Local companies support 2013 ASP Women’s Tour in Taranaki

Media Release 7 February, 2013
Local companies support 2013 ASP Women’s Tour in Taranaki

The TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival will again host a leg of the ASP Women’s Tour as a feature event in a 10-day line up of surfing competitions commencing March 29 thanks to Surfing Taranaki and support from a host of local companies.

With pivotal financial support only just secured, the festival will now be able to host surfing competitions ranging from the World Tour to Micro Groms to Masters, says Festival Director, Craig Williamson.

“It’s really, really tough to find sponsorship funds in this financial climate so we are very fortunate that a range of both large and small companies and organisations are keen to support us in our fourth successive annual event,” says Williamson.

With core funding from the TSB Bank Community Trust, the TSB Bank and Venture Taranaki, the 10-day event will start in Easter and run from March 29 to April 7.

It will include the Dow AgroSciences Pro as stop number four of seven ASP international competitions scheduled for 2013 and will be held over a five-day window from April 3 to 7.

Bringing 17 of the world’s best female surfers including local Paige Hareb to surf Taranaki’s legendary waves, another Kiwi will also have a chance to challenge the world’s best.

By winning the ITL New Zealand Women’s Open, the winner will go into the Dow AgroSciences Pro as a wildcard entry which will be an unparalleled experience, says Williamson.

“The wildcard entry is a huge opportunity to compete at an international level to which Kiwi surfers have risen to take the challenge,” says Williamson.

“At our first event in 2010, 15-year old Sarah Mason won the Women’s Open, then went on to beat world champion Stephanie Gilmore in her heat and made it to the semi-finals before being knocked out. Sarah’s surfing career took off from there making it onto the World Tour in 2012.”

Based at New Plymouth’s Fitzroy Beach, the TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival will also include the Powerco Micro-Groms for all surfers aged under 11, a New Zealand Grom Series Competition for boys and girls under 16, as well as the Carona Easter Masters which is celebrating its 21st year as an event.

The Masters will run from March 29-31,the Grom Comp from March 30-31, the Micro Groms on April 1 alongside a Beach Carnival at Fitzroy, and the NZ Women's Open Wildcard Trials will be on April 2 followed by the ASP Women's World Tour event April 3-7.

At a time when surf events are “dropping like flies”, according to the editor of women’s surf magazine, Curl, Lynne Dickinson, and the “girl’s world tour is losing events year after year, it seems almost unbelievable that the small Taranaki community can do what major surf companies cannot”.

“It’s no wonder that Taranaki is producing its fair share of top NZ surfers,” says Dickinson.

“Paige Hareb is in her fifth year on the World Tour, and Thandi Tipene, New Zealand 2012 National champ, both call Taranaki home. Huge ups to all those Taranaki people who get behind this event.”

For event organisers, The TSB Bank New Zealand Surf Festival is a celebration of surfing and New Zealand’s beach culture.

“Outside of the competitions there will be a range of community events including a Beach Carnival, a Disabled Surfer’s session, a Surf Photo exhibition, Surf Movies and Surfer’s Ball featuring one of NZ’s top reggae bands,” says Williamson.

“What better excuse does anyone need to get involved in the one of these events or to just head on down to Taranaki this Easter to watch them unfold!”
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