A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Over 80 frothing groms have descended on Gisborne for the National Primary
School Surfing Champs, which started today.
The annual event, a stepping stone to competitive surfing, kicks off a massive week for school-aged surfers.
The National Scholastic Secondary School Surfing Champs will be held immediately after at the Red Bus break at Makorori.
Groms from the length of the country will be bringing their best form to the waves.
For many participants, it will be their first time competing at a national level, so a user-friendly round-robin format is in place to give participants three chances at having a go before the top-ranked surfers face off in finals.
Midway Beach is the primary venue but if it does not provide, safe fun conditions for the groms, additional coastal options will come into play.
The Primary School Champs are the entry point for New Zealand’s youngest surfers who want to compete at a national level.
The popular event offers first-time participants the chance to give it a go and have fun. They learn, they enjoy themselves and they make new friends.
The event also offers the perfect platform for the savviest of young groms — some who were almost born on a surfboard and are seasoned campaigners — to battle it out against their closest rivals.
Some of these young surfers are regularly participating in domestic events and some are starting to venture overseas to face the best Australia has to offer.
Past event champions include New Zealand’s finest such as Olympian Ella Williams and New Zealand representatives Ava Henderson and Kehu Butler.
The event has grown over the years to now include a Year 7 and 8 Division and Year 6 and under for boys and girls.
There is also a top club title. Bay Boardriders of Mount Maunganui are the three-time defending champions this year.
Over 120 secondary school students will make their way to Makorori for the national scholastic champs from September 25-29.
The event has been held since 1989 and has unearthed two generations of top Kiwi talent.
It comprises eight age group divisions for males and females across shortboard and longboard disciplines.
As well as individual crowns, 12 regions will contest the team title. Auckland are the defending champions.
A record 128 surfers are participating at the event after having qualified to represent their 12-person teams via a series of regional events held during the winter months.
Seas are moderate but the title race is heating up at the surf nationals.