/ B I L LY STAIRMAND
Raglan’s Billy Stairmand was a late bloomer in the competition scene, while Billy didn’t really dominate the junior scene he did represent NZ at the ISA World Junior Titles. But it was later in his career that Billy burst out of the blocks winning his first National Open Title in 2010 an event he has dominated since and in 2017 Billy won his 6th National Open Crown beating Wayne Parkes and Iain Ratso Buchanan’s streak of 5X title record which has lasted 30 years. In 2011 Billy took on the WQS Circuit which he has competed on for the last 7 years, where his best result came at the 2010 6000 Ferrolterra Movistar Pantin Classic in Spain where he placed 1st. Billy has also had several other great placings on the WQS, a 3rd at the 2010 O’Neill Coldwater Classic 10,000 Prime Santa Cruz, a 3rd at the Australian Open 6000 in 2012, a 3rd at the QS 6,000 Shida Point, Ichinomiya, Chiba, Japan. In 2014 Billy finished 29th on the ratings narrowly missing out on World Tour Qualification. In 2011 Billy became the name on everyone’s lips when he beat 11- times World Champion Kelly Slater in a man-on-man heat at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro a claim to fame that not many surfers can boast.