Hareb eyes World Games podium finish
Paige Hareb is one step away from a podium finish at the 2018 World Surfing Games in Japan.
The Taranaki surfer is through to the last six surfers in the event at Tahara and has helped New Zealand to eighth on the team rankings.
While not a world tour event, the championships are run by the global organisation that successfully pushed for the surfing’s Olympic inclusion. Results here will impact the team seedings and qualification process for the 2020 Games being hosted by Tokyo.
Hareb faces South African Bianca Buitendag and Australians Holly Wawn and Sally Fitzgibbons in the next round, which is essentially a semifinal. The top two from that heat advance to the final and third and fourth drop back to the repechage semifinal for one last chance.
Hareb has maintained that a podium finish has always been her goal even prior to the event starting.
‘‘I’m happy with how it’s going so far but, yeah, every heat gets harder and harder so for now I’m just concentrating on the next heat,’’ she said.
Hareb has reinforced her position as New Zealand’s top surfer with her performances in a variety of waves conditions at these championships.
Other New Zealand results saw Elin Tawharu finish 22nd and Raiha Ensor 25th in the women’s division.
In the men’s championship, New Zealand results saw Bill Stairmand finish 25th with Levi Stewart and Zen Wallis 65th.
Parker targets Whyte
Stalled New Zealand heavyweight
wants a rematch with Dillian Whyte ‘‘as soon as he is willing’’. Parker remains in New Zealand in light training as his team try to stitch a deal for a fight before the year’s end. The 26-year-old former WBO heavyweight champion is sitting on back-to-back losses, the second a controversial points decision that went in favour of Whyte, despite the Brit’s rough-house tactics. Parker must bide his time as Whyte eyes a world title shot against Anthony Joshua, providing Joshua beats Russian Alexander Povetkin this weekend.
‘‘I’m happy with how it’s going so far but yeah, every heat gets harder and harder so for now I’m just concentrating on the next heat.’’
Paige Hareb