Oceans Festival celebrates 25 years of Junior Surf Lifesaving

Greg Rieger officiating at an Oceans Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving at Mount Maunganui. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services.

Mount Maunganui’s Greg Rieger is set to officiate the Oceans Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving for the 24th time in 25 years, marking a significant milestone for New Zealand’s largest junior lifesaving event.

The festival, held from Thursday to Sunday, will feature 726 young athletes from 48 surf lifesaving clubs at the Mount for a range of sport surf lifesaving competitions, ranging from beach flags to water rescues.

The event, which has been a staple in the surf lifesaving community for 25 years, continues to foster excitement and energy as young participants from across New Zealand come together to enhance their budding surf lifesaving skills. Despite the many changes seen over the years, the spirit of the Oceans Festival has remained constant.

Rieger’s passion for the event is as strong as ever.

“I’ve only missed one Oceans Festival for my parents’ wedding anniversary,” Rieger said.

“The young people coming to Oceans are the surf lifeguards who will be keeping us safe in the years to come. This is where a lifelong passion starts and where they learn the skills and resilience that will ultimately save lives.”

Action from the 2024 Oceans New Zealand under-14 surf lifesaving championships in Mount Maunganui. Photo / Jamie Troughton, Dscribe Media Services.

For Rieger, surf lifesaving is more than just a job — it’s a family tradition. He, along with his wife Donna and children Hamish, Oliver, Fergus, and Eliza-Jane, have been deeply involved in Mount Maunganui’s surf lifesaving community for years.

In 2017, Rieger was honoured with the Surf Official of the Year award at the Surf Life Saving Awards of Excellence, recognising his dedication to the sport despite facing personal tragedy. Rieger was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Scholarship by High Performance Sport New Zealand in 2024. This scholarship supports athletes, coaches, officials and support team staff in gaining professional or educational development while continuing their involvement in sports.

Rieger’s extensive experience includes officiating at a range of events, from the New Zealand Pool Championships to the World Masters Games. However, it’s the sense of community that keeps him coming back year after year.

“Who else can say the athletes in their sport also save lives?” Rieger said, as he prepares for another unforgettable Oceans Festival.