Williams wins on the waves

Whangamata surfer Ella Williams has claimed her first win of the New Zealand Pro Series in three years after taking out the Open Women's Division at the Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraith at Manu Bay in Raglan yesterday.

Whangamata surfer Ella Williams, winner of the 2015 Rip Curl Pro at Manu Bay, Raglan, yesterday. Photo: Jereme Aubertin.

Raglan turned on the best conditions seen for an event in a long time with a clean 1.5m swell that saw nonstop waves rattle down the point of Manu Bay. The forecast gale force winds never eventuated, winds remaining light to moderate all day.

Taking the win over Australian-based surfer Sarah Mason, Williams got off to a slow start in the final but came back with her aggressive approach attacking the lip on several occasions to post a 15.67 point heat total.

'It's been a long time coming,” said Williams after the final. 'The waves at Raglan have been pumping today, this has been an awesome event and the girls' field today was so good so I am glad to walk away with the win.”

Williams departs for the ISA World Surfing Games next week so the win comes at a time where it will provide a big confidence boost heading in to the international event.Mason challenged Williams for the lead and a final wave that saw her sneak in to a small tube threatened a lead change but Mason came up just short.

Placing third in the final was local surfer Jessica Santorik ahead of Auckland's Gabriella Sansom in fourth.

Piha's Elliot Paerata – Reid stole the win in the Under 20 Boys Division with a last second wave to edge out Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata).

Paerata – Reid posted a 15.93 point heat total in the final compared to Moretti's 15.83. While Paerata – Reid showed his true international class waiting for his final score, it was a harsh blow for Moretti who continually makes the final but has not hit the winner's dais in several years.

Placing third in the final was Mount Maunganui surfer Kehu Butler, who also posted a good 14.0 point heat total.

Whangamata surfer Dune Kennings did not contest the final after injuring himself in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Gisborne's Maz Quinn won his third consecutive event of the New Zealand Pro Series on Saturday, surfing to an emphatic win at the Rip Curl Pro.

Quinn led the final from start to finish with his performance highlighted by a 9.1 point ride midway through the final that was a near perfect.

Quinn finished with a 16.9 point heat total to win his third event in a row after winning the South Island Champs and Canterbury Champs, also placing runner up at the National Championships in January.

'I took a lot of confidence from quarters and semis today,” says Quinn after exiting the water. 'The wind turned just before the final and it was clean. Basically whoever got the best waves in the final was going to win,” added Quinn who, noted that his best wave came after his closest rival Kereopa could not paddle over the top of a double up allowing Quinn to take full advantage.

'Manu Bay turned it on for the comp, it was the best we have had for a while. Once the waves get overhead and clean, experience comes in to play and the big turns, so it is no surprise a lot of the older guys performed well today,” says Quinn.

Quinn defeated another stalwart of New Zealand surfing Gisborne's Bobby Hansen, who finished with a 15.37 point heat total.Fresh back from Mexico was Raglan surfer Daniel Kereopa, who has been competing on his stand up paddleboard internationally.

Kereopa finished with a 14.03 point heat total ahead of Mount Maunganui's Alex Dive in fourth with a score of 12.23.

The Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths is New Zealand's richest domestic surfing event.

The event caters to the best surfers in New Zealand in both the Open Men's and Women's Divisions as well as the juniors on the rise in the Under 20 Boys Division.Action on Saturday will take place from 8am at Manu Bay.

The swell is expected to build further in to Saturday with offshore winds forecasted. The challenge will be the strength of the offshores with some reports predicting the wind to be gale force.

The Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths includes the all-time Saturday night gathering at the YOT Club thanks to Galbraiths.

Please see below for final results from the Rip Curl Pro presented by Galbraiths completed at Manu Bay, Raglan on Saturday, May 23.

