Billy Stairmand
Personal information
Born (1989-10-21) 21 October 1989 (age 34)
Raglan, New Zealand[1]
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Weight65 kg (143 lb)
Surfing career
Years active2010–present
SponsorsNorthbeach, Oakley, Hughes Surfboards, DVS, FCS, Gorilla Grip, Raglan Surf Co,[2] Sharpeye Surfboards,[3] Giltrap Skoda[4]
Surfing specifications
StanceRegular[1]

Billy Stairmand (born 21 October 1989) is a New Zealand surfer who competed in the men's shortboard event at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Stairmand was born and raised in Raglan, a beachside town on the North Island of New Zealand known for its surfing spots.[1][5] He was taught to surf by his father around the age of 10 and began surfing competitively when he was 13.[6]

Career

In 2010 Stairmand won his first national title,[6] as well as his first ASP World Tour victory at the six-star Ferrolterra Movistar Pantin Classic.[7] He established himself on the international scene the following year by defeating ten-time world champion Kelly Slater at the Telstra Drug Aware Pro in Australia.[8][9] Stairmand won his sixth open men's title at the 2017 national championships, breaking a 30-year record formerly held by five-time champions Wayne Parkes and Iain Buchanan.[6]

In 2019 Stairmand collected victories at the Rip Curl Raglan Pro and the Gold Coast Open.[10][11] He also finished eighth overall at the 2019 ISA World Surfing Games,[12] earning him qualification for the 2020 Summer Olympics as the highest-placed competitor from Oceania.[13] In March 2020 he suffered a medial collateral ligament (MCL) tear in his left knee while preparing for the Corona Piha Pro in New Zealand, sidelining him for almost three months.[9][14]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stairmand had to wait until 2021 to compete at the inaugural Olympic surfing competition in Tokyo. The month before the Games, both he and Ella Williams were confirmed by the New Zealand Olympic Committee as the country's representatives.[15] Stairmand advanced to the elimination round after placing third in the initial heat and third in the repechage, but was eliminated by the reigning world champion and eventual gold medallist Ítalo Ferreira.[16]

Personal life

Stairmand met Cornwall native Liana Parker while competing at a WSL Qualifying Series event in England, and the couple married in 2018.[17]

Apart from surfing, he enjoys basketball, golf, skateboarding and snowboarding.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Billy Stairmand". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 26 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Billy Stairmand". Oakley. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Billy Stairmand". Sharpeye Surfboards. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  4. ^ Symes, Edith (21 May 2020). "Grounded surfer set on making most of break". Raglan Chronicle. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  5. ^ Brooks, Seabird (16 February 2017). "Love thy Local – Raglan". Tracks. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Goile, Aaron (20 January 2017). "Raglan surfer Billy Stairmand aiming for the big time after record sixth national title". Stuff. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Billy Stairmand wins the 2010 Pantin Classic". Surfer Today. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. ^ Wilson, Peter (8 April 2011). "The good, the bad, and the hungry". ESPN. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  9. ^ a b "Billy Stairmand Riding the wave". Giltrap. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  10. ^ Morrison, Derek (14 April 2019). "Billy Stairmand Wins Rip Curl Pro". New Zealand Surf Journal. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  11. ^ "New Zealand surfer Billy Stairmand wins big in Australia". Stuff. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Billy Stairmand – Olympic hopeful". Radio New Zealand. 29 December 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  13. ^ Rowbottom, Mike (13 September 2019). "Boukhiam and Stairmand in possession of Tokyo 2020 qualifying places at ISA World Surfing Games". Inside the Games. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  14. ^ Johnstone, Duncan (15 March 2020). "New Zealand surfer Billy Stairmand will charge at Piha Pro despite untimely injury". Stuff. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Tokyo Olympics: New Zealand confirm Billy Stairmand, Ella Williams as duo to compete in surfing's Olympics debut". Newshub. 28 June 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Ella Williams and Billy Stairmand Finish Ninth at Tokyo 2020 Olympics". Surfing New Zealand. 28 July 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  17. ^ Symes, Edith (8 February 2018). "'So helpful' locals make surfing couple's big day". Raglan Chronicle. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  18. ^ "Home Advantage: Seven-time national champ Billy Stairmand urges surfers to stay course". Stuff. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2021.

External links

2020 New Zealand Olympic team
Categories