Kiwi pair get spots in Piha Pro series

The first male entries into the Piha Pro have gone to two local surfers.

Organisers will give national senior men’s champion Elliot Paerata-Reid and Kehu Butler spots in March’s inaugural event at the Auckland West Coast beach.

In his fourth straight open men’s final, Paerata-Reid dethroned seventime national champion, Raglan’s Billy Stairmand, on his way to his maiden title last month.

While having Kiwis on board is a massive win for organisers, it’s aided further by the 24-year-old being from Piha.

Paerata-Reid finished the 2019 World Surfing League Qualifying Series in 135th, with a best finish of third at the Krui Pro in Indonesia, last April-May, losing in the semifinals to Brazilian Lucas Silveira.

He also finished fifth in the Siargao Cloud 9 Surfing Cup in the Philippines in October and is through to the round of 32 at the Volcom Pipe Pro in Hawaii.

Mt Maunganui’s Butler was ninth at the Corona Open in China last month.

The 19-year-old also won the Oceania junior qualifying series in 2018, after finishing second in the season finale in Cronulla.

Paerata-Reid and Butler have also already represented New Zealand on the international stage.

Further New Zealanders could gain entry, with Ricardo Christie and Paige Hareb the most likely, having spent last season on the Championship Tour.

Both will need to gain re-entry through the qualifying series this year, with the 10,000 points on offer, on home waters, an ideal chance.

The Piha Pro will see the WSL return to New Zealand for the first time in more than five years, with its last event a women’s 6000-rated Qualifying Series event held in Taranaki.

Running just a week before the elite Championship Tour’s first stop on the Gold Coast, organisers are hoping to attract some of the biggest names in the sport.

Inspirational Hawaiian surfer Bethany Hamilton has already been confirmed, and seven-time women’s world champion Stephanie Gilmore has expressed interest.

It is understood discussions have been held with arguably the greatest surfer of all time, 11-time men’s world champion American Kelly Slater, as well as other leading championship tour surfers.

The last major international surfing event held in Piha was the ISA world junior championships, which saw current world champion Gabriel Medina take out the under-18 boys’ division.

The event is from March 16-22.