Excitement Swells for Vodafone Surf Sessions

Media release
11 October, 2005

Excitement Swells for Vodafone Surf Sessions

New Zealand’s top riders will take on the best of the rest at Piha next week and the draw announced today promises to have spectators on the edge of their beach towels.

The Vodafone Surf Sessions will see DK, Jay, Maz and Bobby Hansen (NZ) band together to take on world surfing giants Andy Irons, Parko, Occy and Sunny Garcia (aka The Rest of the World). It will be the first time a New Zealand team has challenged a World side of this magnitude in its home country.

The draw involves two competition rounds. The first round robin comprises four 20 minute heats* in which four surfers compete, two kiwis and two internationals. Each surfer rides to score points for their team, New Zealand or the World.

Then comes the Tag Team round with the competition culminating in an hour long Tag Team event with all eight competitors fighting for the last valuable 10 points on offer for their team. Each surfer has 15 minutes in which they need to catch a maximum of three waves.

Mark Occhilupo says that he’s looking forward to surfing against a New Zealand team, Maz Quinn especially.

“When Maz was on tour I’d always enjoy watching his heats, he’s quite powerful,” says Occy.

“I’ve spoke to Andy, Sunny and Joel and they’re really excited about the event. I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of local people and I encourage them to come up and say hello. It’s not a high pressure event for us and we’re looking forward to helping promote New Zealand as a great place to have a surfing competition. Just come along and get involved!,” says Occy.

The last heat of the first round will be a scorcher with World team members Andy Irons and Sunny Garcia taking on New Zealand team members Maz Quinn and Bobby Hansen. This will be the third time in the last month that Irons has come up against Maz. Maz met Irons in the first and third rounds of the Quiksilver Pro in France where he came within one minute of eliminating the champ. He’s in good form, winning the Ferrol Terra Pantin Classic held in Pantin, Spain in early September. But Irons is on fire and arrives in the country with his world title hopes very much alive.

Surfers will compete for a trophy board designed by DK’s brother Aaron Kereopa. The trophy is carved from a surfboard blank and features a figure representing Tawhirimatea – Maori god of the elements, the winds, storms and tempest. Without Tawhirimatea manipulating the ocean, there would be no waves.

For more information on the event and daily activities please see www.vodafone.co.nz/surf

*Heat one:
Joel Parkinson, Australia
Mark Occhilupo, Australia
Maz Quinn, Gisborne
Bobby Hansen, Gisborne

Heat two:
Andy Irons
Sunny Garcia
Jay Quinn, Gisborne
Daniel Kereopa, Raglan

Heat three:
Joel Parkinson, Australia
Mark Occhilupo, Australia
Jay Quinn, Gisborne
Daniel Kereopa, Raglan

Heat four:
Andy Irons, Hawaii
Sunny Garcia, Hawaii
Maz Quinn, Gisborne
Bobby Hansen, Gisborne

ENDS

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