Maz Quinn (born 7 August 1976) is a

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

surfer. A four-time winner of New Zealand's national surfing championships, and winner of the 1996 Billabong Pro-Junior Series, Quinn is regarded as one of the country's foremost surfers. Quinn was born in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...

, but his family moved to Gisborne when he was two years old. He was educated at Elgin Primary School, Gisborne Intermediate and

Gisborne Boys' High School Gisborne Boys' High School is a boys' secondary school situated in Gisborne, New Zealand. It was founded as a co-educational school in 1909 as Gisborne High School. In 1956, the school became Gisborne Boys' High School when it was split into two ...

. Always an enthusiastic surfer, his passion for the sport increased when the family moved to the small community of

Wainui Beach Wainui Beach is a small settlement on the coast of New Zealand's North Island, located just to the north of Tuaheni Point, some 8 km to the east of Gisborne, to which it is linked by State Highway 35. The beach is one of the NZ Automobil ...

when he was a teenager. Quinn comes from a surfing family – his younger brother Jay and sister Holly have both won national titles, his mother is an advocate for

Women's surfing Women's surfing is thought to date back to the 17th century. One of the earliest records of women surfing is of princess Keleanohoana’api’api, also known as Kalea or the Maui Surf Riding Princess. It is rumored that Kalea was the trailblaze ...

and his father was a national official. During the 1990s, Quinn took part in the World Qualifying Series, a lower-ranked pro tour which enables surfers to attempt to qualify for the elite World Championship Tour. In 1999 Maz became the first New Zealander to win a WQS event and in 2001 he became the first New Zealander ever to qualify for the World Championship Tour, in doing so becoming one of the world's top 44 ranked male surfers. In 2009, Quinn helped to stage the Quiksilver Maz Quinn King of the Groms, a national surfing event for youth.Quiksilver Maz Quinn King of the Groms
, Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 11 March 2009

References

1976 births Living people New Zealand surfers Sportspeople from Gisborne, New Zealand People educated at Gisborne Boys' High School People educated at Gisborne Intermediate {{surfing-bio-stub