The best surf boat crews from New Zealand and Australia are set to face off for top honours of the annual Trans-Tasman Surf Boat Challenge at Waihī Beach this weekend.
Last year the annual clash was held in Sydney and returns to New Zealand shores in 2019, again being held at Waihī Beach as it was in 2017. New Zealand is yet to win the title, so the local side is unsurprisingly hungry to take the win and the Trans-Tasman Surf Boat Challenge Trophy.
This year, the four New Zealand crews all come from Titahi Bay in Wellington, showing how effective their preparation and training for this event has been, and how dedicated they are in taking the title from the Australians for the first time.
Brett Hamer, a rower in the New Zealand Open Men's team, said the Australian team "are the favourites to win for good reason and deservedly so", but they still want to make their supporters proud and getting a win would be the ultimate way to do so.
"The Australian team have dominated this event both at home and over the ditch since its inception so we will have to be sharp," Hamer said.