Jay Quinn making waves

Welsh Kiwi: Jay Quinn, surfing in the United Kingdom Pro Surf Tour. Quinn is eligible for the Great Britain team for the Olympic Games through his mother’s Welsh roots. Picture by Andy Holter/UKPSA Pro Surf Tour

SURFING

FORMER Gisborne surfer Jay Quinn has Welsh and British titles under his belt and he’s preparing to defend his European title.

But what he’s really after is a berth in Great Britain’s Olympic team next year.

Quinn, 35, is eligible to compete for Britain because his mother Pip Quinn is from Wales.

“I’ve had a decent start this year, winning the Welsh and then the British titles,” he said.

“I’m off to the European Championship (this month) to defend my European title for Team Wales.”

In August, Quinn will compete in the Boardmasters surf competition at Fistral Beach in Cornwall, England, where he is based.

Japan then beckons in September, when the World Surfing Games will be held, with Olympic qualification slots available.

Gisborne-Mahia surfer Ricardo Christie is in the New Zealand team for the World Surfing Games.

Quinn was the first New Zealand surfer to claim a world title when he won the under-18 final at the world junior championships at Sydney in 2001.

He secured his third national title in 2013, following the success of elder brother Maz Quinn, who won four national titles and made the World Championship Tour in 2002 — the first New Zealander to do so.

Their sister Holly Quinn, herself a national titleholder, came second in the world juniors in the under-16 division at Bali in 1996.

Jay Quinn appeared in seven episodes of Celebrity Treasure Island in 2007, after his brother had been part of the television series in 2004.

Jay and Holly started a surf school at Kapiti in 2017 and Jay started up a similar school in Newquay, Cornwall.

Their mother started women’s surf camps and their father, Gary Quinn, was the president of Surfing New Zealand.

Jay Quinn decided to move from New Zealand to Britain because one of his ambitions was to win a Welsh national title.

“My mum moved to New Zealand from Wales when she was five,” he told Newquay Sport in 2017.

“She is still really proud of her Welsh heritage and when I was growing up surfing in New Zealand one of my goals was to win a Welsh title at some point and represent the nation.”

Quinn told The Gisborne Herald he was competing in “limited events these days” and had plenty of time to get the body right.

“My mind’s good, and I’m feeling confident every time I get in the water,” he said.

“Obviously, time’s not on my side any more, so I want to make the most of every opportunity I get.”