KEY POINTS:
Paige Hareb is a rising star of New Zealand sport and could be the one to drag surfing up the beach with her.
In a land of seaside opportunities, New Zealand has fallen strangely short in producing world or even national surf stars, in stark contrast to our
competitive cousins across the Tasman.
Taranaki's Hareb, though, has made Kiwi surfing history by qualifying for the eight-event, 18-surfer World Dream Tour next year. Gisborne's Maz Quinn flirted with the men's tour in 2002, but Hareb looks the Kiwi best placed to make a sustained run at the big time and perhaps even win the world crown.
In what was supposed to be a learning year on the world qualifying tour, 18-year-old Hareb's seventh placing was good enough to get her elevated to the Dream Tour next year.
And the young woman from Oakura Beach has had an early taste of the big time in Hawaii this week, as a wild card entry in the final event of this year's Dream Tour.
By a happy coincidence, it means she lined up alongside her hero, the seven-time world champion Layne Beachley from Australia, who was competing in her final event before retiring as a full-time professional.
Surf watchers believe Hareb's big-wave ability is not only tailor-made for the Dream Tour, but could also see her snare the world crown one day. Finally, New Zealand has a budding surfing star to watch.
What are your aims in your first season on the Dream Tour?
The plan is to stay on the tour, which means I have to finish in the top 10. I want to win the world title though and I believe I can do it in my first year. Stephanie Gilmore managed to do that. All the girls are surfing well and anyone could win it.
What inspired you to get into surfing?
My dad Mike would put me into the waves when I was about 7 or 8. He was a pretty decent surfer in his day ... he still is, and comes out with me, which is great.
Did you have a childhood hero?
Layne Beachley. And when I got to meet her, she was everything I though she would be. She is so down-to-earth.
What's the best thing about your sport?
Travelling around, meeting people, experiencing different cultures, food.
Worst thing?
Getting stuck on planes for long hours, although it's definitely worth it once you get there, so it's not really so bad. But I've spent up to three days travelling at a time, just hopping on and off flights. It gets tiring and your sleeping pattern gets out of whack.
Your favourite venue and conditions?
I always like to come home and surf my local spot at Rocky Point because it's not crowded and it's one of my favourite waves. Overseas, I love Lakey Peak in Sumbawa, Indonesia.
What's your favourite activity away from surfing?
I like to play a lot of other sports. I've just finished playing tennis here in Hawaii. Otherwise, just training and relaxing.
Does your sport get enough public attention?
Not as much as it could but every year, girls' surfing is getting bigger and bigger. Hopefully it will get there one day with the same prize money and everything else as the boys, like professional tennis.
Does rugby get too much attention in new Zealand?
No. Rugby definitely helps put New Zealand on the map, so I'm certainly not complaining about it.
What is the proudest achievement of your sporting life?
Finding out that I had qualified for the top tour.
Your worst moment?
Losing my surfboards for three days and having to borrow someone else's earlier this year in Brazil. I've still got no idea where they got to - they just turned up three days later. There were about eight of them, all in one bag. Those boards are my main thing, but I did good on borrowed boards getting through my heats before the boards turned up.
What's your main career ambition?
Hopefully, to stay on tour as long as I can and definitely go for the world title ... and just have fun while I'm doing it.
When you were 13, what sport did you fancy being a star in?
That was just before I was picked up by my main sponsor, Billabong, for surfing. I was still in the New Zealand soccer academy and Wanaka ski academy so I could have gone in any direction at that stage. I definitely hoped to be a soccer professional at one stage. I'm a competitive person and always want to come out on top. The surfing sponsorship helped me make up my mind.
If you didn't surf, what would you be doing?
Either soccer or skiing. If I had to have a real job, I'd probably be a physiotherapist or a pilot.
Who do you most admire and why?
I admire top sportspeople ... in surfing that's Layne Beachley and Kelly Slater. They've been doing it for so long and won that many world titles between them.
Who has been your most inspirational coach or mentor?
I've had quite a few coaches along the way. My friends and family support me heaps, and my sponsors.
Who would play you in a movie?
I don't know. Maybe Cameron Diaz.
