Wainui's Sanya Lawler, pictured in recent action at the Eastern Regional junior carnival in Ōhope, is among the Gisborne surf lifesavers competing in the Oceans 25 national champs in Mount Maunganui this week. Photo / Jamie Troughton-Dscribe Media
Wainui's Sanya Lawler, pictured in recent action at the Eastern Regional junior carnival in Ōhope, is among the Gisborne surf lifesavers competing in the Oceans 25 national champs in Mount Maunganui this week. Photo / Jamie Troughton-Dscribe Media
More than 50 rising Gisborne surf lifesavers are primed and ready for a huge four days at the Oceans 25 New Zealand junior championships, starting in Mount Maunganui on Thursday.
The Oceans Festival of Junior Surf Lifesaving is celebrating 25 years and the 2025 edition will feature 726 Under-14 athletes from 48 clubs racing in events ranging from beach flags to water rescues.
Surf Life Saving NZ national events manager Matt Cairns said Oceans provides an opportunity for surf club members aged between 10 and 14 to compete, challenge themselves and celebrate the camaraderie of the sport.
“The Oceans carnival owes its success to the families who return year after year to take part and volunteer.
“With the event in its 25th year, we’re stoked to see people supporting their siblings and children as they participate in events over the weekend.”
“Swell and conditions are looking good with a little bit of swell on the forecast. This will suit our crew as we have had really consistent swell through the season and the kids’ skills are looking really good.
“We have some strong teams across all divisions and age groups and will look to put our best foot forward. Most importantly we are all looking forward to going away as a group and having some fun together in between some hard racing.”
Riversun Wainui’s team of 17 are “very excited”, having trained since September for Oceans, head coach Dion Williams said.
“Some of them are hoping for podium placings, some are hoping to get through their heat, but all of them are prepared to give it their best effort, try hard and have fun doing it.”
Williams said their focus was on producing the best races they could and not worrying about where they placed.
“That comes after the race has finished. Not during it.
“Try hard, have fun and tell me (coach) three new friends you’ve made during each day. Those are the rules the team has set for the carnival. Pretty cool if you ask me.”
A few of Wainui’s group have done well individually over the season so far, notably Dion’s daughter Brooke, who won five titles at the recent Eastern Regional junior championships.
She also won several titles at Oceans 24.
“A national-level competition is a hard stage to shine on but we have done great preparation and hopefully will have some great stories to tell afterwards, with some medals to show,” he said.
Kaiaponi Farms Waikanae junior coach Edan Wilson said their 14 athletes were “super-excited”.
“The event is a really special one and an awesome way to end the junior surf season.
“For Sofia Damiris, Tylar Dear, Emmie Fitzharris-Stevens and Trixie Scott, this will be their first time competing at the event, and they’re absolutely fizzing. I’m excited to see them get out there, give it a go and have fun.
“Blake Thompson, Josie Keast, Emma Webb, Annabelle Douglas and Aurelia Ryan all have a year racing at Oceans under their belts and are frothing to hit the Mount beach again.
“For Pippa Holden, Clancy Ryan, Jade Hopper, Lucas Thompson, and Tessa Webb, this will be their final-ever Oceans event before moving up to seniors next year, so we look forward to cheering them on and celebrating them,” Wilson said.
“It hasn’t been the easiest summer of training with all the terrible weather and closed beaches, but these kids have shown incredible resilience and have kept on showing up and putting in the hard yards, and it’ll be so good to see those months of mahi paying off.
“I cannot wait to see these kids giving it everything, having a blast and making new friends along the way.”
