Surfing: Quinn to face world championship contender again

Maz Quinn will square off with world championship contender Andy Irons for the third time in a month when New Zealand's leading surfers face a top international combination at Piha later this month.

Gisborne's Quinn met Hawaii's Irons, still in the world championship running, in the first and third rounds of the Quicksilver Pro in France two weeks ago. Quinn came within a minute of eliminating the defending champion.

Quinn is in fine form after winning the Ferrol Terra Classic in Pantin Spain, last month.

The pair will meet again in the last heat of the first round at Piha on October 22-23, with Irons and fellow Hawaiian Sunny Garcia drawn against Quinn and Bobby Hansen, also of Gisborne.

Daniel Kereopa and Jay Quinn make up the rest of the New Zealand team, while the international side include Australians Joel Parkinson and Mark Occhilupo.

The draw involves two competition rounds. The first round-robin comprises four 20-minute heats in which four surfers, two from each side, compete. Each surfer rides to score points for their team.

Then comes the tag team round, with the competition culminating in an hour-long event in which with all eight competitors fight for the last 10 points on offer.

Each surfer will have 15 minutes to catch a maximum of three waves.

Occhilupo said he was looking forward to surfing against Quinn.

"When Maz was on tour, I'd always enjoy watching his heats. He's quite powerful," Occhilupo said.

"I've spoke to Andy, Sunny and Joel and they're really excited about the event."

Surfers will compete for a trophy board designed by Kereopa's brother Aaron.

The trophy is carved from a surfboard blank and features a figure representing Tawhirimatea, Maori god of the elements -- the wind, storm and tempest.

Draw

Heat 1: Joel Parkinson (Australia), Mark Occhilupo (Australia), Maz Quinn (Gisborne), Bobby Hansen (Gisborne)

Heat 2 Andy Irons (Hawaii), Sunny Garcia (Hawaii), Jay Quinn (Gisborne), Daniel Kereopa (Raglan)

Heat 3: Parkinson, Occhilupo, Jay Quinn, Kereopa.

Heat 4: Irons, Garcia, Maz Quinn, Hansen.

- NZPA