Kiwi Charger Blair Stewart Awaits A Shot At the Big League In The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials

(Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010) An elite field of 32 internationals have been invited to contest the prestigious Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials scheduled to take place at the notorious break of “Teahupo’o” in Tahiti over four days beginning August 16th.

The 32 international surfers include Gisborne surfer Blair Stewart (30). Stewart, renowned for his big wave exploits both in New Zealand and abroad will be the second Kiwi surfer to ever compete at the event – the first being Maz Quinn who placed 17th in the main event, The Billabong Pro, in 2002.

Speaking from his home base at Gisborne, Stewart was stoked to have finally been given the nod to compete at the prestigious event. “It has been a strange week waiting for the call up but I am stoked that I am finally in the event” commented Stewart who has surfed the break on several occasions in the past and as recent as three weeks ago. “I am very comfortable with the wave, I was up there only three weeks ago, familiarising myself with the break again as well as shooting footage for the next issue of New Zealand Surfing Magazine”.

“If the swell gets to a decent size, I think I am ready” said Stewart.

Stewart departs on Sunday week and despite the late call up has been training hard in the hope that his dreams came true with a wildcard slot. “I have been doing lots of exercise recently, running and swimming mainly because there haven’t been many waves around the Gisborne region. I think I will be doing the same over the next 10 days before I leave.”

Aspirations at the event? Well Stewart simply hopes to not get “whopped up” on the sharp shallow reef and “to make all the waves that he rides”.

The Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials is a precursor to stop 5 on the ASP Men’s World Tour, the Billabong Pro, Tahiti and only the winner is guaranteed a wildcard seed direct into the Billabong Pro’s elite main event. A second position is open to the highest placed local Tahitian surfer.

All surfers have been chosen based on previous performances at either Teahupo’o or abroad, and for their dedication to riding the world’s most intimidating surf spots.

The nature of the Teahupo’o break and the intensity of competition make the competition like no other. In surfing circles, the trials winner is lauded as a minor hero – required to put his life on the line inside the huge barrels that break across dangerously shallow, tropical reef - and the respect earned from his peers is on par with the eventual champion of the main event.

From there, further glory lies in overcoming one of the Billabong Pro’s top three seeds in Round 1 of the main event. In 2010 those seeds include current world ranked no. 1, Jordy Smith (Durban, ZAF), world ranked no. 2 Taj Burrow (WA, AUS) and world ranked no. 3 Kelly Slater (Fl, USA).

Historically, the Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials champions have a habit of putting a dent in the world title campaigns of their top-seeded rivals. Most notably in 2007 when relative unknown Brazilian Bruno Santos and local wildcard Manoa Drollet went all the way to the final, finishing first and second respectively.

Drollet is a two-time trials winner at Teahupo’o and sits at the top of the wildcard heap. As a result, the 34 year-old has earned a seed direct into the main event in 2010.

Billabong Pro, Tahiti competition director and former world no. 2, Luke Egan (Gold Coast, AUS) says Drollet’s performances at the infamous break surpass anything he has witnessed during his career as a competitor and previous four years as Contest Director.

“Manoa’s surfing over the years at Teahupo’o is regularly above and beyond anything I have seen from any of the Top 45 rated men,” said Egan.

“There is not one world rated surfer in the competition, from Kelly Slater down, who will risk holding back when Manoa is in the water. He is the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons at Teahupo’o. It’s very probable that by having him in the competition he could knock out one of the top guys and it will affect the world title race.”

Along with 32 internationals, an additional field of 32 local Tahitian surfers make up the total trials field of 64.

The VonZipper Air Tahiti Nui trials begins from August 16th.

A series of pre-event webisodes will be made available over coming days and weeks for websites. Stand by for further info.

Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials
2010 Official International Invitees

HAWAII
Jon Florence
Conan Hayes
Bruce Irons
Danny Fuller
Sion Miloski
Kamalei Alexander
Reef McIntosh
Ian Walsh
Kalani Chapman
Marcus Hickman
Steven Koehene
Gavin Gillette
Jamie Sterling
Hank Gaskell
Clay Marzo

USA
Dane Ward

AUSTRALIA
Wade Goodall
Ryan Callinan
Laurie Towner
Nick Vasicek
Anthony Walsh
Koby Abberton
Mark Matthews
Damien Wills
Ryan Hipwood

PERU
Alvaro Malpartida
Gabriel Villaran

BRAZIL
Ricardo Do Santos

Puerto Rico
Alejandro Moreda

JAPAN
Takayuki Wakita

FRANCE
Ben Sanchez

NEW ZEALAND
Blair Stewart

SOUTH AFRICA
Dale Staples

Air Tahiti Nui VonZipper Trials
Former Champions
2009 Heiarii Williams (PFY)
2008 Jamie O’Brien (HAW)
2007 Manoa Drollet (PFY)
2006 Heiarii Williams (PFY)
2005 Manoa Drollet (PFY)
2004 Heimata Carroll (PFY)
2003 Alain Riou (PFY)
2002 Vetea David (PFY)
2001 Bruce Irons (HAW)

Celebrating 10 years of the Billabong Pro, Tahiti!

MEDIA CONTACT INFO:
Trials highlights and TV newsfeed will be made available, contact:

“JJ” – Billabong Int. Event Media Manager.
Mob: +61 (0) 421 384 431
johnathan.jenkins@billabong.com.au

Rights free digital photos and full press release will also be made available via ASP Australasia contact:

Steve Robertson
+61 (0) 407 706874
steve@surfingaustralia.com