Surfing: Hareb to face legend in first round

SYDNEY - Paige Hareb will go from one Australian surfing legend to another tomorrow as she looks to consolidate her flying start in the sport's elite ranks.

The Taranaki 18-year-old is drawn to face Australia's seven-time world champion Laine Beachley in her opening heat of the second round of the world tour at Bells Beach near Melbourne.

South Africa's Roseanne Hodge will make up the trio in heat two of the 18-strong field in the Rip Curl Women's Pro Bells Beach, weather permitting.

Beachley, 36, is returning from retirement for selected world tour events this year and Hareb will be rubbing her eyes as she paddles into the chilly surf.

"Layne's definitely my biggest role model in surfing and in life. She's been through so much and always positive and really cool to be around," Hareb said earlier this year.

Not that Hareb, the first New Zealand woman to surf the world tour, has shown too many nerves so far.

At her world tour debut in the Roxy Pro Gold Coast last month, Hareb made the semifinals before being eliminated by Australia's double world champion Stephanie Gilmore.

Gilmore will start as clear favourite again this week as she shoots for a third consecutive title at Bells Beach.

Hareb backed up her world tour debut by making the semifinals last week on the secondary tour's Drug Aware Pro at the Margaret River in Western Australia.

She went in as defending champion but was eliminated in the semifinals by another rising star, Hawaii's Coco Ho, with whom Hareb shares equal third ranking on the world tour after round one.

The men's competition at Bells Beach began today in moderate three-to-four foot (1m) waves.

- NZPA