Olympics hit-out for Vette

Gisborne’s Saffi Vette wins the Open Women’s Division final at the Surfing New Zealand National Championships in 2021 at Piha Beach. Vette has been selected for the New Zealand team to contest the ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico this year. Picture by Andrew Cornaga / www.Photosport.nz

Gisborne surfer Saffi Vette is in the New Zealand team to contest the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games in Puerto Rico at the end of this month.

It will be team members’ final qualification opportunity for the Paris Olympic Games which begin from July 11 this year.

Vette has already qualified for Paris. She and Billy Stairmand secured the Oceania continental spots up for grabs at the 2023 World Surfing Games in El Salvador.

Paige Hareb (Taranaki) and Pia Rogers (Whangamatā) are the other women in the team for this year’s World Surfing Games.

Hareb was selected by way of the 2023 World Surf League (WSL) Challenger Series, Vette by way of the 2024 WSL Australia/Oceania Qualifying Series, and Rogers through being last year’s New Zealand Surf Series champion.

The men in the team are Stairmand (Raglan), Kehu Butler (Mt Maunganui) and Elliot Paerata-Reid (Piha).

Stairmand and Butler gained selection through the 2023 WSL Challenger Series, and Paerata-Reid through his top-35 ranking on the 2024 WSL Australia/Oceania Qualifying Series.

The competition is set to take place in the municipality of Arecibo on the reef breaks of Margara and the twin breaks of El Pico and Rastrial.

Two places at Paris 2024 are up for grabs for New Zealand surfers in Puerto Rico. The top five unqualified males and top seven unqualified females will earn Olympic spots.

The New Zealand team will compete in the World Surfing Games from February 23 to March 3. Over 50 countries and 250 surfers will take part.

Surfing for the Paris Olympic Games will be held at Teahupo’o, Tahiti, from July 27.