ISA International Nations Cup
Trans-Tasman 2003 - March 22 - 23, Piha, New Zealand (Australia vs. New Zealand)
Tri-Nations 2002 - February 22 - 24, Piha, New Zealand (Australia vs. South Africa vs. New Zealand)
Message from the ISA President
Please email the ISA Headquarters (surf@isasurf.org) for information and models of ISA International Nation Cup & Tri-Nation Event
Trans-Tasman 2003 - March 22 - 23, Piha, New Zealand (Australia vs. New Zealand)
Team Australia had a convincing win in the individual format with Sasha Stocker and Rebecca Woods winning the Open Mens and Womens format respectively. The Kiwi team fought hard and came back late in the day to claim the surf team title in a fantastic Lion Red Trans-Tasman Challenge. Bobby Hansen from Gisborne surfed exceptionally under pressure scoring 24.5 out of a possible 30 as the New Zealand power surfer and pushed the kiwi team over the line by 4 points. Final surf team totals saw New Zealand score 78.5 to Team Australia's 74.3.
Sasha Stocker was stoked with his individual title saying "the waves were fun and allowed performance surfing, hats off to the Kiwi Team for showing fighting spirit to come back and snatch the Team title." Rebecca Woods of Australia impressed all displaying the same big moves and connecting power turns that took her to the 2002 World Grommet Title and dominated the 2003 individual Lion Red Trans-Tasman women's event. Other surfers to impress throughout the day were Mark Bannister, Glyndyn Ringrose and Brett Hardy from Australia and Zenor Wernor and Lisa Hurinui from New Zealand.
The Trans-Tasman spirit is well and truly alive with both teams embracing the event and with the support of Lion Nathan Breweries the aim is to bring the ISA sanctioned event to Australia for 2004.
Excerpt from Surfing Australia's website, www.surfingaustralia.com
For more information on this event, please contact Greg Townsend, SNZ at surfingnz@xtra.co.nz.
Tri-Nations 2002 - February 22 - 24, Piha, New Zealand (Australia vs. South Africa vs. New Zealand)
South Piha played host to some of the world's best surfers as Australia, New Zealand and South Africa went head to head a new initiative in world surfing. The ISA sanctioned event was a world first and organizers expect the idea to be developed further on a worldwide scale. With a full day of surfing, representatives from each nation were faced with grueling paddle outs and treacherous rips as Piha lived up to its reputation for big dangerous surf with a fresh Southerly swell arrived battering the coastline and the competitors.
In the end it was the Australians that prevailed with super consistent surfing that the other teams could not match. The Australian team, consisting of captain Joel Jones, ex WCT surfer Sasha Stocker, ex WCT surfer Glynden Ringrose and world #2 women's surfer Melanie Redman, were just too good in the large stormy waves, regularly posting excellent wave scores. The NZ team; Daniel Kereopa (Capt), Damon Gunness, Zennor Wernham and Lisa Hurunui, put up a good fight finishing a close second behind close rivals. On total points the South African team; Shaun Gossman (Capt), Gerard De Plessis, Brad Bricknell and Heather Clark, finished in third.
Report by Leigh Hawker, SNZ leigh.h@aeda.co.nz
Message from the ISA President - February 11, 2004
Dear ISA NGB Presidents and Executives,
For a few years, an agreed point at ISA NGB and AGM level has been the need to have more ISA events. Ten years ago, the ISA only had only two events: The World Surfing Games, every other year, and the ISA Grommets every year. Then in 2002, the ISA split the WSG into the current WSG (without juniors) and the ISA World Junior Surfing Championship. ISA also sanctioned the ISA Fosters World Masters Surf Titles and the World Kneeboarding Championships in 2003. This is a total of 4 events. But they are very large events, that only a few nations feel able to host.
We knew that ISA needed more events. But these newer events must be small, easy to run, and most importantly, affordable, that is to have a low cost to run them. With this in mind, the Executive Committee of the ISA has come up the ISA International Nations Cup. These are two (2) types of events that we hope your NGB will be able to start running in 2004. By doing this, all ISA members will be creating a large amount of easy to run events, improving the level of competition, while at the same time EXPAND the exposure of your National Surfing Team.
The ISA is thrilled to present to you 2 exciting and competitive event models for your NGBs to put into action starting now:
the ISA International Nations Cup Model [a 2 team competition] and the ISA Tri-Nations Model [a 3 team competition].
The ISA asks each of you to review the models, organize and host as many of these competitions in your region as possible, especially between countries nearby. These are easy, low cost, and fun events to run by inviting just one or two other National Teams. It's a great way to bring together fellow surfers and at the same time, it will increase awareness of our beloved sport, ensuring a place in the sporting world. Most importantly it will allow your NGB to increase its visibility with the local media, Olympic Committee and the Sports Minister or Secretaries in your country.
Not only will these events increase the skill level and competitive edge of our athletes, but they will also inspire young surfers and create a National Team awareness in your community and at the Beach.
Finally, hosting ISA Sanctioned events is a valuable asset that NGBs should have. They will become a valuable way to use for raising money and recognition from sponsors, government and sport authorities.
These models were developed for NGB's use, based on the proven success of the past ISA sanctioned Year 2002 TRI Nation Surfing Series' (AUS vs. NZ vs. SAF) and the Year 2003 ISA Trans-Tasman Surfing Challenge' (AUS vs. NZ).
The ISA kindly requests that each and every ISA NGB takes advantage of this opportunity plans to start hosting these 2 to 3 nation competitions starting right away. As a minimum, your NGB should run one Nations Cup this year, and every year from now on. We are very confident that running this event could be much simpler, if it were to be run as part of another surfing competition already in place in your NGB calendar.
These events can be completed in one day, but you may also leave a 2-day window open for competition to take place on the best day. The ISA would like to know about your intentions and plans for these events before the WSG in Ecuador. The ISA will be open to suggestions on ways to upgrade the presentation of these event formats.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the ISA Headquarters.
The ISA looks forward to hearing about your plans.
For a better surfing future,
Fernando Aguerre
President
International Surfing Association
