Surfing

New Zealand's top male surfer Jay Quinn had a boost in his bid to defend his national open title when his older brother Maz withdrew from the country's showcase competition.

Jay Quinn has risen 57 places to finish the 2011 Association of Surfing Professionals World Tour ranked 41st and the highest ranked Kiwi.

Teenagers Kodi Harman and Emily Hodges will make their international debuts when a New Zealand surf lifesaving team competes in Australia this weekend.

Kelly Slater has officially been crowned surfing world champion for a history-making 11th time after winning his round four heat at the Rip Curl Search event in San Francisco.

The 50th National Surfing Championships will be held at Piha Beach, Auckland from January 15-21, 2012.

Paige Hareb has qualified for the 2012 Association of Surfing Professionals Women's World Tour for the fourth consecutive year after finishing fifth at an event in Europe.

Surfers yelled at broadcaster Graeme Moody to free his leg rope as his surfboard was caught under rocks in 3m swells.

Taranaki surfer Paige Hareb has inched closer to the women's finals of the world surfing games in Panama after topping her heat this morning.

New Zealander Paige Hareb continued her run at the world surfing games in Panama today, moving through to the final six after a narrow win over Brazilian Sofia Mulanovich.

Paige Hareb and Phil Morris kept New Zealand hopes alive in the main round of the world surfing games in Panama overnight.