“This is such a unique event. The whole community gets involved.”The New Zealand Home Loans Surf Festival will host an array of the world’s best surfers hunting to qualify for the ASP Women’s World Championship Tour in the 6-Star Port Taranaki Pro. There will also be men’s and women’s Chain Resources Pro Juniors, ASP Australasia Junior Qualifying Series divisions that are sure to be hotly contested. These final events of the 2014 season will crown the Junior Champions and decide who will qualify for the ASP World Junior Championships later this year.
Craig Williamson, New Zealand Home Loans Surf event director is proud to host New Zealand’s biggest surfing festival for the fifth year in a row and is looking forward to seeing the mix of emerging Pro Junior talent and women’s 6-Star QS surfers hit the water in Taranaki.
“The event has changed from a Women’s WCT to a QS and Pro Juniors, and we’re excited to see how the week unfolds,” Williamson said.
Bethany Hamilton, winner of the Surf N Sea Pipeline Pro 1-Star QS earlier this year is looking to continue her red-hot form at the 6-Star QS event this week. Hamilton spoke to fans and officials at the event launch last night.
“I’m so excited to be here in New Zealand, but it’s pretty cold here,” Hamilton said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to be able to come here for a 6-Star QS, there are a lot of great surfers in the event and I’m looking forward to getting started.”
