Surfers celebrate anniversary in style

Jack Thomas in action during the Steve Bowling Summer Session surf competition at Ocean Beach. Photo / Tania Whyte

Ocean Beach Boardriders have celebrated their 10th birthday with the annual Steve Bowling Summer Session surf competition proving to be as popular as ever.

Mimiwhangata's Paul Moretti surfed well in consistent surf up to 1.2m on Saturday to win the major prize in the packed competition programme which organiser Rupert Newbold called "a wild and successful day".

It is the sixth time the competition has been held but the success of the club's big competition event of the year means it won't be the last.

"It just seems to get better and better every year. To get the competition done in a day we have to limit the maximum entrants we have at 60 and we were right on 60 - in fact, in the end we had to turn a couple of guys away because we just couldn't fit them in," Newbold said.

Long-time naming rights sponsor and committee member Steve Bowling even gave up his regular spot in the long boarding competition.

"Steve's a staunch club member but this year he didn't compete. He gave his place away to a club member who was really hanging out to get in there which was a really nice gesture," he said.

There was some spectacular surfing throughout the day with Moretti the standout in the men's open division beating out North Coast Boardrider Chad Dowsett into second with fellow Sandy Bay surfer Aguirre Bonzon third and Ocean Beach local, Joe O'Donnell, finishing fourth.

Ocean Beach's Heather Easterbrook won the women's open event beating Sandy Bay surfer Fernanda Toscani, who finished second, while Ocean Beach's Grace Pevats and Renee Lee in third and fourth.

Jamahl Moselen won the Juniors' competition with Max Brunker second, Oliver Charlesworth third and Dylan Cook fourth.

Mangawhai's Tony Baker topped North Coast Boardrider Simon Egginton to win the men's longboard competition with Ocean Beach Boardriders' Paulo Gomes and Dwayne Johnstone finishing third and fourth.

The men's over-40 competition was won by Ocean Beach's Derek Brunker, with Matt Evans, Mark Grey and Clinton Ashill rounding out the final three placings.