Page 17 - pākuViews Autumn/Winter 2013
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15
Tairua’s Sean Peggs Setting
the Waves on Fire
It was easy to spot Sean in even the tiniest of gallery photos and live inter-
net broadcasts of the world championships in Panama. He tells us he was
the only red-haired competitor there.
According to one very proud mum, Fiona McNabb, our very own celebrity
surfer was essentially self taught. “Sean was naturally drawn to the water
since birth, showing absolutely no fear. As a toddler we couldn’t keep him
out of the ocean. He started with a body board and when he got tired of
laying on it, he started standing up. Sean’s dad (Lance) bought him his first
real surf board for his 10th birthday”. He soon started competing in the
NZ Grommet Series Under 12 division. His passion and dedication has not
wavered, and it’s paid off – he’s now racking up regular firsts in his heats.
Sean attended the Surfing Academy at Raglan, where mentors Larry
Fisher and Deane Hishon played an important role in helping Sean refine
his technique. “I not only gained valuable training and technical coaching,
I also learned to balance my surfing and school work, making it all a lot
easier”.
This March marked a career turning point for Sean, as he captured the
RipCurl competition held at Raglan, and was selected for the Quiksilver
NZ Surfing Team. Sean and team members soon packed their boards to
compete with some of the best surfers in the world at the ISA competition
in Panama, where he progressed farther than any man on the team.
“It was really cool to do the ‘team’ thing for a change”, Sean shared short-
ly after his return from Panama. “We usually are always competing as
individuals so it was great to be able to support each other and represent
our country at an Olympic-recognised event. We had a really fun group of
people, and we all had a great time no matter what we were doing.”
And Sean? He’s continuing to catch wins, including his very first weekend
back. “This year Maori Bay Boardriders have been running a really cool
series of competitions out at Muriwai. I have actually won all three events
so far, and the overall prize is a 7-day trip to Samoa. So it would be great
to get another result and win the trip”!
Sean Peggs, in blue, captured a big win at the RipCurl competition in Raglan
weeks before being named to the Quicksilver NZ Surf Team. Peggsy took home
$3,000 but also the prestigious prize of the trip to Bali and entry into the Rip Curl
Padang Cup; a one day event, but with a month long waiting period and includes
some of the best surfers in the world.
Photo PhotoCPL.
Above: Peggsy enroute to his Maiden NZ Circuit contest victory.
Photo: Cory/NZ Surfing Magazine
Matt-Lewis Hewitt from Mount Maunganui in action on day
one of competition. Photo: ISA/Michael Tweedle.
NORTH ISLAND SURF MECCA
New Zealand’s north island is blessed with a variety of surf locations, inspiring
numerous surf clubs, surfing schools, and surfing businesses. One of the
schools is the famed Raglan Area School’s Surf Academy, where an intense
program of surfing classes are worked into school days. Stairmand and Sean
Peggs both attended the academy, and this local edge gave Peggs an excellent
understanding of the waves at Manu Bay for his recent Rip Curl Pro win.
You don’t have to travel far on the Coromandel to find great surf. Ella’s home
town beach in Whangamata has been referred to as one of the top three left
hand sand surfing breaks in the world.
And as Sean points out, “For an east coast beach break, Tairua can produce
very powerful waves. I have been lucky enough to travel to several famous
surfing locations around the world, but it’s always great to come home and surf
alone on one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand”.
THE MENS OPEN:
Tairua’s own Sean “Peggsy” Peggs, recently advancing
to compete in the Men’s Division; seasoned men’s pro, Billy Stairmand
(Raglan, winner of the National Championships in 2010 and 2012); and
rounding out the men’s team, Matt-Lewis Hewitt and JC Susan, both from
Mount Maunganui, and the men’s reserve - Bachelor Tipene, Taranaki.
THE WOMENS OPEN:
Rising steadily through the ranks was effervescent
crowd pleaser, 18-year-old Whangamata’s Ella Willliams and Thandi Tipene
of Taranaki. Thandi, the 2012 NZ National Womens Open and National Maori
Women’s Champion, also won the Taranaki Open Women’s Championship
four consecutive years and is married to Bachelor, the men’s reserve.
Women’s reserve Grace Spiers is another standout Coromandel surfer who
hails from Whangamata with Ella.
TALENTED TEAM HITS THE WAVES IN PANAMA
Peggs surfed as far as the third round in “qualifying” before competing
for a few rounds in the “rep” heats (essentially another chance to regain
position in the main qualifying competition). Low waves made high scoring
difficult on his final try and he finished in 31st place, a strong standing on
the world stage.
Hewitt suffered an agonising loss in the third round of the repechage. He
thought he had done enough to progress on his last wave but came up just
short and was eliminated, placing 37th overall. Hewitt was joined by Billy
Stairmand, going in as team NZ’s highest world-ranked surfer, and JC Susan
who also exited the event in 43rd and 49th respectively. Thandi Tipene
finished 25th in the womens.
Progressing through to the finals, Williams was still competing strongly.
“Ella’s been a standout”, commented team mate Sean Peggs. “I’ll put $20
that she makes the final – she’s been ripping”. (Wonder if he got his $20?)
LOCAL FAVORITE ELLA WILLIAMS MEDALS COPPER!
Ella stayed in the competition with a steady stream of first place rounds
before dropping to the “rep” round on the 8th day. She placed first and
returned to the finals where she took the copper medal, 4th overall. Cheered
on by her flagwaving mates, her high showing boosted the Kiwi team to 12th
place. South Africa, Australia, Peru and Brazil held the top spots.
Surfing since age four, Ella has been a strong competitor in the junior
division. The Panama competition is her first world games appearance, and
her fourth place finish bodes well for her future in the sport. An impressed
Peggs tells us, “Having Ella make the final was such a great achievement
for her, she represents New Zealand better than anyone and is the future
of women’s surfing for us. After travelling with her I’m really confident that
she will become one of the worlds best in the next few years”. Ella Williams
competes next in Nicaraugua, representing NZ in June’s ISA World
Junior Championship.
Whatever the ranking, this was certainly a colourful experience for our
surfers. The host country displayed its folkloric best, with music and colorful
swirling skirts livening the parades and ceremonies. All the heats were
available for viewing live on the internet, and the website offered albums of
photos so everyone could follow the team through the streets, on the stage,
in the grass for the ‘haka’ – and on the waves.
