New Zealand crowns national champions at Piha

Billy Stairmand © PhotoCPL

- Billy Stairmand (Raglan) stormed to his second victory claiming national title after a near flawless performance in the final of the Open Men’s Division at the 2012 Hyundai National Surfing Championships held at Piha Beach, Auckland today (Saturday 21st January). Stairmand surfed to a 17.10 point heat total using his impeccable backhand surfing on the lefthanders of Piha Bar.

The young 22 year old surfer is ranked 79th in the world and New Zealand’s third highest ranked surfer internationally. He is one of but a few in the world that managed to claim a victory over 11 times world champion Kelly Slater in 2011. Today Stairmand notched up several excellent scores in quick succession in the final, his two highest, 8.90 and 8.20 point rides.

He won his first national title in 2010 at Gisborne in a similar fashion after getting a massive lead on his opponents and never relenting.  “It is good to start the year winning a national title, I am going overseas soon so it is good for my confidence and everything like that but yeah, at the moment, a national title, I can’t believe it at the moment” said Stairmand.

Despite the ease of the win, Stairmand remained focussed on what he was doing and keeping to a game plan. “Every heat is hard, I just wanted to catch the best waves out there, I saw some on the bar and wanted to get them and it paid off.”

Jay Quinn © PhotoCPL

It was a big decision for Stairmand to surf up the beach. He and fellow finalist Chris Malone (Gis) were the first surfers of the day to do so. However, with the outgoing tide and building swell, the strategy paid off handsomely.

“I had seen people getting one or two turns down the beach but I knew if I could get a runner on the bar it would be better than that. I started with a six and then it went from there. I was going wave for wave with Chris and I knew Timmy was down the beach but I was feeling confident after the first wave and yeah it all just happened.”

35 year old Chris Malone (Gis) finished runner up in the final scoring 9.5 out of 20 points requiring a combination of waves to challenge Stairmand for the win. Despite the distance between himself and Stairmand he was still stoked to make the final. “It shows me that I have still got it and still can do it” said a more than happy Malone.

“There was no way I was going down the end in those closeouts, I headed for the bar, looked around and Billy was following me. I suppose it was a good decision as the waves were peeling but Billy is world class and those waves were perfect for him” finished Malone.

Mount Maunganui surfer Tim O’Connor placed third in the final. He surfed the whole 25 minutes on his own at the north end of the beach where every other surfer had competed during the day but the waves simply did not cooperate.