Surfing: Hareb lifts NZ to ninth in Panama

Paige Hareb. Photo / Getty Images

Paige Hareb finished seventh at the world surfing games in Panama to boost her New Zealand team into ninth place on the last day of the event yesterday.

Hareb had hoped to progress through to the final and better her silver medal performance from 2010 but fell short early on the final day of the event, placing third in a close heat.

French surfer Alize Arnaud won the heat followed by Brazilian Silvana Lima.

The surf remained around the 1m mark for the final day, although big lulls played havoc with surfers' performances, often catching them out of position as they jostled for waves.

Hareb got off to a slow start in her heat and had to play catch-up from the outset. As the heat progressed, she picked up scores of 6.13 and 4.20 but required a 5.95 point ride to progress at the end of the heat.

The seventh placing was the highest of the New Zealand team, but Hareb still felt she should have done better.

"At these ISA events, I definitely would rather get a first or nothing, since I got second last year."

Hareb now switches focus to the Association of Surfing Professionals world tour. She heads to France to compete in the penultimate event of the year, followed by the final event at Huntington Beach, California in four weeks.

- NZPA