (formerly from Gisborne). Mason was the highest placed Kiwi at the event and equalled the result she achieved in 2006. Mason was also part of the triumphant New Zealand team who won the tag team event beating powerhouse nations Australia, France and South Africa in the final.

Australia secured first and second place in the girls final with Laura Enever taking the top spot and Tyler Wright placing second. Mason along with Courtney Conlogue both required 7.37 point rides to jump into the lead. The score was not out the realms of possibility after Mason has earlier scored a 9.17 and an 8.17 to advance to the final. However time ran out in the final and Mason finished with an 11.32 point heat total.

Earlier New Zealand’s hopes rested on Paco Divers (Sandy Bay) and Eli Jacobs (Qld) in the under 18 boys division. Divers placed sixth after suffering successive losses in the qualifying semi and then the repercharge semi. Things did not go his way in the two heats but the result is the best achieved by a New Zealand under 18 surfer in seven years. Jacobs started the day well winning through to the eighth round but came unstuck against Granger Larson (Haw) and Marc Lacomare (Fra). Jacobs placed 9th overall.

Johnny Hicks (Gis) also finished his campaign in the eighth round when he was eliminated by Connor Coffin (USA) and Gabriel Medina (Bra). Hicks only scored 6.17 in the heat but could have progressed with a 6.10 point ride. Hicks finished 9th overall to be the highest placed Kiwi surfer in the under 16 boys.

After the individual finals the tag team event was held. The Rip Curl New Zealand team comprised Matt Hewitt, Eli Jacobs, Alex Dive, Paco Divers and Airini Mason. The team placed second to Australia in the semi final but then turned the table on it’s foes to win the final scoring 52.57 with Australia second (45.85), France third (45.25) and South Africa in fourth (43.25). Matt Hewitt got the team off to a flyer with two 8.0 point rides then Eli Jacobs surfed to rides of 7.45 and 7.3. Dive was next out and scored 5.1 and 5.2. With time running out Paco Divers got two quick rides of 4.10 and 3.0 before Mason had to sprint into the water and catch two waves in the shore dump and run back to the team box to avoid the time penalty. This was the second time New Zealand have won the tag team event, the last time being 2001.

Rip Curl New Zealand Junior Surfing Team Overall Results

1st Australia
2nd Brazil
3rd Hawaii
4th USA

Boys Under 18
1st Alejo Muniz (BRA)
2nd Owen Wright (AUS)
3rd Tyler Newton (HAW)
4th Marc Lacomare (FRA)

(6th Paco Divers (Sandy Bay))
(19th Matt Hewitt (Mnt))
(25th Ryan Hawker (Piha))

Girls’ Under 18
1st Laura Enever (AUS)
2nd Tyler Wright (AUS)
3rd Courtney Conlogue (USA)
4th Airini Mason (NZ)

(19th Paige Hareb (Tara))
(25th Alexis Poulter (Rag))
(43rd Rosa Thompson (Auck))

Boys Under 16
1st Tamaroa McComb (TAH)
2nd Peterson Crisanto (BRA)
3rd Matty Costa (HAW)
4th Ian Fontaine (FRA)

(9th Johnny Hicks (Gis))
(13th Alex Dive (Mnt))
(25th Blake Myers (WGM))

Aloha Cup Tag Team Event
1st New Zealand
2nd Australia
3rd France
4th South Africa

Source: Surfing New Zealand

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