O’Neill Cold Water Classic 2011 - New Zealand
DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS
The O’Neill Cold Water Classis Series 2011 opened on Tuesday (22nd March) with a passion filled powhiri at the Maori Battalion Marae located at Manutuke, just south of Gisborne. The Kaumatua (elders) of the local Iwi (tribe) Rongowhakata welcomed Manuhiri (guests) to their land and ocean blessing the event and wishing all the entrants well with their efforts.
The O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series 2011 was greeted head-on with the first big southerly storm of the year to hit Gisborne. Despite conditions being less than desirable with 30 knot onshore winds, cold temperatures and a messy 2.0m swell, the event kicked off with a full day of explosive surfing.
After an absence of thirteen years for top level Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) Men’s events in New Zealand, it was still Maz Quinn (Gisborne, New Zealand) who impressed for the Kiwi’s on day one. Fourteen years ago Quinn shocked the surfing world by placing second in a New Zealand ASP event before going on to qualify for the ASP World Championship in 2002, the only Kiwi to ever do so! Now retired from international competition, an event at his home break was too hard to refuse entry.
The event will be the richest to ever frequent the shores of New Zealand with a massive $145,000 (USD) up for grabs!!
DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS
Top seeds dominated proceedings on day two of The O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series 2011 with Australian Nic Mushcroft, American Nat Young and Spanish surfer Gony Zubizarreta dominating proceedings as the event moved into the early stages of the Round of 96.
Conditions remained unruly on day two of the event with a persistent onshore wind that continued to hamper the quality of the solid 2.0m south swell that is hitting the Gisborne Region.
Nic Mushcroft (AUS) was explosive in his performance attacking the heavy close out sections to post a total heat score of 14.33 out of a possible 20 points. A former World Championship Tour surfer, Mushcroft is 100% focused on re-qualifying to compete in the World Championship Tour events.
The New Zealand surfers were well represented on day two with Maz Quinn (Gis, NZL) and Billy Stairmand (Rag, NZL) both moving through to the Round of 48 surfers in the challenging conditions.
Stairmand, the only Kiwi to win an event of this rating (2010), was stoked to be surfing at an international level in New Zealand.
DAY 3 HIGHLGHTS
The O’Neill Cold Water Classic Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) 6-star made a change in venue halfway through the day today. A move from the primary venue of Pines at Wainui Beach to Pipe at Midway Beach in the township of Gisborne saw extremely improved conditions that had the international contingent of surfers foaming at the mouth to hit the water for their heats.
After two and half days of strong onshore winds, Pipe offered up solid 1.5m plus waves and little-to-no wind with cranking left and right-handers running up and down the beach.
19 year-old Kiwi surfer Matt Hewitt (Mount Maunganui) won his heat today and made it to the next round. Fellow Kiwi Richard Christie wasn’t that lucky and suffered a shock elimination placing third in his heat.
Even 2010 O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series winner Shaun Cansdell (AUS) was being eliminated today!
DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS
The O’Neill Cold Water Classic New Zealand 2011 was ruled by the top seeds on the fourth day. The competition remained at ‘The Pipe’ on Midway Beach for the second consecutive day. The event’s top seed, Adam Melling (AUS), was the first surfer to move through to Round of 12 and he eliminated the last standing Kiwi, Maz Quinn along the way. Despite being the highest placed Kiwi at the event, the result gives Quinn no desire to chase the ASP World Tour.
Stu Kennedy was another Australian to shine in the round of 48 and wants to make it to the finals to defend his title. Kennedy is the defending event champion having won the most southern surf event of the O’Neill Cold Water Classics Series 2010 in Tasmania last year.
With the southerly swell that everyone has enjoyed over the past few days dropping, a third location change could be on the cards for tomorrow, as new easterly swell develops!
DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS
A delayed start was forced on the competitors due to small conditions. But then spectators were treated to the most innovative surfing in New Zealand as the world’s elite surfers attacked the Gisborne waves on the 5th day of competition.
Honours were split between Australia and Brazil who each had three surfers progress through to the quarterfinals along with a surfer each from Spain and France.
The Australian’s applied the pressure early with calculated approaches, both Tom Whitaker and Adam Melling controlling their heats from the outset. Whitaker, who fell outside of the top 32 surfers half way through 2010, has found himself back contesting the ASP Prime and Star Series events early in 2011. Defending champion Stuart Kennedy also made it to the quarterfinals! But the Brazilian surfers exploded in the small beach break conditions using their natural flare, Thiago Camarao posting the highest heat score of the day - a near perfect 17.17 out of a possible 20 points to progress along with fellow countrymen Willian Cardoso and Miguel Pupo. Camarao was the star of the day busting several huge airs in a ‘highlights reel’ 30 minute heat.
With only seven heats remaining and the luxury of two days to complete the Gisborne O’Neill Cold Water Classic, the best possible conditions will be found to crown the O’Neill Cold Water Classic New Zealand champion 2011!
FINAL HIGHLIGHTS
26-year old Australian Adam Melling wins the first and most southern tour stop of the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series 2011 in Gisborne, New Zealand! The Cold Water Classic Series is the most challenging and toughest series in professional surfing! It was a nail-biting quarter final between three Australian friends, three Brazilians and two Europeans. But the Australians and Brazilians proved to be stronger and progressed through to the semi finals, kicking Joan Duru (FRA) and Gony Zubizarreta (ESP) out of the competition. The big final was a showdown between Australia and Brazil, in which Adam Melling (AUS) prevailed ahead of Willian Cardoso (BRA) in 2nd place and his mates Tom Whitaker and titleholder Stuart Kennedy in 3rd place. Celebrating his 26th birthday on the same day sweetened Adam’s victory even more!
In good old Cold Water Classic-tradition the winner was awarded with the first of the highly treasured CWC-trophies. The CWC-trophies are the most exceptional trophies in professional surfing - all handmade and symbolically connected to the host country. In addition to the grand prize money, Melling therefore takes home a traditional and hand-carved Maori weapon, the Tewhatewha.
The hard-boiled surfers just have a short breather to warm up, because in 2 weeks the next tour stop - “the most northern” one follows in Thurso, Scotland from April 13 - 19 2011!!
Adam Melling definatly deseved the win in this one….....good on ya!