3 Mar 2009

Taranaki surfer impresses in first Dream tour event of the year

5:59 am on 3 March 2009

The New Zealand surfer Paige Hareb has made a strong start to her career on the Dream Tour, upsetting two higher ranked opponents to win her opening heat of the Roxy Pro on Australia's Gold Coast.

The Taranaki teenager surfed impressively in one-metre waves at Duranbah Beach posting 7.83 points on her second wave to set the pace.

With the world number six Samantha Cornish and fellow Australian Jessi Miley-Dyer closing in late in the heat Hareb sealed the deal with a 7.23 ride in the final minute boosting her straight into the third round.

Hareb is the first New Zealander to be included in the top tier of women's international surfing and is has a world ranking of 15 for this year's eight contest Dream Tour.