Indifferent Results At The Billabong Pro

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Monday, February 1, 2010

The final eight surfers were confirmed in the Open Men’s Division of the Billabong Pro today (Sunday) with a full day of surfing taking place that saw some big results as well as some major upsets.

The Billabong Pro is the second of five events on the Export Gold Series and will be completed on Monday.

The surf remained messy throughout the day as the wind swung directly onshore and the swell rose towards the 2.0m mark.

Gisborne surfer Maz Quinn surfing his way to the highest heat score of the day (17.0 out of a possible 20) at the Billabong Pro contested at Whangamata today (Sunday). Quinn is through to the last eight surfers of the event and will contest his semifinal on Monday morning. Photo: Cory / NZ Surfing Magazine

Gisborne’s Maz Quinn dominated proceedings with two big heat wins that saw him post scores of 16.4 and 17.0 in his respective heats. Quinn moves through to the semifinals of the event which will be contested on Monday morning.

“I was at the World Juniors all last week and the level of surfing there blew me away” said a highly impressed Quinn who looked energised out in the water today.

“I have a couple of good boards and to be honest the waves were a lot better than they looked today so I had fun”.

Quinn last won the Billabong Pro in 2008 and after a poor start to the 2009/10 Export Gold Series at his home break when he placed 13th =, he will want to push on for a big result at this event to climb back to the top of the ratings.

The youngest of the Quinn brothers Jay was also successful throughout the day and will face his brother in the semifinals on the final day of the Billabong Pro. Along with Maz, Jay will face off against Tim O’Connor (Mnt) and number one seed at the event, Chris Malone (Gis).

Tim O’Connor thrived in the onshore conditions surfing through two heats and progressing through to both the Open Men’s and Under 20 Men’s Division semifinals.

“Yeah it was fun, the waves looked bad but if you got the right ones it was good” commented O’Connor post heat. “I was riding a smaller board (5’8”) and it goes really well in conditions like today.”

O’Connor was unfazed by his pending semifinal match up suggesting that provided you get the right waves you will get through your heats. “There were heaps of guys that should have got through today but they didn’t because they didn’t get the good waves” ended O’Connor.

Whangamata surfer Gauranga Ormond made sure the locals were represented as well moving through to the semifinals after winning his quarterfinal match up progressing alongside Leon Santorik (Rag).

Santorik along with Luke Cederman are the lone two Raglan surfers remaining in the Open Men’s Division.

Fifteen year old Tane Wallis (Piha) shocked his competitors by advancing to the semifinals in second place. The result is already a personal best for the young New Zealand representative and he will hope to push on through to the final on Monday morning.

Big names to lose on day two included defending champion and day one standout Bobby Hansen, fellow Gisborne surfer Richard Christie, current Export Gold Series leader Billy Stairmand (Rag) and finalist at the first event of the Export Gold Series Nick White (Mnt).

The Pacific Blue Highest Heat Score Award changed hands several times throughout the day. Maz Quinn eventually came out on top after day two of the event scoring 17.0 points in his quarterfinal match up. The winner of the award wins a return airfare to any destination along the East Coast of Australia or in the Pacific courtesy of Pacific Blue.

The Billabong Pro is the second of five events on the 2009/10 Export Gold Series. The Export Gold Series wraps up at Piha on the 23rd – 24th of April with the Export Gold Super 16.

Please see below for results from day two of the Billabong Pro held at Whangamata Beach this today (Sunday 31st January).

Open Men’s Round of 48
Heat 1
Sam Willis (Mnt), 1, AJ Matthews (Whmata), 2, Tim Thompson (Auck), 3, Travis McCoy (Mnt), 4
Heat 2
Larry Fisher (Rag), 1, Che Whitaker (Gis), 2, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 3, Deane Hishon (Rag), 4
Heat 3
Bachelor Tipene (Tara), 1, Matt Hishon (Rag), 2, Matt Groube (Cor), 3, Lee Fleming (Tara), 4
Heat 4
Jay Quinn (Gis), 1, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 2, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 3, Scott Casey (Auck), 4
Heat 5
Braedon Williams (Whmata), 1, Nick White (Mnt), 2, Morehu Roberts (Rag), 3, Joe Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 4
Heat 6
Luke Cederman (Rag), 1, Dru Adler (Aus), 2, Jacob Kohn (Gis), 3, Adam Cranston (Gis), 4
Heat 7
Richard Christie (Mahia), 1, Scott Bell (Auck), 2, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 3, Blake Myers (Whmata), 4
Heat 8
Leon Santorik (Rag), 1, Sean Dillon (Tara), 2, Ricky Parker (Whmata), 3, Tyler Anderson (Tara), 4

Open Men’s Round of 32
Heat 1
Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Sam Willis (Mnt), 2, Jarred Hancox (Tara), 3, Che Whitaker (Gis), 4
Heat 2
AJ Matthews (Whmata), 1, Keone Campbell (Tara), 2, Larry Fisher (Rag), 3, Ryan Hawker (Piha), 4
Heat 3
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 2, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 3, Bachelor Tipene (Tara), 4
Heat 4
Chris Malone (Gis), 1, Jay Quinn (Gis), 2, Matt Hishon (Rag), 3, Johnny Hicks (Gis), 4
Heat 5
Braedon Williams (Whmata), 1, Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 2, Dru Adler (Aus), 3, Zen Wallis (Piha), 4
Heat 6
Luke Cederman (Rag), 1, Nick White (Mnt), 2, Sean Peggs (Tairua), 3, Dane Simpson (Gis), 4
Heat 7
Richard Christie (Mahia), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Paco Divers (Sandy Bay), 3, Sean Dillon (Tara), 4
Heat 8
Leon Santorik (Rag), 1, Luke Hughes (Rag), 2, Scott Bell (Auck), 3, Bodhi Whitaker (Gis), 4

Open Men’s Quarterfinals
Heat 1
Tim O'Connor (Mnt), 1, Jay Quinn (Gis), 2, Zennor Wernham (Rag), 3, AJ Matthews (Whmata), 4
Heat 2
Maz Quinn (Gis), 1, Chris Malone (Gis), 2, Keone Campbell (Tara), 3, Sam Willis (Mnt), 4
Heat 3
Luke Cederman (Rag), 1, Tane Wallis (Piha), 2, Braedon Williams (Whmata), 3, Luke Hughes (Rag), 4
Heat 4
Gauranga Ormond (Whmata), 1, Leon Santorik (Rag), 2, Nick White (Mnt), 3, Richard Christie (Mahia), 4