Open Men's Quarterfinals

Heat 1

Maz Quinn (Gis), 16.33, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 15.97, 2, Billy Stairmand (Rag), 15.4, 3, Matt Scorringe (Whmata), 12.97, 4

Heat 2 Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 12.57, 1, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.83, 2, Ben Kennings (Whmata), 11.37, 3, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 8.47, 4

Heat 3 Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 16.77, 1, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 16.23, 2, Leon Santorik (Rag), 16.23, 3, Luke Cederman (Rag), 14.93, 4

Heat 4 Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 17, 1, Matt-Lewis Hewitt (Mnt), 14.57, 2, Tane Wallis (Piha), 13.77, 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 12.97, 4

Open Men's Semifinals

Heat 1

Maz Quinn (Gis), 16.67, 1, Alex Dive (Mnt), 15.63, 2, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 14.43, 3, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 9.83, 4

Heat 2 Bobby Hansen (Gis), 16.5, 1, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 15.4, 2, Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 14.7, 3

Matt-Lewis Hewitt (Mnt), 11.87, 4

Open Men's Final

Maz Quinn (Gis), 16.93, 1, Bobby Hansen (Gis), 15.37, 2, Daniel Kereopa (Rag), 14.03, 3, Alex Dive (Mnt), 12.23, 4

Open Women's Quarterfinals

Heat 1 Bianca Sansom (Auck), 13.5, 1, Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 10.5, 2, Milly Crewe (Mur), 10.4, 3, Airini Mason (Gis), 8.9, 4

Heat 2Ella Williams (Whmata), 14.8, 1, Claudia Fraser (Piha), 9.97, 2, Jasmine Smith (Gis), 8.33, 3, Zhana Hutchieson (Tara), 8.03, 4

Heat 3Jessica Santorik (Rag), 15.7, 1, Britt Kindred (Muri), 15.2, 2, Kea Smith (Mnt), 8.4, 3, Raiha Ensor (Mnt), 7.83, 4

Heat 4Sarah Mason (Aus), 14.5, 1, Elin Tawahru (Mnt), 10.5, 2, Abby Falwasser-Logan (Gis), 7.23, 3, Marguerite Vujich (Napier), 1.43, 4

Open Women's Semifinals

Heat 1Ella Williams (Whmata), 15.6, 1, Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 14.3, 2, Bianca Sansom (Auck), 10.5, 3, Claudia Fraser (Piha), 7.67, 4

Heat 2Sarah Mason (Aus), 17.8, 1, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 13.1, 2, Britt Kindred (Muri), 9.37, 3, Elin Tawahru (Mnt), 9.2, 4

Open Women's Final

Ella Williams (Whmata), 15.7, 1, Sarah Mason (Aus), 14.2, 2, Jessica Santorik (Rag), 11.2, 3, Gabriella Sansom (Auck), 10.1, 4

Under 20 Boys Round 1

Heat 1Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 10.83, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 9.23, 2, Travis Morton (Waihi Beach), 7.17, 3, Manu Scott Arrieta (Sandy Bay), 4.9, 4

Heat 2Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 13.5, 1, Kayden Mayes (MNT), 12.07, 2, Taylor Hutchison (Rag), 11.37, 3, George Busby (Gis), 6.6, 4

Heat 3 Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 14.1, 1, Callum Chuter (Tau), 12.32, 2, Jules Craft (Gis), 10.37, 3, Jack Wilson (Chch), 9.83, 4

Heat 4Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 15.57, 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 14.9, 2, Andrew Fraser - MacKenzie (Tau), 8.57, 3, Caleb Cutmore (Ham), 7.23, 4

Under 20 Boys Semifinals

Heat 1Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 16.7, 1, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 13.9, 2, Kayden Mayes (MNT), 9.9, 3, Harrison Whiteside (ChCh), 8.6, 4

Heat 2Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 17.8, 1, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 14.8, 2, Callum Chuter (Tau), 10.8, 3, Jonas Tawharu (Mnt), 7.07, 4

Under 20 Boys Final

Elliot Paerata Reid (Piha), 15.9, 1, Paul Moretti (Mimiwhangata), 15.8, 2, Kehu Butler (Arataki), 14, 3, Dune Kennings (Whmata), 4Complete event write ups, results, surfer ratings and images from the event can be viewed at Surfing New Zealand.

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