Dunedin's JC Susan is part of a six-strong New Zealand team which will contest the International Surfing Association World Surfing Games in France beginning tonight.
The event has attracted a record 45 countries as nations eye up the inclusion of the sport in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The World Surfing Games are being held at Biarritz in the south of France from May 20-28. The New Zealand team is led by Ella Williams, who has medalled twice at the event in the past. Her best result,a third placing, was in 2015.
Williams (22) is joined by Raiha Ensor in the women’s division.
The pair will go up against the likes of World Tour surfer Johanne Defay and 2016 World Surfing Games bronze medallist Pauline Ado.
Susan is joined by Paul Moretti, Taylor Hutchison and Zen Wallis in the men’s team.
Both Hutchison and Wallis were members of the 2016 team. Susan has represented New Zealand on several occasions in the past but missed the 2016 event. Moretti is new but has competed internationally as a junior and is eager to make the transition to the open division this year.
Hutchison has been in excellent form all summer, sitting in second place overall on the New Zealand Surf Series and first in the under-20 division of the New Zealand Grom Series.
Hutchison will leave behind his performance at the 2016 event where he was eliminated in the early rounds and focus on this challenge with another year of experience to help his cause.
