The International Surfing Association took several hours after Williams’ result to confirm she had provisionally qualified, with detail in the qualification process being analysed. The provisional nature of the qualification is due to the multiple routes a surfer can qualify for the Olympics. Paige Hareb has three remaining events on the 2019 World Tour to push her cause for qualification.
The 2020 World Surfing Games is the final opportunity for athletes to qualify. Female athletes can do so by finishing in the top six surfers who have not already qualified via the World Tour or 2019 World Surfing Games. The 2020 World Surfing Games takes precedence over the 2019 edition, meaning two good performances by Kiwi surfers could bump Williams out of her Oceania slot.
Williams started the day alongside her two Kiwi teammates in Paige Hareb (Tara) and Raiha Ensor (Mnt). Ensor advanced through her first heat of the day but came up short in her second performance, finishing third in her heat to Sarah Baum (ZAF) and Ornella Pellizzari (ARG). Ensor finished with a 7.60 point heat total and only required a small 4.83 point ride to advance. Ensor finished 33rd overall at the event.
Paige Hareb also contested Repechage Round 4 and was vying for the Olympic qualification by advancing out of the round. Hareb came up against fellow World Tour surfers and USA teammates Courtney Conlogue and Carissa Moore, who she had defeated in the qualifying rounds. However, this time it would not go Hareb’s way in a close battle.
In the dying stages of the heat, Hareb surfed to a 4.07 point ride, just short of the 5.01 required to advance, leaving her in third place with less than two minutes remaining on the clock. Hareb finished 33rd equal with Ensor.
The women’s results see New Zealand sitting in 11th position in a tight bunch of nations. USA and Australia lead the 55 nations competing, with all their surfers alive in the event. The final of the women’s division will be completed today, with the men’s event starting after the finals.
Ricardo Christie, Billy Stairmand and Kehu Butler will start their campaign for gold and also another chance to represent New Zealand at the Olympics, by emulating the performance of their teammate.
The International Surfing Association (ISA) World Surfing Games presented by Vans is being held at Miyazaki till September 15. A total of 55 nations and 240 surfers are competing.
Men’s Division Round 1 (begins today) —
Heat 10: Billy Stairmand (NZL), Ramon Taliani (ITA), Cristian Calderon (GUA), Jared Gogue (GUM).
Heat 18: Kehu Butler (NZL), Angelo Bonomelli (ITA), Amos Rivera (GUA), Oliver Hartkopp DEN).
Heat 26: Ricardo Christie (NZL), Roberto D’Amico (ITA), Efren Aguilar (GUA), Shane Pier (GUM).
Schedule (live webcast) —
3.35pm: Billy Stairmand.
5pm: Kehu Butler.
6.25pm: Ricardo Christie.
