Surfing: Bay surfers make up half the team

Kehu Butler is one of six Western Bay surfers named in the New Zealand team to contest the World Junior Surfing Championship in California.

The Western Bay coastline's reputation for producing top class surfers is further enhanced with the naming of the New Zealand junior surfing team.

Six of the 12 named in the under-16 and under-18 divisions, plus two non-travelling reserves, are from the wider Mount Maunganui area. They will compete with 29 other countries at the 2015 ISA World Junior Surfing Championship to be held at Oceanside Beach, California, from October 11-18.

The selections are even more significant as the Western Bay coastline is renowned for small to poor sized waves.

New Zealand team manager and Arataki resident Kahn Butler says the lack of surf helps the board riders become better technically.

"It is the Kelly Slater syndrome. He is also from an inconsistent surf spot and we learnt to surf really bad, small waves really well. We don't know when we are going to get the next swell so we over-amp and are always keen on any conditions," Butler said.

"If you learn to generate speed from small waves then your technique has to be perfect. When you come to surf big waves you already know what to do and your technique is already perfect.

"That is why over the years the Mount surfers have been really good. With the West Coast surfers, they learn with waves that have speed on tap so they can get away with bad technique because the wave is always pushing them."

Butler's son Kehu, 15, is one of the best prospects in the New Zealand team. He is making his third trip to the worlds and is eligible again for the under-16s next year.

Butler is hopeful Kehu can bring home a world title.

"In terms of leadership I will be asking him to help with the culture of the team in the under-16 division particularly.

"In the past we may have got overawed and thought it was a privilege to be there but we want to instil a culture that we are going there to win this time."

The other Western Bay surfers heading to California are Callum Chuter (who attends the Raglan Surfing Academy), Jonas Tawharu, Elin Tawharu, Kaya Horne and Raiha Ensor, with Kea Smith and Lee Ririnui non-travelling reserves.