Hareb Runner Up At World Surfing Games

Paige Hareb has placed runner up at the Billabong ISA World Surfing Games today (Thursday 28th October) helping the Quiksilver New Zealand Surfing Team to place seventh overall at the event staged at Punta Hermosa, Peru.

The result is the best ever achieved by a New Zealand female surfer at the event and equals that of Lynden Kennings (WGM) in the Longboard Division in 1994.

View all 2010 ISA World Surfing Games video here.

Hareb surfed once on day eight of the event to progress through to the grand final where she faced eventual winner Chelsea Hedges (AUS), Sofia Mulanovich (PER) and Pauline Ado (FRA) in the 25-minute-final.

It was the Australian surfer, Hedges, who jumped out to an early lead with a near perfect 9.0 point ride. Hareb chipped away at the lead seemingly getting uninhibited selection of waves out wide while the other three girls hustled up the point.

Hareb started with waves of 4.5 and then 5.33 (out of a possible 10) before stamping her authority on the final and moving into the lead with a brilliant 7.83 point ride.

Her best ride of the final included three big seamless forehand turns and the lead was hers with twelve minutes remaining. From this point on the final was a tense wait for waves and missed opportunities. Local surfer and crowd favourite Sofia Mulanovich was one of those who failed to use her knowledge of the break and find the best waves of the final.

Hareb held strong trying to improve her lowest scoring ride of 5.33 but came up short with a 5.20 in the latter stages of the final. Meanwhile Hedges fell on one wave and got caught behind another to remain in second place hunting out a 5.17 point ride for gold.

Five minutes remaining and Hareb was still in first. The pressure was building but she held strong out the back of the break and on the inside of Hedges meaning the next best wave would be hers.

With two minutes remaining, Hedges needed a 4.17 for the win. A set of good waves rolled down the point. Hareb took the first wave and surfed it for a score of 6.77 points - improving her lead and making Hedges require a 5.6 for the lead. However, Hedges was on the very next wave weaving her way to the beach with a series of big turns for an 8.0 point ride, dashing Hareb's golden aspirations.

By the time Hareb and Hedges had finished their waves, less than one minute remained and that was all the action that would take place, the other two surfers unable to keep up with the surfers from down under.

Hareb took to the stage draped in the New Zealand flag and received the silver medal before packing her bags and flying out of Peru only hours after the final on her way to Puerto Rico for the next event on the ASP World Tour which starts in two days time.

Earlier in the day Hareb progressed through to the final after placing second to Ado scoring 12.60 vs 14.83. The two surfers eliminated Chantelle Rautenbach (ZAF) and Anali Gomez (PER).

Over 200 competitors from 31 nations competed for their national colours at the event.

2010 Billabong ISA World Surfing Games Results

Team Standings
1, Peru
2, Australia
3, South Africa
4, Brazil
5, Tahiti
6, USA
7, New Zealand
8, France
9, Costa Rica
10, Spain

Open Men's Final
Hira Teriinatoofa, TAH, 1
Gabriel Villaran, PER, 2
Alan Jhones, BRA, 3
Mick Campbell, AUS, 4
Nick White, NZL 29th
Luke Hughes, NZL 33rd
Morehu Roberts, NZL 49th
Keone Campbell, NZL 49th

Open Women's Final
Chelsea Hedges, AUS, 1
Paige Hareb, NZL, 2
Sofia Mulanovich, PER, 3
Pauline Ado, FRA, 4
Laura Rishworth, NZL 9th

Men's Longboard Final
Rodrigo Sphyer, BRA, 1
Josh Constable, AUS, 2
Harley Ingleby, AUS, 3
Benoit Clemente, PER, 4
Thomas Kibblewhite, NZL, 17th
Daniel Procter, NZL, 17th