Get A Glimpse Of World's Best Surfers

19 October 2005

Get A Glimpse Of World's Best Surfers Tomorrow

Surfers nationwide are hanging out to get a glimpse of four of the world's top surfers Andy Irons, Sunny Garcia, Joel Parkinson and Occy in Auckland tomorrow ahead of New Zealand's most anticipated surfing event the Vodafone Surf Sessions this weekend.

The four internationals will have their pens ready for action at the Vodafone Signing Session at the Billabong Queen St store from 10.30am-11.00am on Thursday, ahead of this weekend's surfing extravaganza in Raglan (Friday 21 October) and Piha (Saturday 22 October).

Occy and Sunny make their way from Oz and LA and will arrive this evening. Irons flies in from Hawaii early tomorrow morning, while Joel Parkinson arrived last Saturday from Oz to spend time with family and friends ahead of the competition.

Vodafone Surf Sessions organisers also announced today that NZ surfer Morehu Roberts from Raglan has replaced Jay Quinn in the competition who injured his knee while surfing in Europe. Seventeen-year-old Morehu returns to New Zealand from Huntington Beach, California tomorrow where he was placed seventh in the 2005 ISA Quiksilver World Junior Championships.

"For a guy this age to be surfing against this international line-up is amazing, not many 17 year olds can say they've surfed against Irons, Occy, Parko and Sunny," says Greg Townsend, Executive Officer, Surfing NZ.

Morehu joins the New Zealand team of Maz Quinn, Bobby Hansen and Daniel Kereopa who will compete against the world team for the Vodafone Surf Session title at Piha on Saturday. On the line is a unique trophy surfboard designed by Aaron Kereopa that features Maori god of the elements, Tawhirimatea.

MCs Slave & Otis kick off the day's entertainment at Piha from 11.15am and band Kora will also make an appearance through out the day. Sit back and enjoy the ride from midday when the entertainment on the water starts, with two rounds of competition including heats one to four, and a Tag Team event.

On Friday, the expression session at Manu Bay in Raglan starts at 12.30pm and lasts for an hour and a half. This is a freestyle surf event where no rules apply and the public will have the rare opportunity to see a different style of surfing.

Visit www.vodafone.co.nz/surf for further details or check out what's hot on Vodafone live!

Notes:
The South Piha beach car park (in front of the Piha Surf Lifesaving Club) will be closed to the public from 7am on this day. Traffic controllers will direct to the event parking. If there is bad weather, there is a reserve date of Sunday 23 October and details will be broadcast on the Newstalk ZB cancellation service on Saturday morning.

In the event that there are no waves at Manu Bay, the expression session will be re-located to Wainui Reserve at Raglan beach. The turn-off to Wainui Reserve is approximately half way between Raglan and Manu Bay.

Car parking at both Raglan and Piha will be signposted as visitors enter the event area and there will be food vendors on-site. Both days finish with the Vodafone Signing Session where the guys get face to face with the public to sign memorabilia.

ENDS

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